A Question from an Aspiring Graphic Designer!

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

I dont really know where to ask this but i guess this is just as good as the other forums... uh As a wannabe Professional graphic designer/Photographer what programs and or web programing should i learn and know that will be helpful in the future? Other then Adobe photoshop which i have already. I been looking around the forums and i am seeing that a lot of people know how to create flash websites and all that. I hardly know simple Html So what is worth learning and what isnt?

[tsmith]

I dont really know where to ask this but i guess this is just as good as the other forums... uh As a wannabe Professional graphic designer/Photographer what programs and or web programing should i learn and know that will be helpful in the future? Other then Adobe photoshop which i have already. I been looking around the forums and i am seeing that a lot of people know how to create flash websites and all that. I hardly know simple Html So what is worth learning and what isnt?

I'd look into a little Illustrator and 3DSMax or Maya for the graphic design aspect. I am not entirely sure on the Photography other than Photoshop of course.

[_Redrum]

Totally disagree with the 3DSMax and Maya. She's a beginner, those programs will overcomplicate things.

For design and photography, I would suggest getting started with 2D drawing programs like Photoshop and Illustrator (maybe Adobe Lightroom for photos as well). For web programming, there are so many things, you don't even wanna know But you can start with HTML and XHTML. Then try learning the basic principles of programming and start using Javascript. If you're not confused by that point, you'll know what to do next.

Here's a great site to get started:
http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Totally disagree with the 3DSMax and Maya. He's a beginner, those programs will overcomplicate things.

For design and photography, I would suggest getting started with 2D drawing programs like Photoshop and Illustrator (maybe Adobe Lightroom for photos as well). For web programming, there are so many things, you don't even wanna know But you can start with HTML and XHTML. Then try learning the basic principles of programming and start using Javascript. If you're not confused by that point, you'll know what to do next.

Here's a great site to get started:
http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

Um he is a she thank you very much lol Notice the name Joy in my username Anyway Thanks. Should i really get into 3d though? Later on that is...I mean do a lot of designer know 3d? And i am already VERY familiar with Photoshop. What else..... oh How much is Illustrator and what exactly is the point of using it?

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Oh and so many times i have looked at that html learning site always got scared and didnt know where to start! and still dont know where to start...

[_Redrum]

Um he is a she thank you very much

Oops, my apologies for that. I've change my post accordingly. I didn't really clue into the Joy in your username; I thought you meant joy like "joyful"

I wouldn't worry about 3D for a while yet. It's by no means a necessity; it's something you get into if you like it. You can try it out of course, no harm in that.

For the HTML site, I would just start at the very top on the left hand side menu and read everything until you get to the very bottom of the "Basic" category. If you want to catch on super fast, make up your own small experimentation web pages for everything as you go. When you get to the end of the Basic section, create a small website as a kind of final project and try to use everything you've learned. It should be fairly simple if you've done the smaller as-you-go pages.

When you're done with the basics, you should think about whether you want to continue on with web coding at all and if so move to the advanced section.

[tsmith]

Yea. I only mentioned some 3D graphics programs because they are the next step up from Photoshop and Illustrator for in-depth graphics work. I began using simpler, free 3d programs like Blender and MilkShape and once I was more familiar with them, moved on to trying out 3DSMax/Maya etc. I haven't messed with them much in the past few months though.

Whenever you are ready for 'em, they're amazing programs. Expensive though. There are tons and tons of guides and tutorials out there. Im not sure if you are planning on sticking to web graphics or extend into game design/modeling, etc. IF you are just planning on doing web graphics and illustration, these 3d programs may not suit you well, as redrum said.

[NancyCarter]

I think your tools depend on your goals. 10 years ago I provided models and graphics for simulator programs using 3Dstudio (before it was 3Dstudio Max). As a freelance graphic designer I haven't used this application at all! There have been less than a handfull of times when my clients would have needed this skill and it is easily farmed out. BUT, that hasn't been my focus or my primary service offering either. I think that figuring out your services offerings and honing your abilities using the right tools is key. For me: Illustrator, Photoshop, HTML.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Thanks yall so much! uh ok Yes i actually do have Blender and i was fiddling with it but i haven't the SLIGHTEST clue where to start and how to save things and all that! I should learn some more extension names and how they work or what they are for shouldn't i? You guys know of any tutorials to help me out with that Blender program?

At one time i did want to be a game programmer but then i got more into graphic design and photography. So i kinda scratched that off and wrote it at the bottom of the list for later on if i ever get around to it or just for fun. lol But 3d is useful for building flash websites is it not? I would like to do that one of these days! I will go look up illustrator right now, though i still dont understand what the use of it is.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Oops, my apologies for that. I've change my post accordingly. I didn't really clue into the Joy in your username; I thought you meant joy like "joyful"

oh and its cool. It happens!

[mattgfx]

Yes Joy Illustrator is a powerfull piece of software and if you are really good with photoshop it will help out a little. But it is a whole different beast alltogether. "It is a whole different beast!" thats where everyones says it at the same time. Sorry ;-).

I would also recomend Adobe Flash. It to isnt the easiest software to sit down with and start banging out some great stuff right away. I am still learning it myself. But I will say the stuff it can do is very desirable to many prospective clients.

[_Redrum]

But 3d is useful for building flash websites is it not?

Not necessarily. At its core, Flash is a 2D multimedia tool.

Illustrator is a drawing program that saves every stroke and shape you create as an "object" that you can go back and edit at any time. Each of these objects is represented by a complex series of mathematical equations, and because of this any such object can be made infinitely larger or smaller without losing sharpness. So unlike in Photoshop, anything you can draw in Illustrator doesn't get pixelated if you make it larger. Although, Photoshop has something that uses the same principles called "shapes" (not sure if you've used those).

Flash is actually the same thing as Illustrator (on the fundamental level). The difference is that in Flash you can animate those objects that you create, and you can program them to behave in certain ways.

These types of programs - Illustrator and Flash - are known as "vector" drawing programs. In the past, they've had some limitations due to what can and cannot be reproduced using mathematical equations, but with faster computers these programs are now catching up to the likes of Photoshop. However, they're still intended for an entirely different purpose, and you still cannot really create full blown paintings in a vector program without slowing down the average computer quite a bit.

[Kombetar]

I think Adobe Creative Suite 3 would be a very good choice. You can use it for print and web design, you also should know PHP beside basic html. there are also any other professional Programs.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Redrum thanks that explains a lot sounds very cool actually. and not TOOOO complicated lol.

[_Redrum]

and not TOOOO complicated lol.

Might take some getting used to.

If you want to try out a vector program before buying Illustrator, you can download Inkscape. It's a much simpler vector drawing program, but the principles are the same.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Ok thanks again hmmm i hope i can find illustrator for cheap on ebay or something...