it2go Episode 57 – IU Next Initiative
In this episode, we’re discussing the IU Next Initiative.
it2go Episode 56 – Efficient Video Editing Workflow
On this week’s episode, we’re talking about several webinars coming up, including the Efficient Video Editing Workflow session happening on April 1st.
Got Illustrator skills? Get more!
Adobe Illustrator CS6 is an awesome tool for making vector graphics. It’s probably the vector creation software of choice for most graphic designers and other professionals who create graphics for a living. Like all Adobe products, it’s packed with features, and comes with a steep learning curve. I learned how to use Illustrator at a rudimentary level in two Indiana University IT Training Workshops, “Illustrator CS6: The Basics,” and “Adobe CS6: Pen Tool Basics.” Now that I’m somewhat comfortable with the software, I practice on my own. My skills are improving a little, but if I’m going to become really good at Illustrator, I have to seek out some more training resources. (See the post I wrote for the Tips Blog about taking the skills you learn in a workshop to the next level).
- Random Illustrator objects.
There are a lot of Illustrator tutorials out there. I’ll share some of them with you now.
- Adobe Illustrator on Adobe TV. Learn the software from the source.
- Check the Adobe Illustrator Blog for more tutorials and tips.
- Vector Tuts+ has a lot of content including tutorials, articles, tips, and resources. Premium members can access features such as online courses and an ebook library.
- Astute Graphics’ blog has a quite a few free tutorials, tips, and tricks.
- Chris Spooner’s Spoon Graphics offers free Illustrator and Photoshop tutorials. You can find more content on his Facebook page too.
- An excellent source for technology training is lynda.com. Most lynda content is available to paying subscribers only, but if you’re serious about learning, it’s probably worth the expense. IU students, facutly, and staff get lynda for free!
I think those are enough resources to get you (and me) started. I’m collecting Illustrator tutorial resources on Pearltrees, check there once in a while to see if anything new shows up.
PHP Workshops: Install and Use PHP Locally
To develop database-driven PHP applications, we need three things, the Apache web server, the PHP processor, and MySQL. This tutorial will walk you through all of the installation and setup that you need to do on your own machine to have a local instance of a Apache/MySQL/PHP (AMP) environment.
The instructions below will walk you through the setup you need for each of our PHP workshops, starting with PHP: The Basics.
At the time of writing, PHP: The Basics is the only PHP workshop offered by IT Training.
PHP: The Basics
The following links contain step-by-step instructions on configuring XAMP for the PHP: The Basics workshop.
it2go Episode 55 – Adobe Days 2013
In this episode, we’re back! After a long hiatus, the IT Training podcast has returned with an episode about Adobe Days and the events surrounding it on Feb 28th, and March 1st.
Learn more about Photoshop with Photoshop CS6 Extras webinars
If you have attended IT Training workshops in Photoshop and still want to learn more, sign up for our monthly webinars, entitled “Photoshop CS6 Extras.” These sessions are free to anyone–and the best news is, we will be posting recordings of them here.
Here is what we have so far:
Disappearing act 2/1/2013: Learn to extract one person from a group of people and make the absence look seamless. Learn how to add a new background to the image of the extracted person.
Change that foreground/background 2/22/2013: Learn four new ways to change a background–even around fine, blowing hair– and learn two new ways to add and modify a foreground item so it blends in perfectly. With Layer Comps, you can experiment with many versions of an edited image.
Create a 2001-style HAL computer – 3/22/2013: Create the whole thing: red eye and shiny surface.
Video: Working with Edge Animate – Learn More From Adobe on 2/28
In this video, I’m taking a quick look at Edge Animate, the new program from Adobe that helps you create complex, professional animations very quickly. These animations are commonly used for HTML5 pages, and DPS publications, which are viewed on tablet devices.
IT Training is hosting Tim Plumer, Senior Solutions Engineer from Adobe Systems Incorporated, as he presents workshops on Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite and new Edge application. These sessions are part of the Adobe Days 2013 promotional event being offered at IU Bloomington on Feb. 28-Mar. 1, but both topics are being taught online and in-person.
To read descriptions and register for the sessions you want, go to:
Create a Spread Guide in InDesign
Have you ever tried to set a single Ruler Guide across a two-page spread in InDesign– and been frustrated in the effort? A Ruler Guide that extends across a spread is called a Spread Guide. To create one, set the view so you can see the Pasteboard and then drag the guide out across the pasteboard instead of across the printable area. Viola–it extends all the way across the spread. If you are zoomed in, hold the Ctrl key while you drag.
To place a copy of a Ruler Guide or Spread Guide on other pages, point to the guide and right-click when you see the cursor change. In the right-click menu, choose Copy. On following pages, from the Menu bar, choose Edit, and Paste in Place.
Remember also that you can only see Ruler and Spread Guides in Normal view.
Learn Edge and Digital Publishing Direct from Adobe This Week!
This week at IUPUI, Tim Plumer, Senior Solutions Engineer from Adobe Systems Incorporated will present workshops on Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite and Edge tools. These sessions are part of Adobe Days 2013 at IUPUI on Feb. 14-15.
These topics will be taught online and in-person at IUPUI. To read descriptions and register for the sessions you want, go to:
- Feb: 14: Digital Publishing Suite: Creating Your Own Folio
- Feb. 14: Edge: The Product Family
- Feb. 15: Create the Web for Designers (Deep dive into Edge Animate, Typekit/Webfonts & CSS)
- Feb. 15: Create the Web for Developers (Deep dive into Edge Code, Edge Inspect, & Phonegap)
Tim Plumer will be available for Q&A at the Stump the Expert table. Bring your projects and/or your questions from noon to 1:30 p.m.
These sessions will be repeated at IU Bloomington in a couple of weeks, so check the schedule then as well.
For more information about Adobe Days, including upcoming events on the IUB campus, please visit http://adobedays.iu.edu.
Captivate 6 for Video Demos
One of the best ways to teach people about something is to show it to them. If you’re teaching about software, and you don’t have the luxury of having all of your students seated in a classroom, make a video demo. There are lots of products on the market that you can use to create video demos. Here’s a link to a blog post that describes five of them.
I’ve used TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio for several years, and I like it a lot, but IU’s agreement with Adobe makes Captivate 6 the more attractive option because I can get it for free. Camtasia used to be the obvious choice for making full motion video recordings of your screen. That’s what Camtasia is designed to do, and it does it well. Full motion recording in previous versions of Captivate was not the greatest. Full motion is better in Captivate 6, not perfect, but better. By the way, Captivate 6 doesn’t refer to full motion recording as full motion. It’s called Video Demo mode. You can begin your project by choosing the Video Demo option, or choose Video Demo when it’s time to start recording your screen. The interface changes a little when you start the project in this mode. You can learn more about it in this Adobe TV video. Skip to 02:06 on the timeline. Read the rest of “Captivate 6 for Video Demos” »
