Lynda.com for Illustrator?

[spencer]

with some free time over summer vacation I'm hoping to learn Illustrator (i've only toyed around with it up to this point) and was looking at different training options. I know Lynda.com gets high marks with the Photoshop crowd, but has anyone used the site for Illustrator?

I'm looking at the Illustrator CS2 Essential Training (http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=148) in particular. Anyone used it?

[Ron]

I use Lynda.com all the time and that particular course is excellant. You can get going and up to speed very quickly with it. I use it to go back for a refresher and I'm always looking for new ideas therre. Deke McClelland is great too with Total Training, but the cost is high. For $25 per month Lynda.com offers value. Tip: spend as much time as you can with whatever you think is the toughest aspect of Illustrator 2. Sure it's fun to play with live trace (a great tool) or whatever else is easy for you, but you kneed to really know how to use the pen tool (in photoshop as well as AI.) Don't be intimidated by it, don't give up and keep doing it! If you don't master it you are not a real AI user to my mind. The same goes for any other tool that has a steep learning curve for you personally (graphs, variables etc.) Great luck,
Cheers, Ron

[spencer]

thanks so much for the info, Ron (i was beginning to think this wasnt going to get a response!) I think I'll give the monthly subscription a try. thanks again!

[spencer]

just wanted to post an update on this. I signed up for the monthly subscription last week, and so far the movies have been great! right now I'm, working through the Illustrator CS2 Essentials lessons, but their Flash training looks promising as well. Definitely worth the $25, imo.

[The Repro Kid]

For the most part I tink Lynda is great. I have an open account through the place I'm freelancing at. I like to watch movies of the programs I'd like to try out, just to see if I'd like to use the programs.

But I have to give bad marks for their Final Cut material. I ran out and bought Final Cut books even though I have a free Lynda account. The movies were torture. They were
a l-i-t- now here is a second t -l-e s-l- right, now I'm spelling slow -o-w.

[warner]

I've been a Lynda.com subscriber on and off for several years now and really enjoy it. Video tutorials are the way to go and Lynda has the best deal around I think. I'm not impressed with the Illustrator "artists" that demonstrate the product at all but in terms of knowing the app they do a pretty good job of spelling out what it can and can't do. They teach you the app not how to be a good illustrator. There is a lot of content on the site. The Photoshop section I find REALLY helpful. You should give it a spin and see how you like it. A good book will cost you more than $25 and in my opinion too much work to get the info out of it. I'm happy with my experience so far. -Warner