What you need as a Graphic Designer: All programs preferred in latest edition 1. Illustrator 7.0+ (buy in store)- For professional, vector logos (vector means that it uses mathematical algorithms to pinpoint the "pixels". If you expand a logo or contract a logo when it is a vector, the quality won't change. This is different from pixels. When making things in pixels, you will find that expanding an image will make it horrible-looking).
2. Photoshop CS or 8.0 (Buy in computer store. ~$800)- One of the most professional tools out there for editing your images as well as to create graphics. Hundreds of filters to toggle around with and you can easily download preset brushes and new filters to add to your wonderful collection. ;D Get Photoshop Elements if you are going to buy high-quality, royalty-free stock photos and if you wish to edit them as Photoshop Elements is one step higher than Photoshop 8.0 when it comes to editing images. Photoshop comes with a "save for web" so you can easily turn a layout image into an actual layout, espicially with the slice tool.
3. Adobe ImageReady (comes with Photoshop) - It is used by some webdesigners who aren't too familiar with HTML or can't be bothered to create websites. You make the layout in Photoshop and then turn it into a website in ImageReady. Unlike Photoshop's version where your layout is a framed one with no animations, if you do the editing in ImageReady, you can animate banners/etc within the layout, create image maps and save as a table instead of as a frame. Although you can make animated banners/etc with it, it is not recommended. You should get a better program for that, such as Java Animator
4. Macromedia DreamWeaver (buy in computer store) - A thing you can't live without when it comes to graphic designing on the web. DreamWeaver is different from Microsoft Frontpage (the free program that you get when you install Windows). DW is different because you can view PHP files and run them. Also, different code type are highlighted in different font colors for easy understandability (if that is a word) for those who know what they are doing. It also has built-in tags which you can pop-up on. Generally, it is a haven for HTML coders and PHP/ASP/CGI programmers.
5. Tablet (in store) - No, it is not a pill. Instead, it is usually smaller than a laptop-screen, but much thinner and comes with a digital pen. You use tablets to write things and it will be automatically saved onto your computer that the tablet is linked to. However, for graphic designers and artists, it is used with OpenCanvas (more for art then graphic designing) or Photoshop to create logos and things which to you may have been impossible to do without it. Ever drew a plan for a logo or a person but could never reproduce it on the computer? The Tablet stops that problem and it is extremely good because depending on how hard you press on the tablet with your electric pen, the darker the line will be on the screen (at least for Photoshop), so you can paint on the computer with amazing outcomes.
6. Macromedia Flash (in store) - For those who love those flashy layouts and the new (8 months old) full flash banners, you will need this. The price of a Flash template far exceeds the price of a normal template, so you would be getting more money from this. Also, websites such as those dedicated to an upcoming film usually ALL use Flash so if you wish to get paid a lot and hired by these people, learn Flash. (check out the batman website to see flash and sound in use).
7. Find a Midi/Sound effects program (don't know of any right now) and learn to make music and sound effects. Can come quite handy to create that realistic feel. You might think people will be pissed because it takes time to load, but if you learn web and image optimization to the max, even 56kers won't have trouble loading your website. (Note that Korea has the fastest internet connection. Their cable is at around 1GB per second whilst the "cable" in countries like Australia go at around 1-30mb, depending on your area. Big difference. If the world could fully implement fibre optic cables and create an efficient network, Midi/Sound and Flash graphic designers will boom in business).
Are you needing to view your PHP files and are you going to host new templates that you make on your own server for your clients to look at? 1. Get PHP (www.php.net) - So you can look at your PHP files as they would look like online, using your localhost and Apache. 2. Get MySQL (www.mysql.com) - So you can use databases within your server 3. Get Apache (http://httpd.apache.org/) (No, I didn't type the URL wrong)- To use your internet connection (only DSL and over) as your webhost. There are probably many other programs to help you that haven't been listed, but these are the ones you can buy in stores. The ones bought usually are the best ones.
Of course, you could use MS Paint and Microsoft Frontpage, but they aren't that great.
Best Regards,
Kenneth Tan
HOUSE OF PROFIT DISCUSSION FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
