Being artistic with Quark

[jocoutts]

I am teaching myself Quark at the moment and am very surprised with its limitations.
Having known for years, Quark is every graphic designer’s essential tool, I was expecting a drawing/page layout package.
I think I was wrong on the "drawing" side of things. And am assuming that Quark would work best with PhotoShop, Freehand or Illustrator.
Is this the regular procedure that all you talented graphic designers take, or can you do quite a lot of drawing in Quark?
If you use a drawing package as well, which one best complements Quark?
Thank you all very much who reply

 

[jimoblak]

I am teaching myself Quark at the moment and am very surprised with its limitations.

Why learn a dead application? Try InDesign. It does not have the limitations you see in Quark.

Freehand or Illustrator complement Quark and InDesign. Still, both Quark and InDesign have path tools. InDesign's pen tools are more practical.

 

[jocoutts]

Thanks for your quick response.
I have noticed a lot of users on here praising InDesign.
Are you from the United States? Because I don't think InDesign is very big over here in the United Kingdom. All graphic design companies want employees with experience in Quark.
Is it something that will undoubtedly become popular in the future?

 

[hedwiguk]

Generally people use Quark & Photoshop as a package together - most design houses etc look for people who have skills in both areas.
Quark does have its limitations, It's my personal favourite due to the fact it lets you have more control.
There are countless Xtensions available, many more for MAc than Pc - look at the

http://www.quark.com

website for more (some are free, most cost a few quid)
These extensions will let you add loads of features - different shaped text boxes, export & import options, too many to list.

 

[jimoblak]

UK not OK with ID?

I just flipped through a copy of DIGIT (the great graphics mag published in UK). They seem to be publishing in InDesign now.

All graphic design companies want employees with experience in Quark.

There is a good reason for this... They want to be sure you have had experience and Quark has been the leader in DTP. InDesign is where DTP is now and will be going. Not even the future Quark 6 can compete with today's InDesign 2.

Learn both Quark and InDesign.

I foresee Quark dying soon. It is much more expensive to implement a Quark workflow than InDesign. The only reason why publishers have been reluctant to move to InDesign is because they have already invested way too much into Quark.