Subject: Re: illustration: ram
Try Chip Merchant - this ad from Macweek. http://www.chipmerchant.com
800-808-CHIP
We've ordered and so have others we know - they're reliable and have the best prices. They have lots of other stuff for Macs/Powerbook too.
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I have a Macmall catalogue that has a Wacom 4"x5" with Painter 4.0 for $199.99. I know that's not as good a price as what you mentioned, but their motto for computers is "We'll beat any price on any computer!" Maybe they'll do the same for software and perpherals? My suggestion would be to search the websites of these places and see what you can find.
http://www.macmall.com
http://www.macconnection.com
http://www.maczone.com
http://www.warehouse.com
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I found a really good auction site, called "ebay." Maybe you have heard of it? I get a lot of my software from there, as well as manuals. You'll save HEAPS!
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/
WHICH COMPUTER? WHICH SOFTWARE?
I'm sorry to say that I think your PC is a bit under-powered for most graphics applications today. You probably want at least:
· a pentium 133 or higher
· 32Mb or, better still, 64Mb of RAM ... the more the merrier
· 2 Gb of disk space or more
· a WACOM or Calcomp drawing tablet
As far as software, the first question is whether you want vector-oriented or raster-oriented applications. Vector applications tend to excel at drafting and drafting-like illustration ... things with hard edges, clean lines, "perfect" looking color blends, etc. Raster applications, on the other hand, tend to give more painterly results, resembling airbrush and traditional media looks.
On the vector side, the biggies are Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand. You won't go wrong with either one, though some people have strong preferences for one or the other.
On the raster side, the biggies are Adobe Photoshop and MetaCreations Painter (formerly Fractal Design Painter). Photoshop is really designed for photo retouching. While you can create original artwork in Photoshop, it's not its strength. However, it is an absolute powerhouse of image processing tools, conversion mechanisms, etc. Painter, on the other hand, is designed for creating artwork with tools that mimic conventional media. There are pastels, watercolors, etc., and you can design your own brushes, etc. It's chock full of creative tools, most of which you'll probably play with once and then settle down to a few basic useful ones.
So, it's really a question of what kind of work you want to do. If you're used to working with conventional media, in a "painterly" style, Painter is excellent. However, you'll probably also want to get Photoshop for tweaking, color separations, etc.
The down side is that to buy a complete new computer system and all the software you want, you could easily spend $7000. You might want to look on the used market for hardware. Technology changes so fast that lots of very capable equipment shows up in the used market.
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Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Streamline
Fractal Design Painter
Fractal Design Expression
Live Picture (infrequently)
These are the core of everything I do electronic.
Kevan--
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Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 12:54:29 EDT
From: TJChicko@aol.com
Subject: Re: illustration: Software for Illustrators
I use QuarkXpress and love it for book publishing...as far as I know...Quark is the only layout program used in all the major Children's book publisher...I think I have worked for almost all of them...I don't know anything about other publishers though...so I would suggest investigating in the publishers that you are interested in. Call their L and P Dept. and ask them.
Photoshop...well that is just a must Illustrator (for the publishers I work with) is the one to go with...but I like Freehand better for a lot of things. I have had a company refuse Freehand files...even EPS's because they were to big...wouldn't even take them resaved in Illustrator. But again ask your target market which they prefer and make your choice from that.
If I could only have 3 programs those would be the ones I would pick. But it is for a specific target.
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"My question is what kind of software would you more experienced illustrators recommend to a starting illustrator."
1. Photoshop
2. Painter
3. Illustrator
4. Expression
5. F/A-18 Hornet 3.0
- -Mark
The iMac is a great machine if you are planning to continue designing greeting cards, but if you get into more serious and larger graphics, you'd do better getting a G3 with its more expandable options for future use such as ram memory slots and PCI bus expansion.
The iMac screen is about 15" and pretty good, but a large Trinitron screen is better for graphics in terms of seeing colors, sharper graphics and will not halo or bleed (colors) as the monitor ages.
For the best comparison on these computers (there's a comparison chart)
- - check out the Apple store on the web where they'll list all the specs
- - I don't have the URL but it's easy to find with a web search.
The iMac is still one cool machine and can do a lot at a good price but it has its limitations. I was even tempted......but will wait for the G3 or 4.
Lula
OTHER ADVICE
One tidbit: You can join the Adobe Developer's Association (ADA) for about $200, and this entitles you to buy almost any Adobe software package for $100. If you're planning to buy more than one (even upgrading PageMaker costs $150), this could well be worth it. See the Adobe web site (http://www.adobe.com) for more info. It may be under "support" or something like that. I don't remember the exact layout of the site, but it's there somewhere. http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/main.html
Apparently Adobe has revised their Web site, so the info on the developer's association is harder to locate. You have to go to the "Index" for the site, which lists this for the Adobe Developer's Association:
http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/main.html
The site just mentions "product discounts on Adobe application programs and training classes" as a benefit of membership. As recently as 3 months ago, the deal was that you could get any application that had a developer's interface (ie, could take plug-ins, etc.) for $99. This included Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. The limitations were:
1) one copy per platform (mac, win, unix) per year
2) for development use only ... NOT for resale
I can't guarantee that the prices haven't changed, but you could certainly check with them before joining.
Also, the ADA has 5 different "programs" including:
1) printing technologies ($395)
2) graphics and publishing ($195)
3) Frame products ($1000)
4) Acrobat ($495)
5) Acrobat reader plug-in ($100)
I think the last one is just for registering plug-ins, and I don't know if it qualifies for the software application discount.
- -pd
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Another way to get discounts on software is if you qualify for an educational discount, by being a teacher or student. Adobe offers terrific academic discounts on its software (full versions, not upgrades).
You can find academic-priced software at
http://www.creationengine.com/
http://www.surplusdirect.com/
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Any Mac people who want the TTConverter as well as a Mac utility that will unzip PC zipped files (these fonts, as well as most other PC files archived on the internet are zipped), let me know and I'll see about a mass mailing.
Kelly
kellycheek@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~kellycheek
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Lightning Strikes and Surge Protectors
One should always use a "surge protector" to protect your equipment from harmful spikes in the power line. The summer months are an especially critical time with thunder storms and chances of lightning strikes. The lightning can be miles away and still do destructive damage to your equipment. The best protection during this time is to PULL THE PLUG from the wall receptacle and also the telephone line connection to your modem. I know from experience because my modem got zapped about 2 months ago with surge protectors in line. Surge protectors can be bought now with the manufacturers guaranteeing replacement of any damaged equipment while using their product. Make sure you read and follow the instructions for the use of these protectors, in case something does happen beyond your control.
Be sure to send in the registration card. These protectors are fine and dandy and are quite cheap (less than 15 dollars). I now have one of these protectors guaranteeing my equipment but I still plan to pull plugs, if I don't forget, when there is a chance of a storm. A little extra precaution can save hours of headaches later.
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Don't necessarily go for the cheap. The price has to do with the amount of amperage it can handle and a cheap one may easily be overwhelmed. Pulling the plug during storms even if you have one is still good advice. Unless you have an expensive, ($400?), power backup, those little surge protectors can still be wiped out by lightening hitting something and sending a large spike through the lines. They really aren't meant for lightening strikes but for the more normal surges and spikes that occur even in nice weather.
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If you don't know what's what on your system , (so you can tell whether or not to turn them on or off in extension manager or purge them altogether), check out this URL for complete descriptions:
The Mac Pruning Pages http://cafe.AmbrosiaSW.com/DEF/
In particular, check out The Content Pages listed at the bottom for info on panels, extensions, inits, etc...
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On a Mac you can take a "screen grab" snapshot of the desktop by "Command-shift-3", it makes a cute shutter sound, The resultant file is saved as a PICT at 72dpi and if you crop out all the palettes you have a nice small file that when opened by your client looks just like it looks to you (allowing for differences in monitor quality). I send them by email to show clients visuals about 16 Million times more useful than a fax. I know the key shortcuts will be different for an IBM but there must be an equivalent because I've been sent PC desktop snapshots to include in my collage illustrations.
best wishes,
Paul ;^P
Paul Shorrock, Illustrator.
London, England.
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In case you haven't been... PowerWatch is a great site for anyone having problems with a Mac. It's sort of like having your car break down at an auto-mechanic's convention.
http://www.powerwatch.com/
Though it was originally for PowerComputer users... they have added an iMac group... and have general forums on the Mac OS, Mac Software, etc.
The message boards are a great place to get quick answers about SCSI cabling and video card upgrades....whatever.
John
--
"Where are good lists and sites on the web for Mac info?"
The iMac has its own website: http://www.imacworld.com/home.html
The MacResource site has tons of news and links relating to the Mac: http://www.macresource.com/
The Mac Pruning page is great to tell you what you need and what you don't on your Mac: http://cafe.AmbrosiaSW.com/DEF/
MacDownload (brought to you by the folks who publish Macworld magazine) has cool utilities and other stuff to download: http://www.zdnet.com/mac/download.html
More Mac shareware to download: http://www.macshare.com/
Lotsa links to Mac-related sites: http://www.mtrp.pair.com/
Repair info, FAQs, suggestions, etc., mainly for PowerComputing computers, but a lot of the stuff pertains to Macs in general: http://www.powerwatch.com/
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From: Peter Davis
Aha! Memory allottment. I forgot that you have to do this. On the PC, memory is allocated dynamically, as much as necessary. On the Mac, you have to decide on how much memory to allow the application.
If you Mac users are having trouble, trying upping the memory allocation on your browser.
- -pd
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Actually, my phone line isn't even used. I'm connected to the net via the TV cable system. It's uses an external modem and ethernet card. I'm always connected. No more screaching modems. No more busy signals when someone calls. And best of all, no more waiting for anything to download, at least 99% of the time.
We're fortunate enough here in Sarasota to be one of the few cities where Comcast, our cable company, has already installed the fiber-optic lines that enables all of this cool stuff:-)
Skip
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Stuffit decodes MIME attachments wonderfully.
Kvn
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Try downloading Decoder from Harmony software. It's a very small program... It's the solution to all mime file problems.
They're at: http://www.harmonysoftware.com/
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Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 15:07:09 -0600
From: jmsosa@mail.nextgeninter.net.mx
I'm a user of Bryce. I love it. It's a great program. Although it is intended as a landscape generator, it is not limited to it. I have used it to do some logo design and 3D abstract painting. I love the interfase too (it was made by kai krause), though many people doesn't like it. I think the main point with the interfase is that it permits anyone to enter the 3D world (usually with a big step curve to learn) easily and with high quality results. But that doesn't mean it has not very powerful features either.
The last version (Bryce 3D) even has animation capabilities. If you are interested I think you can download a demo copy at the Metacreations site:
www.metacreations.com
Jose Ma. Sosa
Imagenetix
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I just learned there's such a thing as computer glasses. I'd never heard of them. They really help with eyestrain. The company that makes them has a site at http://www.prio.com. With computer screens your eyes are constantly trying to focus because text and lines are moving and blurry. These glasses somehow filter all that and give your eyes something solid to focus on. Sounds good to me.
Phyllis
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Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 17:55:29 -0500
From: Wendy Christensen
Subject: Re: illustration: computer glasses
Hello, fellow illustrators...
Although I usually don't reply to the list, in this case I shall make an exception. The PRIO test is designed to test your eyes specifically for how they are exercised by staring at pixels (which are Gaussian in nature, and require constant, rapid refocusing of your eyes, which were not, after all, designed with pixels in mind!) all day rather than at the usual visual landscape. I got the test, got the glasses and have been using them for several months.
In my opinion, they really do work! In fact, it's like night and day. I used to get fierce headaches after several hours staring at the screen. Now, I almost never have a problem. There is nothing "magical" about the glasses themselves. What differs is they way your eyes are measured. Rather than measuring your vision for normal work, the test puts your eyes up against gaussian (pixel-like) stimuli. Then, you need to measure (accurately!) the distance you sit from the screen. The prescriptipon is based on these data.
Although it may seem wasteful to have a pair of glasses JUST for computer work (and they aren't any good for normal seeing), if you spend any amount of time staring at a screen, you will appreciate the difference. In my opinion, it's well worth the extra cost to have a special pair of glasses just for computer work. Your costs are the exam itself, plus the cost of the glasses (which cost no more or less than any other prescription glasses). No, I am NOT on their payroll! (I wish!) Just a really, really happy customer!
The gating factor, as far as I know, is that the availability of this test is not yet, by any means, universal. I was lucky in that one of the "early adopters" and chief cheerleaders for the PRIO test is my former eye doctor (Dr. David Friedman) from the town I used to live in in Mass. (Westford) which isn't too far from where I live now. So I was able to go see him to get the test. The way I found out about it in the first place is that he was the guest on one of those early-Sunday-morning "public service" radio shows, raving about the PRIO system. I caught the show by sheer chance!
Purrrs...
(the no longer blurry-eyed)
Wendy Christensen
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