Great Graphic Design in Half the Time: Time-saving software secrets, online resources and desktop tips

(Paperback)

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Description

This is the definitive one-stop technical answer shop for graphic designers at all levels, whether just starting out or with years of experience. It combines best-practice methods with common and lesser-known shortcuts all designed to help find those precious extra minutes when working to a deadline. Screengrabs, diagrams, icons, and color coding all enable quick and easy navigation through the book, so that these crucial time saving tips are always at your fingertips. Knowing exactly where to find things saves any designer precious hours, too often spent scrolling through menu bars and palettes. The book begins with keyboard shortcuts, widgets, and batch actions that are guaranteed to spare a few seconds each time they're used. The next section moves on to outline the quickest ways to navigate software, desktops, and scripts and plugins, all of which will save about a minute each. The third section shows the reader how customized settings that suit their particular working practices can save anything from a few minutes to an hour of a design process. Also included here are a host of online resources for matching and identifying colors, fonts, and print specs, ideal answers to save a designer valuable time spent in online searches for the most authoritative advice. The final section of this book provides a range of best-practice advice such as setting up style-sheets, files, and print presets, all of which can save designers hours, if not days otherwise spent cleaning up files before they go to print.

Author Bio

Stephen Beale is an award-winning technology journalist focusing on computer applications in the graphic arts. In addition to freelancing for HOW magazine, Stephen was one of the launch editors for Micro Publishing News and Digital Imaging, and later became news and reviews editor for Macworld magazine. He was awarded the Newsletter Association's 1985 Journalism Award for "Best Spot News or Exclusive Single News Story." He has authored and co-authored several books on computer graphics: Photo Manipulation: Fast Solutions for Hands-On Web Design; Plug-In Power; The Color Scanner Book; GATF Guide to Desktop Publishing; Color Image Editing on the PC; Linotronic Imaging Handbook; and The Scanner Book.