Vector Basic Training: A Systematic Creative Process for Building Precision Vector Artwork
Original price was: $49.99.$21.12Current price is: $21.12.
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In Vector Basic Training, acclaimed illustrative designer Von Glitschka takes you through his systematic process for creating the kind of precise vector graphics that separate the pros from the mere toolers. Along the way, he’ll whip your drawing skills into shape and show you how to create elegant curves and precise anchor points for your designs. Between the book and the video tutorials on the included DVD, you’ll be ready for active creative duty in zero hundred hours or less.
In Vector Basic Training, you’ll learn:
- The tools and shortcuts that make up a design pro’s creative armament
- How to use “The Clockwork Method” to create accurate curves every time
- When and where to set just the right number of anchor points for any design
- How to build shapes quickly using basic Illustrator tools and plug-ins
- Techniques for art directing yourself so that your work gets the response you desire
- Why symmetry is your friend and how to use it effectively in your designs
To get the most out of this book it is recommended that you have Adobe Illustrator CS4 or higher.
On the DVD-ROM: Von Glitschka reports for duty in over four hours’ worth of video tutorials that walk you through all of the techniques explained in the book. Also included: downloadable art files you can use to follow along on your own and deconstruct samples shown in the book.
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164 reviews for Vector Basic Training: A Systematic Creative Process for Building Precision Vector Artwork
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Original price was: $49.99.$21.12Current price is: $21.12.
Jeet Kune do student –
I thought I knew something about vector art. This book made me reevaluate that idea.
SanJo –
A good book to learn more in depth about illustration and how to use properly the Bezier curves.
Holger L. Weinel –
In this book Von Glitschka introduces the reader to his methodology for creating precise vector graphics.
He shows in his step by step process how developing ideas with pen and paper before jumping on the computer can really improve your creativity and your designs. This book is essential for all designers and Adobe Illustrator artists.
D. Klecan –
I am walking around the house with a light bulb over my head!! Why? I read this book from cover to cover and I finally “get it.” Although I’ve followed Vonster’s tutorials on his site for years, here in this book, he brings together and crystallizes all his theories on the methodology of using bezier curves.
Warning: VTB is a book on “how to take your work from drawing to final product in a vector program. It does not tell you how to use the program. For that buy Golding’s book or follow his tutorials on adobe.com, or read the WOW Illustrator book. The WOW book has a great tutorial on learning the pen (Zen of the Pen) on the DVD.
The only example I can think of what this book is about is that it is like a swimmer attending the training program in Colorado Springs. There they don’t teach you how to swim, they train you how to be an Olympic swimmer.
Vector programs are math-based. This book forces you to use the left side of your brain to bring the ideas on the right to fruition. As soon as I finished the book, I went back to images that had given me trouble and I was able to pinpoint the problems immediately.
There are sections of the book which get repetitive, but that’s OK…this is “vector training”…and Vonster addresses the basic premise of a vector program often forgotten in the throes of artistic creation: if bezier curves are mathematically based, then it follows that it should be approached in a “step-by-step”methodological manner and once this becomes second nature, creativity follows. It is similar to an artist studying and understanding the bones and muscles underlying the body. Once understood the figure looks “right.” You can call VBT the “anatomy book” for the digital artist in the 21st century. The light bulb moment for me is understanding that a vector image (whether it be a beautiful curve, a line, or an object) has an absolute perfect number of points (no more no less) and that those points have a very unique specific location. Once this basic premise is embraced, all your vector images will look “right.”
Lessons learned No. 1: For me, whose wrist was injured in an accident and have problems with doing the recommended millions of doodles, I appreciate the lesson of drawing the image, scanning it and working it digitally, then printing the image and sketching secondary items such as shadows and highlights, rescanning and rendering them digitally. This 2-part workflow makes much more sense than trying to work all aspects of the image in Illustrator at once.
Lesson learned No. 2: Vonster’s incredible work ethic…which shines in every page of the book. I tore apart his image entitled, Wormwood, and every object in that image has shadows, gradients, “screens” and “multiplies” that give his work depth and richness and demonstrate that there are no shortcuts, regardless of the tools used.
Jaana Liukkonen –
Very good book for beginners and also for others whom wants to improve their vector skills. .I do recommend this book sincerely.
Denis Beauchamp –
It’s an excellent book. Just what I was looking for. Well written and full of the basic knowlege needed for using the Bizier tool for making precision vector art work. It uses Adobe illustrator as it’s program but it is useful if you use, as I do, Coreldraw. I can tuthfully day that after reading and applying the techniques taught in this book my own workflow has greatly improved.
John B –
I only wish I had been able to buy THIS book when I was first starting Adobe Illustrator!
I’ve learned new “build” techniques and have already started to apply them to my own “real life” assignments. I should add, that I’ve been using Adobe Illustrator since late 2000, with version 9.
Whether you are a student, or professional user, this book opens up the door to one of the worlds finest, and respected “Jedi Vector” masters, Mr. Von R. Glitschka.
This is not a “WOW” series book…but it packs a lot of “WOW” in the methods and projects that Glitschka presents. His writing and book set up is extremely user friendly.
Logo, design and illustration award winner, Von Glitschka, allows you to look over his shoulder, peek into his studio and mind, to study what he has learned about Adobe Illustrator and bezier curves for years!
If you work in Adobe Illustrator, I’m sure you have your own “way” to build your files, but it’s highly worth a look to see someone else with the experience that Von has, work in a vector based program…and work “out” of it as well. Yes, Von knows you need to thumbnail, sketch and draw, like learning to walk before you run, and teaches it’s importance, in this book.
Glitschka doesn’t waste time in letting you know that jumping in head first to using bezier curves, without a defined plan, can and will result in a lot of guess work, and/or failure in your design and final art.
So before getting into the nuts and bolts of what Adobe Illustrator and the use of bezier curves can do, Von wants you to learn the importance of doing your ‘grunt’ work out of the computer program first. In what he calls a “systematic creative process.”
With real life work he shows his starting chicken scratches, picking one or more to develop and on to a more refined sketch. Turning the refined sketch into a final finished drawing, that is then scanned and used as his template to work his bezier magic.
The book is full of many useful tips and ways that anyone can apply to their own build methods.
Although the book doesn’t cover every tool and function Adobe Illustrator can do, in my opinion, the information presented here, is the primary core over every other tool in Adobe Illustrator’s toolbox.
If the book were not enough, the included DVD, in which you get to enjoy Von’s video tutorials and watch him put his bezier’s where his mouth is.
Through the video’s we really do get to “watch” over his shoulder as he builds artwork. He will show you his different build method’s and discuss why each file will be built in one of his tried and true methods, some files are easy, others complex, needing you to build using combined methods, all of which are explained clearly and thoughtfully.
Nothing is left hidden, he’s like the magician that shows you how the trick was preformed after it was done.
The DVD also includes many of his own images, he shares the vector files for you to tear a part, study and understand how and why they were built the way he has instructed in his book and videos.
Kudos to Mr. Glitschka for putting together a resource as valuable as this. Clearly, he is a great teacher, and a giving person. Many would not be so willing to give as much knowledge as Von has in this book!
If you want to get better at doing the “vector boogie” I would suggest making this book a MUST purchase!