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Recent Responses
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Just contact them via their site. The DVD's take time to produce so they'll be able to answer that.
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The course is now available: http://goo.gl/s866d
It runs a bit over 2 hours. You can subscribe to Lynda.com for one month for like $21 than cancel if you want. They are also selling it on DVD. Not sure if that is available yet though?
I recently re-launched: http://www.illustrationclass.com and under "VIDEOS" there is a preview video and more information. -
I can't update the chapter until the next printing. The publisher failed to inform me of the second printing so I missed that. More than likely I'll be doing a Lynda.com course on the plugins this coming year. But until then this information will answer your questions.
- Vector Scribe Studio by Astute Graphics
The two tools in this plugin I use every day are the "PathScribe" tool which lets me shape and mold vector paths like clay. And the "Dynamic Corners" tool which allows me to round any corner on the fly and than later if I want to adjust it I can because it remains dynamic.
More info here: http://www.astutegraphics.com/products/vectorscribe/studio.html
I also explain the plugin change from CValley to Astute Graphics here: http://www.formspring.me/VonGlitschka/q/228787911493943297
- SubScribe by Astute Graphics
Hard to explain these, but suffice it to say once you start playing with them you see how it assists building your designs and saves you time making many tasks that you'd normally do by either eyeballing it or manually far easier and more precise.
More info here: http://www.astutegraphics.com/products/subscribe/index.html
- Xtream Path by CValley Software
I no longer support CValley Software because they have dropped the ball development wise. Astute Graphics is a great company that supports the Ai community very well and their tools are far better too.
And that's all the extra plugins I use in Ai.
Von -
I plan on doing a Lynda.com course on logo design. I do have a course coming out soon from them which will cover the creative process but I'd like to do one more detail oriented such as customizing letterforms in a typeface for a logo etc.
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The Lynda.com course goes over the creative process in general. From initial contact with client, information gathering, ideation, sketches, refinement (All analog) than taking the drawn direction into digital and fleshing it out using some of the same methods I go over in the book. But than I got into color families, presentation, revisions and other stuff along the way. It's more of a skills based course that'll help improve your entire approach to design.
The course title is simplified for SEO purposes but I can't disclose that until it's released. -
No. It's in it's second printing but I'll probably end up doing a Lynda.com course on the plugin first?
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All future video content from me will go through Lynda.com working on my first production now. Should be up by end of year.
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There is no secret. What ever position is comfortable. That said I hold mine like I'm writing. When I do rough concept sketches for hand letting I like to hold it with three fingers two on top and thumb on bottom. I loosely sketch with the side of the pencil and this allows me more fluid motion to capture letter forms. But every other type of drawing I do holding the pencil like I'm writing.
The only secret to drawing is to keep drawing. -
Depends on what I'm creating. I recently did an exploration for Gallo wine where I needed little swirly vines and I drew out the swirls than just built them with a stroke and used the variable width tool to add the thick and thins on it.
Toolers aren't those who use tools, they're mainly the mindset of those who avoid drawing all together. This is only a recent situation in our industry mind you since the dawn of computers entering the picture. Prior to digital drawing was an expected skill a designer should have regardless if they ever wanted to become a full-blown illustrator.
So if you find a tool that makes a process easier than you can economize your drawing such as I did with the vine detailing. But in general you should know what you need to create before you create it digitally. That is the number one concern. -
Drawscribe basically is a replacement for the pen tool. IMO it does too much thinking for you so I rarely use it. Hence why I recommend VectorScribe. With VectorScribe you get the RoundCorner tool which is one of the best creative tools in existence IMO. I use that every day now. You can download both and test drive for like 7 days I think for FREE.
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I never use a recolor artwork tool? Just click on the shape, adjust the opacity with the transparency palette and you're done. Ai has what many refer too as feature bloat. There are a lot of tools I never touch, because frankly I don't need them. Most have been added to justify a new version, but in reality I use about 18 core tools and not much more.
A good example of feature bloat: The Lens Flair Tool. Worthless. -
The process and methods I cover in my VBT book haven't changed. They still apply. The plugin tools have improved since the book came out. So new plugin, same methods as covered in the book. VectorScribe is the plugin I use now, you only need this one plugin instead of the two covered in the book.
This answer might be helpful: http://www.formspring.me/VonGlitschka/q/228787911493943297 -
I always quote using flat rate fees. You want to charge just to cover your time, so if you want to think of an hourly fee and than do the math to determine that cost than that would be the flat rate I give them to create it. Than I add to that a usage fee. If it's a one time usage like a magazine editorial than it's lower and I retain all rights to the image. If it's a brand character than it's more and they buyout the image. I usually state rounds of revision and if it goes beyond that say I'll charge an hourly fee for any additional rounds above and beyond the quote.
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The opt. menu on the color palette has "Web Safe RGB" which will do this. You could always use this too: http://hslpicker.com/#FF0066
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Look for employment where you can learn a lot from. Even if it's a entry level position at an agency you'll learn a ton about the whole process. All of that experience will come back to aid you a lot later in your career so just bear with it and learn from what employers do well and what they do not so well. Both will teach you. I always encourage freelance on the side, don't feel obligated to tell your employers, it's none of their business as long as it doesn't compete or cut into their time they pay you for. Some employers like to say you can't but legally they can't do that.
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This is easier shown than explained so I posted the anwser on the VBT facebook page here: http://tinyurl.com/shapebuildingdetail
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No. It'll be a replacement for the pen tool if you like using it. It takes some getting use too but eliminates the need of having to switch to selection tools and manipulate paths all within it as you build which is nice. But the same systematic process will work regardless of what pen tool you use.
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That wasn't a tutorial it's just an image I use as a metaphor. "Create Monztur Vector Art." Keep your eyes peeled for Lynda.com content from me later this year though.
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Von Glitschka’s Bio
Portland, OR
I am an Illustrative Designer doing the full-tilt creative boogie out of my home studio. Ask my cat "Snickers" a question as well if you'd like.
