Photoshop CS2 for Windows and Macintosh : Visual QuickStart Guide (Visual Quickstart Guides)

InDesign CS2 for Macintosh and Windows : Visual QuickStart Guide (Visual Quickstart Guides)

Mac Osx

Illustrator CS2 for Windows and Macintosh : Visual QuickStart Guide (Visual Quickstart Guides)

Format: Paperback
Author: Elaine Weinmann
ReleaseDate: 20 September, 2005
Publisher: Peachpit Press
Rating:

Excellent, As Usual
Each one I have used is: supremely instructive, light to nonexistent on self absorbed asides (a blessed relief), and meaty. Visual Quick Start Guides and I were introduced in college.. . very meaty. The paper isn't glossy, the images aren't in color, you get no adorable photos of the author with their children frolicking on the sands of Southern California. But you get information about how to use Adobe products (and anything else you want to tackle) so that you, in your miserable Midwestern hovel, far from the smiling shores of the Pacific rim, can accomplish your tasks for your demanding and sniffy clients and get paid, and not go to the poor house! Tres cool, no?

Every tool is explored to the max, all the possible options are explained clearly, new things about the program are patiently explained. By the time you get through with this book, you Know Illustrator. You don't have to read it cover to cover, but you can dive in anywhere to have a new item explained to you, and be on your way.

I have found Visual Quick Start Guides far clearer than Dummies, and much more useful than any cookbook guides. I recommend them way over the more expensive Classroom in a Book. They are also reasonably priced, and though they don't catch your eye or come with the CD rom (which you don't really need), or show you a bunch of high concept work,; they are your reference and you will keep them snuggled by you as you plow through tough creativity and succeed.

!Viva Visual Quick Start Guides!.

Complete Reference
If you're looking for a tutorial-based book, try the HOT series by Lynda Weinman and quit your griping. This is a reference book, and a very good one.

Most Excellent for reference of everthing in your program (No projects to learn from, just the facts and pictures)
Now true, I and others find it difficult to use as purely a training manual (I like projects to learn from) and this provides no projects. I found this a great book to go over and learn everything on how this program works (and lots of stuff that most training books don't cover). But after completing my How To Use Illustrator AND Photoshop books, I got this book to go through and have a real understanding of the menu's and for easy and quick reference if I can't figure out how to do something. So I highly recomend it for that reason alone. As for learning the programs from the ground up. . . depends on your learning style.

Don't let the naysayers sway you. If you need a comprehensive manual for easy reference (text and visualy) then get this book and perhaps the series.