CS5 Master Help

[tsmacman]

Hey Guys, so unlike most of the people on the design forum, i'm only gonna be a freshman next year, however i'm really interested in graphic design and need some help. i already have cs5 master collection, but i only know to use photoshop and Illustrator, and even thoses im still pretty new at. What other programs in this suite would i potentially use while working with design and photography, and what exactly are they for....i know i sound pretty stupid but im new with all of this and i dont know exactly what each one of them does?

Thanks in Advance,
T

 

[txtchr]

Start playing around in Fireworks. It's a lot like Photoshop, but it's a vector software rather than a raster software (like PS). It's also an animator. You'll enjoy using it once you get the hang of what it is and what it can do.

It also comes in very handy if you're doing web work.

 

[THX1139]

Fireworks is a waste of time unless you are going mostly into web design/development, and even then it's a niche product.

Having said that, if you are looking at going into web, then learn Dreamweaver, web design constraints, and all related internet technologies.

For graphic design, learn InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. You say you know Photoshop and Illustrator... but how well? To know it well is to have a complete understanding of what it does and how to do it fast using keyboard shortcuts. Know Bridge and how to use it to manage media. Know font and file management. Know file types and what they are used for. Know the differences between the color modes. Know the differences between resolutions for web, print, and video. Know about scanning and digital RAW conversions. The list goes on and on...

As for Motion Graphics and editing (if you are interested in that market), you really should have a good understanding of Flash and After Effect, plus a decent NLE like maybe Premiere cause it's included in the master suite. But if you are serious about editing/video/film as a career, then you should look into AVID. I would have said Final Cut Pro, but Apple discontinued their professional line of video editing software so you have look elsewhere, or just use Premiere for now.

Pick the primary apps you will be using for your education and learn those first. Trying to learn too many apps at the same time can make the process too confusing. Get really good at one and then move onto the next. That should take you the rest of the summer and into the fall. You might want to sign up for linda.com to help you with the learning process. Good luck on your educational goals!