CS4 Design Bootcamp

CS4 Design Bootcamp is a blended learning course that combines 5 days of instructor led classroom based training with a wide range of online training modules made up of video based presentations done by our instructors, sample and exercise files, instructor led support forums, and real world examples.

The course primarily focuses on Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator as these are the 3 core products in the CS4 Design Suite however it also touches on other aspects of the suite such as Bridge, DreamWeaver, Flash and Fireworks.

The classroom based modules can either be completed at our fully equipped London training centre or at your own facility, whilst the online modules can be completed from anywhere with a suitable computer and internet connection.

Audience
Creative Professionals who are using the CS4 Design Suite (Std or Pro) and want to learn to make the most of it by using the software properly, applying best practice and leveraging the extensive range of features and possibilities offered by this great package.

Objectives
Upon successful completion of our CS4 Design Bootcamp, students are able to use Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator to undertake relevant creative design tasks such as digital image creation and manipulation, vector image creation and manipulation and layout and desktop publishing tasks as well as a range of other duties.

Summary of Topics Covered

Photoshop Classroom Modules

General Interface

• How the panels work
  • docking
  • panel groups
  • document tabbing
• Creating/Saving workspaces
• The Application bar
  • N-up display
  • Canvas rotation
• Basic shortcuts

Exploring Photoshop

• Explore the Photoshop Environment
• Using Photoshop Workspaces
• Customise Menus
• Explore Adobe Bridge
• Photoshop preferences

Painting and Retouching Images

• Learning about Colour
  • Basic colour theory
  • Kuler
• Learning the Brush tool
• Retouching Images
• Create a Gradient
• Using the History Brush tool
• Using the clone and healing tools
• Blurring/Sharpening
• Dodge and Burn

Enhancing an Image

• Adjust the Tonal Range of an Image
• Using Adjustments
• Working with the Adjustments panel
• Work with Filters
• Smart filters

Working with Layers and Selections

• Create and Use Layers
• Create and Use Smart Objects
• Create Layer Styles
• Work with Multiple Layers
• Create and Modify Selections

Working with Selections

• Magic Wand Tool
• Working with Oval and Circular Selections
• Selecting with the Lasso Tools
• Cropping an Image and Erasing with a Selection
• Quick selections
• Content Aware Scaling

Masks and Channels

• Creating a Quick Mask
• Editing a Quick Mask
• Saving a Selection as a Mask
• Editing a Mask
• Extracting a portion of an image
• Applying effects
• Creating a Gradient Mask
• Applying Effects Using a Gradient Mask
• Using the Masks panel

Correcting and Enhancing Digital Photos

• Correcting Digital Photographs
• Editing with Vanishing Point Perspective
• Correcting Image Distortion
• Creating a photo gallery and contact sheet

Typographic Design

• Using type
• Creating a Clipping Mask From Type
• Formatting Controls
• Designing a Paragraph of Type
• Warping a Layer

Importing/Exporting

• Placing and importing different file types
• Saving images for the web
• Using Save for Web and Devices
• Saving images for print

InDesign Classroom Modules

General Interface

• How the panels work
• Docking
• Panel groups
• Document tabbing
• Creating/Saving workspaces
• The Application bar
• N-up display
• Canvas Rotation
• Basic shortcuts

Exploring InDesign

• Explore the InDesign Environment
• Using InDesign Workspaces
• Explore Adobe Bridge
• InDesign Preferences

InDesign Overview

• Introduction to InDesign - what is InDesign for
• Customize Your Workspace
• Set General Preferences
• Manage Document Presets
• Managing your workspace

Designing Documents

• Create a New Document
• Alter a Document's Layout
• Create the Structure of a Document
• Developing Master Pages
• Manage Text and Graphic Placement
• Develop Layers
• Wrapping text
• Laying out columns
• Smart guides and smart spacing

Managing text

• Add Text - typing and placing
• Editing Text with and without the story editor
• Spell Check and dictionaries
• Threading Text
• Change Text Threads
• Format Characters
• Format Paragraphs
• Manage Styles
• Glyphs - where they are and how to use them
• Text inside and on a shape

Style Sheets

• Paragraph Styles
• Character Styles
• Managing Styles

Columns

• Making a text box into columns
• Column guides
• Creating boxes as columns
• Laying out a page/spread as columns

Placing Images

• Placing images
• Image file type - jpgs/gif/tiff/pdf/eps/etc
• Linking vs Embedding
• Placing psd and ai files
• Place options

Placing text

• Placing several pages of text
• What text file formats can be placed
• Place options
• Missing font issues
• Automatic flowing of placed text

Colours, Swatches, and Gradients

• Colour and Kuler
• Swatches
• Apply Fills, Gradients, and Strokes to objects and text
• Applying effects
• Transparency

Tables

• Create Tables
• Modifying Tables
• Formatting Tables

Masters

• Creating masters
• Multiple masters
• Editing masters
• Headers/Footers
• Page numbering

Preparing a document for print

• Checking Documents for Problems
• Printing a Document
• Preflighting a document
• Packaging Files
• Preview Output

Creating PDFs

• Preparing PDF Files for web and for print
• Managing PDF Presets
• Export PDF Files - options
• Creating Interactive PDFs

Illustrator Classroom Modules

General Interface

• How the panels work
• docking
• panel groups
• document tabbing
• Creating/Saving workspaces
• The Application bar
• N-up display
• Canvas rotation
• Basic shortcuts

Using the Appearance Panel

• Hide/Show attributes
• Editing multiple object characteristics
• Same appearance attribute
• Copy and paste attributes

Setting up your document

• New Document Settings
• Multiple artboards
• Creating a Custom Workspace
• Defaults

Creating shapes Part One

• Using the pen tool
• Drawing from scratch
• Editing a selected shape
• Corners
• Drawing basic Shapes with the Shape Tools
• Drawing paths with the Pencil Tool
• Creating shapes from letters
• Editing Objects
• Manipulating Objects - Transformations

Colour

• Colour and Kuler
• Swatches
• Gradients
• Transparency
• Stroke/Fill

Creating Shapes Part Two

• Pathfinder commands
• Duplicating Objects
• Repeating transformations
• Applying Graphic Styles
• Blob Brush tool

/b>Layers

• Layers and sub-layers
• When to use them
• Layer options
• What to do with layers when exporting