transparency

Hello, dekeIstrators! I wanted to make a special appearance to share something with those of you who are veteran users of Adobe Illustrator, this special Illustrator history lesson from our good friend Mordy Golding. Mordy has a new series over at lynda.com that is designed expressly for Illustrator "insiders" who may just feel like changes in the software have passed them by. In this video---a free excerpt from Mordy's first installment of said series, Illustrator Insider Training: Rethinking the Essentials---Mordy gives a terrific explanation of some of the reasons you may have missed significant improvements in the way Illustrator works. Bottom line: It's not you! It's not your throwing back too many martinis! It's not your stubborn adherence to old school practices! It's just that a paradigmatic shift happened in the software whilst you understandably may not have been listening. You are off the hook! And meanwhile, Mordy has (count 'em) three installments of this terrific series to help tried-and-true Illustrator experts get the most from recent developments without having to go back to square one. (Of course, if you need square one, there is Deke's new Up and Running with Illustrator course.)

So, if you already have a lynda.com subscription, you get Mordy as part of the deal. And if not, might I suggest signing up for a free 7-day trial at lynda.com/deke. Illustrator gurus, coming at you from all directions. You're welcome! (And nice to see you.)  Read more » 

This week's clip show features me repeatedly telling two of the most knowledgable Adobe Illustrator gurus on the planet that I don't know squat about Illustrator. (I've probably mentioned that more times than I've explained that Deke's new book, Adobe Illustrator CS5 One-on-One, is taking over our lives and requiring us to compile clip shows.) But how can I still claim to know nothing when I get to hang out with Deke and Mordy Golding for several episodes of the show? Mordy, the one time Adobe Product Manager of Illustrator, is that guy that Deke likes to go to when tiny gaps in his copious Illustrator knowledge requires him to probe the brain of someone he trusts. Can an Illustrator Ignoramus do any better?

Here's how we kick off what I'm unofficially calling "Illustrator Celebration Month in the dekeLounge," also known as "Learn Something Already, Colleen." Read more » 

(Thanks to Mhelcor for the correction on the this week's title! ---cw) It's a true sign of my special penchant for total geeks that there is nothing more enjoyable for me than to sit with two notorious experts, and listen to them talk about something I know almost nothing about. Oh, sure, there are martini's involved, so that helps. And eventually I find out I'm learning along the way.

But really, for those of you who love Illustrator adventures, we've got a show for you with  our good friend Mordy Golding. These two could duke it out (or maybe just a friendly thumbwrestle) for World's Most Knowledgable Illustrator Expert, and yet they're both so sweet and helpful. And for those of you who don't care much about Illustrator, really just take the time to listen to the magic of two passionate experts sharing their knowledge, specifically about Illustrator's Transparency palette. By the way this is the episode has the added advantage of hearing Deke state his distinction between computer graphics and digital imaging, which I tell you, is something, after years of working, drinking, and generally hanging about with Deke, I only just found out.

Here's where Deke and Mordy go on their mutual Illustrator love adventure: Read more »