How to start learning Illustrator?

[ghh3rd]

I just purchased Adobe Illustrator and found that I have to wait until at least April before a class opens up at my local college.

Can anyone recommend a really good book to begin self-learning Illustrator? Any tips on choosing a path to get up to speed quickly?

Thanks,

Granville

 

[apepp]

...lots of stuff on here:

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/designcenter/search.cfm?product=Illustrator&go=Go

...and a book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Adobe-Illustrator-CS3/dp/0321496213

Andrew

 

[ghh3rd]

Thanks!

 

[eugenetyson]

For me, I just took a load of logos and tried to redraw them in Illustrator. I remember I scanned in a Captain America image and redrew it. As it had loads of concepts that I was interested in.

I think the biggest thing is the Pen Tool. Most powerful tool in my opinion.

 

[Piholio]

I highly recommend

http://www.lynda.com.

$25/month gets you unlimited videos.

I learn best when I watch other people work and can work along with them. That's what their video tutorials give you. And they're broken up into very short, very manageable clips.

 

[ERIXWORX]

The best advice I can give is to be bold; ctrl+Z will be your close friend as you explore tools. I did a lot of 'hmmm; what will this do?' and then either 'cool!' or 'ugh; undo!'. Also, layers are great; when you want to try an idea but are unsure how it will turn out, duplicate the layer by dragging it down onto the new layer button on your layers palette, and then hide the original and do what you want to the duplicate. if it turns out like garbage, just delete that layer, make the original layer visible, and go from there.
It will help if you have had some experience with graphics software, but not essential. Save files of examples of effects or combinations of effects that you like. If you are working on something and your experimental blur or whatever is not right for that piece, but is cool, then copy/paste it into a file and save it as 'blur A' or whatever. Also may want to write (in that file) some quick notes on how you got to that point.

Experiment, experiment, EXPERIMENT!!
Good luck!
-E

(NOTE: Self-taught AI user; I may not know the best way to do something, but get good results)
'There is no LEASH LAW for the IMAGINATION!'
myspace.com/erixworx