Artwork Course - Info required designers!

Booner! · 4 Jun 2007 at 18:10

Hi there!

Me:

Im 19 and not going to uni, I have bigger plans!

I am looking to become more advanced in my artwork skills and gain further experience in the general artwork/graphic design area.

I have basic skills in Photoshop (created some artwork - g0rd dont laugh!) and some experience with other programmes too.

I pick things up fast too, so new programmes aren't a problem.

My requirements:
Need a course or teacher to help me understand how to do everything.
Need to know what equipment I will need
Cost isn't an issue here
Time IS an issue - Faster the better - I learn quick, but need a short course preferably.
I am currently looking to help with designing game/dvd/blueray/hddvd sleeves and also Point of sale. Also, Logo's and in house artwork for corporate use.

Any help/ideas/thoughts welcome

Booner! · 8 Jun 2007 at 10:48

Anyone know of any courses at all?

Chaos · 8 Jun 2007 at 11:36

I dont think you got much response because your questions were a bit vague.

Booner! said:
My requirements:
Need a course or teacher to help me understand how to do everything.

How to learn everything in graphic design, hehe if only there was such a course, graphic design has many areas and theres a lot to learn.

Booner! said:
Need to know what equipment I will need
Cost isn't an issue here

A good pc with lots of ram, maybe a wacom intuos tablet, scanner, digital camera.

Booner! said:
Time IS an issue - Faster the better - I learn quick, but need a short course preferably.
I am currently looking to help with designing game/dvd/blueray/hddvd sleeves and also Point of sale. Also, Logo's and in house artwork for corporate use.

From what you want to do Photoshop and Illustrator would be ideal.

You could do a college course if you dont want to go uni, or you could get some books on Photoshop and Illustrator and use Video Training.

For Video Course you could check out places like -

http://www.vtc.com/
http://www.lynda.com/
http://www.totaltraining.com/
http://www.digitaltutors.com
www.thegnomonworkshop.com

I havnt bought any Photoshop books for years so cant really recommend any good ones.

Booner! · 8 Jun 2007 at 14:13

Is PC going to be up to the job? Cause I am not sure how to justify getting a Mac without some statements or evidence/benefits to back up my case to get one.

Do college allow part time course like that? anybody done one?

Shoseki · 9 Jun 2007 at 19:42

You are skipping uni because you have "bigger plans"?

Uni is to meet all the people with the bigger plans...

NiCkNaMe · 9 Jun 2007 at 21:19

IIRC he has a pretty good position and working relationship with a company already, so uni isn't for him - which from previous threads, I would have to agree with.

Can't help with the OP though

Booner! · 11 Jun 2007 at 07:21

Shoseki said:
You are skipping uni because you have "bigger plans"?

Uni is to meet all the people with the bigger plans...

I have skipped it because I had a great opportunity, i'm now looking for advice on how to better my position.

By Bigger plans, I really do mean bigger plans than a Degree and getting drunk 6 times a week

[Robster] · 13 Jun 2007 at 13:57

Booner! said:
Need to know what equipment I will need

A computer

Mac or PC, doesn't really matter, the major software works in pretty much the same way, the only difference will be keyboard shortcuts.

Software you'll need to be comfortable using = Adobe InDesign, PhotoShop and Illustrator, and Quark Xpress - InDesign and Xpress are the two major (only??) layout software packages.

Booner! said:
Cost isn't an issue here

It might be if you plan on buying the above mentioned software!!

Using PhotoShop isn't the be-all-and-end-all if you plan on a career in design/artwork, you'd be better off learning one of the page layout software packages first. So little of my day is taken up using PhotoShop compared to using InDesign.

I've been working in the design industry as an artworker/typesetting/photo-retoucher/illustrator for over 21 years now, so I have a littttle experience on what its all about

tsinc80697 · 13 Jun 2007 at 14:26

InDesign, eugh, lowlevel of my life!

[Robster] · 13 Jun 2007 at 14:34

tsinc80697 said:
InDesign, eugh, lowlevel of my life!

I actually prefer InDesign sooooo much more than Quark Xpress, always find it difficult using it now. Glad my company made the switch nearly 2 years ago.

tsinc80697 · 13 Jun 2007 at 20:51

not used Quark so it might be worse, just InDesign annoyed me at first when images have a viewport box and its size box, was confusing!