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Adobe Illustrator - Don't Go to Work without It

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Everybody's business is different. But for most of us, having a copy of Illustrator should be a non-debatable and foregone conclusion. Whether you design with it or not, it is invaluable just for dealing with the files that will come your way.

The reason is simple .... it is the industry standard vector based drawing application and PostScript as it relates to both AI and EPS is the most frequently used computer language in graphics design and production. Adobe Illustrator is the most widely used illustration and vector drawing/ design application in the world. I would guess that if you totalled up the installed units of every graphics and signmaking application in the world, it would not be close to how many copies of Illustrator are in use.

Sign work (and other graphic endeavors) comes in two basic varieties:

1. Text and graphics that you design, setup or create

2. Text and graphics that has already been setup and you are functioning as a producer of that design.

In my business, something along the order of 25% to 30% of the jobs I do are brought to me on a disk, CD or are sent over the internet. Those jobs are either complete, ready-to-produce designs or may be just part .... but usually they are the essential ingredient in what I am being hired to do. Of those jobs, about half are either AI or EPS and, these days, easily 75% are saved in a version which is higher than my signmaking software (Omega 2.0.2 and FlexiSign 7.5) or my copy of Corel can open. This isn't because they are so advanced or complex - rather it's because the designer has no appreciation of the need to save in a lower, more universally readable format.

In my business, that amounts to between 10 and 20 jobs a month that we would not be able to open the files and proceed with doing our work. The math is pretty easy here: I cannot afford not to have a copy of Illustrator on my computer ... even if I never use it for anything other than opening files.

And I do use it for much more.
 

jimdes

New Member
After sending you a file a couple weeks ago, I am seriously considering this upgrade. I recently set up corel's user interface to look like Adobe in hopes that a transition will be a little easier. I anticipate that during the move to the new shop and possibly the purchase of a digital printer, Illustrator will become a necessity.

I've also looked into some programs at the local community college in hopes that the learning curve will be a lot shorter than the giant mountain Corel had been initially.
 

jimdes

New Member
It's inevitable that you'll see less of me this summer. We’re Moving, new location, busy time of year, family, new house, another class, and just plain old busy. Not to mention that I'm trying to put together a meet in southern Maine but it looks like an endeavor that I’ll have to work on for Fall 2006.
 

David Wright

New Member
That's not really an issue that has come here Fred. Of course I don't get very many files from customers, mostly generated here.

Now if you would have said Adobe Photoshop is a must, I would agree.
 

Barry

New Member
David Wright said:
That's not really an issue that has come here Fred. Of course I don't get very many files from customers, mostly generated here.

Now if you would have said Adobe Photoshop is a must, I would agree.
Actually I would consider both a must.
 

Jen Goodwin

New Member
I couldn't agree more, Fred! I run Illustrator 9 right now and NEED to upgrade to CS just to handle the files that come our way. I'm sick of getting in touch with the other designers of this stuff and saying "Could you save this down to version 9?" Seems as though everyone is using CS now!
Fall of 2006 Jim?....I'll be there!! :thumb:
 

SignRover

New Member
For fear of appearing inept, we upgraded to the CS versions of the Adobe Suite last week. We only had to ask about a dozen clients to dumb down the version of their artwork so we could open it. Not having the latest stuff made us look like a pack of monkeys.
 

David Snider

New Member
AI and PS are a must, I agree! Wouldn't (couldn't) be without it.


*edit* May I add? Dual monitors for added work flow.
 

Techman

New Member
i must be in the dark ages.

i have ill 9 onboard but rarely open it any more.. Corel draw 12 is why,

oh well.

techy
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
It all depends, if you do signs inhouse only, any one software will work, just send the Artiste' packing to a signshop who can open it,,,,,,,
 

scott pagan

New Member
these 2 adobe products are a must on my workstations. i can create, save as..., import, and export most any type of file with these tools at hand.
 

Jen Goodwin

New Member
Is anyone running CS as opposed to Illustrator 10? I heard from a friend that he upgraded to CS and he hated it! He took it off and went back to 10. I'm just wondering if others like the CS versions or not?
He said it was just a way of Adobe keeping track of you...much of what he said reminded me of XP. You have to register it online etc. He's a Mac user, but being a windows user, I'm used to that anyway! He also said that from CS you cannot save down below version 10? He also said it created huge files.
I'm also thinking of upgrading my Corel 9 to Corel 12. I've only heard good things about that - anyone have any experiences one should know before upgrading?
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
I'm still running version 10 because CS won't run on a Win 98 SE system and I do not want to move my stable systems up to XP. Same deal with Corel 12. Won't run on Win 98. But that is the only reason I haven't done the latest upgrades.

Illustrator CS has a lot of people saying great things about it. Evidently there have been some seriously good improvements in the text handling area. Saving to a lower version is a bit confusing for those not used to it but you can still save back to earlier versions for use by older versions and other applications. It is done through the Export command rather than by the usual Save As command. Once in Export, select "Legacy" and then you will be able to select what version to save as.
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
I hate Version 10!
CS is an big improvement, but there are times I miss version 9
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
It takes a long time to launch is my only complaint. Somewhat better with the 10.0.3 maintenance update they issued. It's stable enough.
 
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