Adobe Creative Suite 4

Letterhead, whether business or personal, announces who you are. Next to establishing your corporate identity with a logo for your business cards and website, the creation of stellar letterhead can go a long ways to establishing you as a legitimate business. It can, as is stereotypically said, make or break you.

Making You Letterhead

1. Step 1

   Access Vistaprint.com, if you do not have the know how to make your own letterhead. Here, you can find templates and tools to build your own letterhead. You can then have them print it for you, as well.

2. Step 2

   Use Adobe Illustrator in Adobe Creative Suite’s. From the file menu you can bring down the templates section and access the templates.

3. Step 3

   Pick a pre-made letterhead template, a blank template, or build your own, making sure to make it the correct size.

4. Step 4

   Decide what information you want on your letterhead. Do you want it simple and generic, with just your logo and an address, or do you want to personalize it?

5. Step 5

   Practice on paper making a few design ideas, or rough drafts. This will save you a lot of time so you do not spend it building something that does not work.

6. Step 6

   Start building your final version with Adobe Illustrator.

7. Step 7

   Add an enlarged version of your logo in the center of the paper and wash it out, so it is more like a water mark.

8. Step 8

   Type your enlarged name in the top right corner with your contact information in the opposite corner at a smaller font size. Draw a line under them or add a corner brace border. At the very bottom, type your company’s slogan or catch phrase.

9. Step 9

   Place your original logo in any of the four corners of the paper.

Files with the extension “.INDD” are page layout files. Adobe InDesign designates its files with that extension. Page layout programs offer a wide range of capabilities but are a bit complex to learn. InDesign and its competitors are programs that enhance the success of print projects. Although less complicated programs may work, it’s important to use the right tool for the job.

History

1. Adobe’s InDesign first came out in 1999. InDesign is the successor to its PageMaker program which Adobe acquired when it bought Aldus in 1994. Through the 1990’s PageMaker continued to lose market share to its chief competitor QuarkXPress, the first version of which was published in 1987. InDesign was positioned to be a more viable competitor to QuarkXPress.

Page Layout Programs

2. All page layout programs work to combine text, graphics and photos for smoother processing of pages and documents for print production. They offer greater flexibility and make it easier to manipulate all elements on the page. In addition, they operate by linking these elements on a base page rather than embedding them. In this way, the base document continues to be a small file that can be opened and refreshed quicker. It’s important to remember that photos and graphics are never part of the actual document even though you will see representations of them onscreen. When sending the page layout document elsewhere for printing, these elements must be gathered and included or the document will not print.

Editing Onscreen

3. InDesign and other page layout programs provide the designer or layout artist the opportunity to automatically flow text throughout the document. This development creates huge efficiency gains for designing and laying out magazines and newsletters containing long articles that run over multiple columns and pages.
   Likewise, graphic images and photos can be adjusted in InDesign or a similar program. Although massive changes like cropping or re-sizing are not recommended in page layout programs, minor tweaks or size adjustments do not create problems and can save the deadline.

Pre-flighting

4. Pre-flighting is the term used to check a file prior to putting into in the production work flow. Most printers and publishers use some sort of pre-flighting software to insure that all components and fonts are included to avoid delays in the production cycle. The latest version of InDesign is offering a live pre-flight that looks for production pitfalls in real time, so you can correct them as they occur.

Print vs. Web

5. Traditional offset printing presses and high-end laser printers (now referred to as digital presses), have file preparation requirements that exceed what can usually be handled by simpler word processing programs.
   Programs like InDesign and QuarkXPress are designed to cope with the color gamut specific to print production known as CMYK. That acronym stands for the four ink colors used by printing presses to replicate full color. They are cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Most basic word processing programs are designed to work in the opposite spectrum which is RGB (red, green, blue) and is the spectrum used to project color. Televisions and computer monitors use RGB color representations. Web-based applications work in the RGB spectrum since their output will be projected, not printed.

Buying InDesign

6. Although InDesign can be purchased as a stand-alone software package, it’s usually offered by Adobe as part of its Creative Suite. The Creative Suite package includes a number of programs designed to work in conjunction with each other. It includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Acrobat in addition to InDesign.

Choosing design and text elements for an advertisement can be challenging. Using color schemes, alignment and style effectively are key elements that should be considered. Catching the consumer’s attention is the goal for any advertisement. Making your advertisement appealing will result in positive feedback. Realize that advertising requires a lot of research, time and patience. Having prior knowledge of art and design concepts will improve the outcome of an advertisement.

Design for Advertising

1. Step 1

   Use imagery to attract attention. Choose pictures or art that match your advertising message. Get the attention of people by choosing an image that dominates the advertisement.

2. Step 2

   Incorporate value and tone into your advertisement by adding shading and lighting. Make your advertisement look realistic by sticking to traditional design elements used in creating artwork.

3. Step 3

   Research the psychology of colors. Pick colors that will create a mood change among the target audience. It is known in the world of psychology that red creates excitement and yellow creates attention and happiness. Try using different colors before sticking with your original color choices.

4. Step 4

   Design advertisements with different color schemes and decide which advertisement is appealing. Ask yourself if the color scheme is easy to read, relates to the product and is aesthetic. Use complementary colors, two colors opposite from each other on the color wheel, to create interest. Focus on studying color schemes and designs used in successful advertisements.

5. Step 5

   Create contrast in the advertisement. Leave white space in an advertisement to keep it from looking cluttered. Contrast adds emphasis and interest to an advertisement by spacing and sizing elements according to what you want to stand out in the advertisement.

6. Step 6

   Add rhythm and movement in the advertisement to keep the reader’s eyes moving.The Z-line used in advertising keeps the reader’s eyes moving by creating a headline in the left upper corner and placing a logo or graphic in the right lower corner. Using the Z-line moves the reader’s eyes in the shape of the letter Z, which ensures they will see the entire advertisement at just a glance.

7. Step 7

   Balance the advertisement. Make sure there is an even amount of space between graphics and text. Familiarize yourself with various balance and unity techniques.

8. Step 8

   Use consistency throughout the advertisement. Stick with the same font, color, and shape choices. Keep the layout simple and uncluttered.

Text for Advertising

9. Step 1

   Try to choose a font that is easy to read. Buy a font or download a free font from the Internet that matches the style of your advertisement. Make sure the font is big enough to read. Design certain words to stand out from the text in order to create a lasting impression.

10. Step 2

    Pick fonts that suit your business and conveys your message. Try using a creative and exciting font for a day care business, instead of a bold and serious font, such as times new roman.

11. Step 3

    Stick with less than four different fonts in your design. Using too many fonts will create clutter in your advertisement. Try to avoid fancy fonts because they are hard to read. Never use all capital letters in a block of body text because the reader will not be able to read your message.

12. Step 4

    Choose between a serif or a sans serif font when creating an advertisement. Use sans serif fonts for titles or headlines. Use serif fonts in large block of text because they are easier to read. Serifs are fonts that contain small lines at the ends of the letters, which makes them appear more detailed. Sans serif fonts are without serifs.

13. Step 5

    Make a decision on the right font size for your advertisement. Body copy in print ads tend to use an 11-point font size. Design headlines in a larger font size and allow for space between text blocks to create unity.

Whether you’re searching for interesting decals to deck out your vehicle, bike, school folders or office wall, you can make your own with a few quick clicks on your computer. Use the Paint drawing program, which is included with Windows installation, to make your own decals without downloading any software or spending any money to buy a graphics package. Draw your own personal logo, picture of yourself or abstract artwork, then show it off to the world.

1. Open Paint and click “Image,” then click “Attributes.” Set the width and height for your decal, then click “OK.” Click the “Image” menu again and ensure there is no check beside the “Draw Opaque” menu item; if there is, click the menu item to remove it. This enables you to have a transparent decal background.
2. Step 2

   Click the “View” menu, then choose “Zoom” and select “Large Size.” This doesn’t increase the actual decal dimensions, it just gives you more room to draw.

3. Step 3

   Click the “Paintbrush” tool and select the largest round brush head. Click a color from the “Color Picker” at the bottom of the screen; if you don’t like any of those colors, double-click any colored box to bring up a rainbow of color choices.

4. Step 4

   Draw the outline of your decal, such as a sports logo, person’s body or flower shape. Then click the “Fill” tool, which looks like a spilling paint can, and click inside the shape to fill it with color.

5. Step 5

   Click the “Paintbrush” again and choose one of the slash mark brush heads and a new paint color. Add features to the decal, such as a face, fur or a skyscape.

6. Step 6

   Click the “Text” tool, which looks like a capital “A.” Notice a toolbar appears; select a font and size, then type text for the decal, such as “#1 Yankees Fan,” “Raleigh Riding Club” or “Best Daughter.”

7. Step 7

   Add more text or paint features to the decal as preferred.

8. Step 8

   Save the decal by clicking “File” and choosing “Save As.” Give the decal a name and destination on your computer, then pull down the “Save as type” menu and select “GIF,” which is the file type that supports transparent backgrounds. Click “OK.”

I have a lot of people who commented wanting to know how to make an inexpensive portfolio. Still being a college student, I am all about the savings. Here’s how I spent less than $200 buying and putting my portfolio together.

1. For the actual portfolio itself, you can get a relatively good quality one inexpensively. The one I bought at Aaron Brothers was $65. And that was including extra pages. It was a leather-like material, six ringed portfolio that wasn’t cheap and had a zipper with a slot for business cards, a cd, and a resume/self promotional piece. You just have to know where to look. Like I said, Aaron Brothers is where I got mine. Dick Blick is a great site as well. My friend got a nice looking one for $40.
2. Step 2

   I have a photo printer at home, so I was able to print off a good portion of my pieces before I ran out of ink (I was making two portfolios, so I had to print off 20 pieces, and I was reusing my fiance’s portfolio for one, so that helped a lot too). If you start out with two full ink cartridges(one black, color depending on the printer), you should have no problem printing out all ten or however many pieces. I didn’t start out with full cartridges.

3. Step 3

   If you have an inexpensive color printer, or no color printer at all, Kinko’s is not that expensive if you’re just getting it on 8.5″ by 11″ regular laser paper. The paper does not look that bad either. I had 10 prints done with them for around $5. It is a lot less hassle than printing it yourself. You can also go to Office Max and Staples.

4. Step 4

   If you do have a photo printer at your house and you decide to print yourself, you need to get semi-nice paper. Photo paper works the best with the photo printer. I prefer semi-gloss myself, but it is up to you if you want matte, semi-gloss, or glossy. Go to Wal-Mart if there is one near you. You can find deals online as well.

5. Step 5

   Those are the biggest expenses you have to deal with if you have everything else I mentioned in my first article. Here’s what to do if you do not have a nicer digital camera or programs like Adobe InDesign.

6. Step 6

   Most everyone has an inexpensive digital camera today. If that is all you have go ahead and take photos of your pieces with that camera on the highest settings to ensure that you get a good quality. Then you take the memory disk that it comes with, go to Walgreens, Bartells, even Cosco or WalMart and they’ll put it on a cd for you if you don’t have a cord or memory disk reader for your camera.

7. Step 7

   
   

   If you don’t have any of the Adobe programs, you can download the 30 day trial at their website. However, that only does you good for 30 days. It should give you time to get everything done, but does not help you if you need it after that time. Really, this portfolio should do you for a while once it’s done. However I know people like to change stuff out so I have included a couple of links to free downloads of page layout programs.

8. Step 8

   
   

   The best kind of double sided tape is the one used for scrapbooking

   To save on messing up your prints, use double sided tape. If your pages come with plastics that will let the pieces stay in place, you can even skip the mounting if you use the full paper.

Crop circles are mysterious round (sometimes highly detailed) patterns that somehow appear without any disturbance or attention in the middle of a field of grain crops. Although crop circles have gained popularity, they may date back to or before the year 1678 when they were depicted in a woodcut titled “Strange News out of Hartford-shire.” Although it may be difficult to commandeer a field and plow your own crop circles, you can create your own electronic ones using Photoshop CS3, a graphics package available from the Adobe Creative Suite.

1. Open Photoshop and click “File,” then “Open” and browse to where you have a photo of a grain field. Double-click the image so it opens in your workspace.
2. Step 2

   Click the “Lasso” tool on the “Tools” palette on the left side of your screen. Draw a circle on part of the grain field. A dotted, blinking line appears. Press “Ctrl” and “C” on your keyboard. Then press “Ctrl” and “V.” Nothing really seems to have changed, but if you check the “Layers” palette on the right side of the screen, a new “Layer 1″ has appeared. Right-click it, select “Layer Properties” and change the name to “Circle 1.”

3. Step 3

   Click “Image,” then “Adjust” and choose “Hue/Saturation.” Move the “Hue” slider bar to the left or right to lighten up the circle. Jot down the number in the “Hue” box, then click the “OK” button.

4. Step 4

   Click “Filter,” then click “Stylize” and choose “Emboss.” The circle takes on a look as if it was flattened into the grain; move the “Angle,” “Height and “Amount” slider bars to determine exactly the depth of the crop circle. (Optional) Note down the three numbers.

5. Step 5

   Click back to the “Background” layer on the “Layers” palette, then make another circle, slightly smaller, next to the first crop circle. Press “Ctrl” and “C,” then “Ctrl” and “V.” Rename the new layer “Circle 2.”

6. Step 6

   Click “Image,” then “Adjust” and choose “Hue/Saturation.” Instead of moving the slider bar, type in the “Hue” number to get it the exact same color as the first circle. Repeat the “Emboss” process, choosing the same numbers or slightly different ones to show a variety of crop circle depths.

7. Step 7

   Continue adding new layers of crop circles to form a pattern as desired.

For your next fundraiser, design your own business cards instead of spending valuable organization resources to have them created and printed for you. Use members of your charity or group to brainstorm ideas, work with a theme you already have or to pick out the most useful information about the fundraiser to use for the cards. You can use resources already available on your computer, such as Microsoft Publisher, included with most Office Suite installations, to make the business cards with just a few clicks and minutes of your time.

1. Brainstorm the theme for the business cards. (Use colors, patterns and images from the fundraiser itself if available.) For example, if the fundraiser is to raise money to provide a computer to each needy child in the city, consider using photos of children working on computers, pictures of keyboards and monitors and colors such as bright neon to represent the colors on a screen.
2. Step 2

   Consider a key phrase or slogan for the business cards. The cards will be used to represent you to potential donors and fundraiser attendees, so they should capture attention. Research facts from the last fundraiser, such as “More than 12,000 computers donated in 2010″ or “Every single attendee means two computer screens and three laptops.”

3. Step 3

   Determine how business card recipients will find out more information. Decide whether you’ll have information on the card about the fundraiser’s website, an email address or a specific coordinator contact to inquire more about donating or attending.

4. Step 4

   Open Publisher and click “Publications for Print,” then choose “Business Cards.” Click the “Plain Paper” option and scroll through the pre-set designs. Don’t worry if you don’t like the colors or designs; you can change them later. Double-click one, and it will appear on your screen.

5. Step 5

   Notice the “Business Card Options” box on the left of the screen. Under “Logo,” click the “None” box. Under “Copies per sheet,” click the “Multiple” box.

6. Step 6

   (Optional) Change the colors on the card by clicking the “Color Schemes” link, then selecting one that matches the colors chosen for your fundraising event.

7. Step 7

   Drag your mouse cursor in a box to surround the two boxes on the left with the name and “Your Title” inside them; they become highlighted. Press the “Delete” key to remove them.

8. Step 8

   (Optional) Click the “Insert” menu at the top of the screen and select “Picture,” then choose “From File.” Browse to where you have a photo saved for the fundraiser, such as an object to be auctioned, an image of a person from the charity or a group photo from the last fundraiser. Double-click it for it to appear on the workspace. Use this step to insert your charity or organization’s logo, if applicable.

9. Step 9

   Click the “Insert” menu at the top of the screen and select “Picture,” then choose “Clip Art.” Pull down the “Search in” box and check all the boxes. Pull down the “Results should be” box and check “Clip Art,” “Photographs” or both.

10. Step 10

    Type a word into the “Search for” box, such as “Eagles,” “Children” or something else the fundraiser is supporting or search for an image of something you’ll be raffling or auctioning off. Press the “Go” button. Scroll through the image results, then double-click one for it to appear in the workspace.

11. Step 11

    Type your organization’s information into the address lines on the card; include a website address if applicable or information about how to get the latest fundraiser information. (Optional) Include a way to contact you personally such as an email address or cell phone.

12. Step 12

    Click the “Text” tool, which looks like an index card with an “A” on it, on the “Tools” palette on the left side of the screen. Draw a rectangle on the business card with your mouse, then type something about the fundraiser into the box, such as last year’s net results, the reason for the event or the ticket price. Add more text boxes as preferred.

13. Step 13

    (Optional) Click the “Format” menu at the top and select “Background.” Choose one of the pre-set backgrounds for the card, which will cover the entire backdrop like wallpaper. For more options such as tye-dye, sunbursts and other patterns, or to use your own image as background, click the “More backgrounds” link.

1. Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing program first released in 1991. It is a very handy application to have for your personal or business publishing needs. You can use it to easily design professionally looking publications in minutes. Microsoft Publisher has templates and wizards for newsletters, websites, brochures, catalogs, flyers, signs, postcards, invitations, greeting cards, business cards, letterheads, envelopes, business forms, banners, calendars, advertisements, award and gift certificates, labels, menus, programs and more. You can get assistance in creating a publication or do it all yourself. Once you have finished, you can either print the publication on your own printer or have it printed by a professional. Microsoft Publisher is a very user-friendly program that can be purchased separately or as part of Microsoft Office.
2. First thing you must do is figure out what you want to design. Do you have any specific pictures or other graphics you would like to include in it? Maybe a special picture for Christmas cards or a business logo for a letterhead. You can copy them, save them on your computer and then insert them into your Publisher design. Gather any other information for it you may need, like addresses, dates, prices or alike. Think about what you want to create, what colors you want to use, how you want to print it and then open Microsoft Publisher.
3. It is very easy to use Publisher’s Catalog that opens with any new file. Select the type of publication you want from the list to access the helpful wizards. Go through the various templates to find one for your creation. Follow the step-by-step process allowing you to choose various styles and details. Click on “Finish” to view the publication. Microsoft Publisher has taken your ideas and created a complete design. You can use it as is or be more creative with it. Edit any parts by selecting and making changes to it. You can insert pictures, words and graphs or make other alterations too. Publisher takes your inspiration and creates a finished version or it.
4. You can make copies of the publication on your printer. Many of the creations can be printed on special paper like card stock or photo paper. Microsoft Publisher has a handy feature that allows you to send directly, compact, or alter the print settings for professional print shops. Publisher starts with an idea, allows modifications to be made and then presents a completed publication.

The newest versions of Adobe Photoshop’s Creative Suite include tools that were not present in the older 5.0 version. Features such as the Healing Brush, which is a more texture- and color-sensitive version of the Clone Stamp tool, better color profile management, RAW file support, and additional filters and plug-ins are just a few features Adobe added to Photoshop between version 5.0 and Creative Suite. The upgrade requires that Photoshop 5.0 be installed on your current system or that you have the original installation CDs, and that you possess your version’s serial number.

1. Download the newest version of Photoshop Creative Suite from Adobe’s online store, selecting “Upgrade” as your purchase option. Select “Photoshop 5.0″ as the version you are upgrading from. While upgrade versions can also be purchased in brick-and-mortar stores, it is unlikely that the retailer will carry the specific upgrade product from your version.
2. Step 2

   Run the installation file. The installation will prompt you for the location of your previous Photoshop version or product CD and will ask for your serial number. If you do not still have access to your serial number, you must contact Adobe Customer Support for a special unlock code.

3. Step 3

   Choose a new folder for your Photoshop installation. Installing the new Photoshop version to the same folder as your previous Photoshop installation may cause both to function incorrectly. Photoshop is designed to be installed into a new folder at each version.

4. Step 4

   Download new versions of your Photoshop 5.0 plug-ins. Your old plug-ins are likely not capable with Photoshop Creative Suite, so you need to download the updated versions from the Adobe Plugin Resource. If you cannot find a plug-in with the identical name, search for plug-ins that have similar functionality; the exact plug-in you used to use may not have been updated for Creative Suite.

5. Step 5

   Activate your new version of Photoshop within 30 days of installation. Activation involves sending registration information to Adobe. This will secure your installation in the event that you need to upgrade or reinstall Photoshop in the future. If you do not activate within 30 days, Photoshop will cease functioning.

6. Step 6

   Monitor new Creative Suite releases. If Photoshop is updated within a certain time frame from when you bought the latest version, Adobe will supply the new upgrade for free. The time frame will be announced by Adobe when the next version is released.

7. Step 7

   Retain your old copy of Photoshop until you are comfortable with the newer version. Many features of Photoshop change from version to version, and you may need to rely on the old version if you cannot find the appropriate tool in Creative Suite. Once you are comfortable with Creative Suite, Photoshop 5.0 can be safely uninstalled.

Adobe Creative Suite is a large collection of software developed for creative professionals. It provides tools for graphic design, illustration, motion graphics, web design, video editing and much more, through such popular Adobe programs as Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Acrobat. Should you experience problems and need to reinstall the Creative Suite, first remove all existing programs and then run through the full installation process again.

1. Click the Windows Start button, select “Settings,” and then click “Control Panel.” Locate the “Programs and Features” icon (labeled as “Add/Remove Programs” in Windows XP) and double-click it.
2. Step 2

   Remove each Creative Suite program by right-clicking its name and selecting “Uninstall/Change.” Follow the on-screen prompts after doing so to complete the removal process.

   Depending on your Creative Suite version, some or all of the following programs will require removal: Acrobat, After Effects, Bridge, Contribute, Device Central, Dreamweaver, Dynamic Link, Encore, Fireworks, Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, OnLocation, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Soundbooth, Version Cue.

3. Step 3

   Insert the first Creative Suite installation disc into your drive. Click the “Install” button after the initial setup screen appears to begin the installation process.

4. Step 4

   Click “Accept” to confirm the product licensing agreement.

5. Step 5

   Enter your 24-digit product serial number and click “Next.”

6. Step 6

   Choose your desired language from the corresponding drop-down menu, and then uncheck the box next to the name of any Creative Suite program you do not want to install. Click the “Next” button after confirming your choices.

7. Step 7

   Click “Next” after confirming the default installation folder location or selecting an alternate location.

8. Step 8

   Click the “Install” button on the Installation Summary screen after confirming your setup choices to start the installation process. Given the size of the Creative Suite programs, the process can take several hours.

9. Step 9

   Replace the first installation disc with the second when prompted by the installer. Repeat the process for the third and fourth discs, if your Creative Suite version requires them.

10. Step 10

    Click the “Finish” button after installation completes to close the installer program.

11. Step 11

    Open one of the Creative Suite programs you reinstalled. Enter your 24-digit serial number again, click “Next,” and then click the “Activate Now” button. You may also register your program at this point, or choose to do so later. Either way, your Creative Suite programs are now ready to use.