Salutations, Art Fans! 

So, I'm taking a class at the local community college trying desperately to play catch up with my computer skills; it's getting to be sink or swim time!  (Boy! Commercial art has sure changed in a mere 25 years!)  Either that, or to relieve the encroachment of Alzheimer's (True Fact: As one starts to age, one can keep Alzheimer's Disease at bay by keeping one's mind exercised and nimble.  Suggested exercises: learning a new skill with a high level of complexity, learning a new language, learning a new computer program.) 

So, I'm taking this class once a week, Wednesday nights, and am currently learning Adobe Illustrator.  The class is very relaxed, and the prof is excellent.  Has been teaching this for some time and is very patient and approachable.  There's this other "dinosaur" in there besides me; otherwise everyone is young and fresh-faced and, most impressively, can click those keys and mice like they know what they're doing.  Me (and the other "dinosaur")...slow and steady.  However, I can say that I have a definite edge over the youngsters in that I've been designing/illustrating for almost 30 years now.  So, I'm slow, but I know a bit of what I'm doing, so it's sort-of a trade-off. 

In case anyone is contemplating taking a class like this - and I'm actually going for a Certificate, so will be taking web design, animation, photoshop, quark express, etc. by the time I've earned it - once you're an official student you can purchase any software you want for a deeply discounted price on-line.  It's fabulous!  I'm still coming out ahead by paying for my college class and purchasing the software (plus a RAMM memory upgrade for my computer)...and it's still all together not as much as buying the Premium Design Suite at retail price!!  Almost worth taking the class just to get the software, huh?!  So tonite was fun; we got to do a little bit of designing with type just like a real graphic designer!!  Just playing, really, while learning a few of the program's tools.  But this was the first little design project we have done, and all I hope is that I can remember what the tools are for practicing at home over these next 7 days!! 

Well, must go; the coach is about to turn into a pumpkin!!! 

Blessings to you all, 

Karen

MEMBERS COMMENTS