Hello everyone, here's my intro...

First, my vitals, per the "read me" post:

Name: Larissa
Country: USA (MD, to be specific)
DOB: March 1 (thirtysomething)
Marital Status: Almost divorced
Occupation: Graphic Designer/Web Designer
Hobbies: PC gaming, karaoke, reading, TV
Accomplishments: AFA in Visual Communications - Graphic Design; Computer Graphics Certificate; Currently a full-time Graphic Designer & Freelancer with several years experience in print design and a year of web design experience.
bad stuff: See above, but I haven't lost hope. (for the future, not the almost-ex, lol)

I just thought I'd introduce myself and perhaps get to know a few of the regulars here. I enjoy the site, and am humbled by the contest gallery. There's some really amazing work, and quite a range of styles, which I love to study. I love trying out new techniques in my illustrations, most of which I render in Illustrator 10, my favorite program. I'm crossing my fingers for a holiday bonus I can use to upgrade to Illustrator CS or InDesign. I know that InDesign incorporates elements of Illustrator, Photoshop, and I think a web design application; but worry that it might not have all of the elements contained in Illustrator CS. Can anyone who uses either program make a recommendation about that? Thanks in advance for all advice!

Also, I love PC gaming, and am currently addicted to The Sims II, and Black & White Deluxe. I can't wait until B&W II is released, hopefully this winter!

I think I've rambled long enough for an introduction, don't you?

Larissa

Hi Larissa, welcome to DC! , good to see you are looking into the future! . Im a PC gaming adict too!... right now Im playing Sacred. Im really curious about The Sims, maybe some day I get to play it!

Thanks for the welcome, belladonna! I haven't played Sacred yet, but the clips I've seen on G4TV look great. The Sims 2 is a vast improvement over 1 with some hysterical additions. For example, male sims who are abducted by aliens while looking through a telescope are returned pregnant with green alien babies... :-) Talk about turning the tables - they get morning sickness and everything! lmao.

Larissa

...I know that InDesign incorporates elements of Illustrator, Photoshop, and I think a web design application; but worry that it might not have all of the elements contained in Illustrator CS. Can anyone who uses either program make a recommendation about that? Thanks in advance for all advice!

Larissa

Hi Larissa,

As Adobe Illustrator is more vector-based and PhotoShop is more raster-based, they are great illustration and photo editing programs respectively. Indesign is more of a page-layout and pre-press app where the files you create in the previous two programs come together and (with excellent typography tools) generate pages more suited for printing than for web design. InDesign is the major competitor to Quark Xpress, which is (or was) the leading page-layout tool within the print publishing industry.

If we're talking Adobe, and you want a great Web Design application, GoLive is your app. Although all of Adobe's products integrate fairly seamlessly, there's a big difference between publishing to print and publishing online!

There are also a lot of other great Web Design apps out there, too. But you mentioned you have Illustrator, so you're already familiar with the Adobe user interface, which makes the learning curve to InDesign that much easier.

I hope this helps you before you spend that bonus! - Happy Holidays.