Adobe Illustrator Paths and Curves

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 336 pages
• Published by: John Wiley & Sons September 1995
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0471120278
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0471120278
• Book Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Book Description
Unleash the full power of the world's number one illustration software.

Creating paths and curves is one of the most difficult tasks in Adobe Illustrator. Yet there are only a scant ten pages on it in the documentation!

Help is here. Adobe Illustrator Paths and Curves shows you just how easy it can be to construct gorgeous, technically sound paths and curves, every time! That means no more choppy, irregular lines and no more fatal technical errors.

Written by an illustrator for illustrators, this book approaches the subject from an artist's—not a programmer's—point of view. Working from the "inside out," Ken Batelman first introduces you to the basic science of curves as they occur in art and nature. Next, in down-to-earth, jargon-free language, he tells you what makes Illustrator tick—how the program interprets the data and transforms it into the images you see. Then, step-by-step, he shows you how to apply that knowledge to solve design and illustration problems as they occur and to get the most out of Illustrator's rendering features. Even if you've never used Illustrator before, by following Ken's carefully paced approach, in no time you'll:

• Create gorgeous, smooth curves using the least number of points
• Connect curves to straight lines
• Connect one curve to another
• Combine paths to create images
• Avoid print errors and crashing your output devices
• Master all of Illustrator's amazing drawing capabilities!

And since a picture's worth at least a thousand words, Adobe Illustrator Paths and Curves includes hundreds of professional-quality figures and illustrations that help bring the concepts and techniques discussed into sharp focus.

The publisher, John Wiley & Sons
This book teaches readers how to construct aesthetically pleasing and technically sound curves and other paths in Adobe Illustrator, the premiere package of its kind for desktop designers and artists. Curves and paths are critical elements in today's sophisticated illustrations, and yet they also are among the most demanding components to create. Beginning with a general discussion of curves in art and nature, the book shows how high-quality curves in desktop publishing software are based on the Bezier system, which uses tangents to define the slope and direction of the path. The book details hands-on techniques for creating and managing curves and paths in Illustrator. Other topics covered include connecting curves to straight lines, connecting one curve to another, and limiting the number of points in a curve to ensure smoothness and to avoid the chances of crashing the output devices.

Reader Reviews
I don't know why the other people hated it so much. It very clearly explains the nuts and bolts of how paths and curves work. After reading cover to cover, I feel like I have a good handle on curve and path manipulation, masks, and many other basic skills. It doesn't try to teach you how to be a graphic designer, and doesn't claim to. But if you want to thoroughly understand this aspect of Illustrator, this is the book. I also found it very easy to follow and understand, and he definitely has the beginner in mind. I checked it out at the library, and now I want to buy my own copy. Comment | | (Report this)