Introducing CS4 Illustrator

For those of you that didn't read my blog about the Adobe Creative Suite at Cal State Los Angeles a few months back... I basically talked about how the computer labs in the Fine Art building were still using Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign CS1. During the first day of the Fall Quarter it was good to see that new computers and the updated software jumping from CS1 to CS3.

Technology changes quickly, Adobe will release a new version of the Creative Suites 4 (CS4) that will hit stores during October. Illustrator CS4 will feature a new art board which has the ability to create a document with up to 100 separate art boards. Each art board can have a different orientation, size and can be exported to its own file.The multi-artboard options will allow you to create many different comps that can be taken into other Adobe applications like Photoshop and InDesign.

It will also feature a Blob brush tool, instead of painting with a regular brush stroke it will have the capability to paint with the blog brushes which give you a filled, compound path. Another feature is the transparency in gradients with on-object controls and it will also include new tabs in order to work with multiple applications in a single window.

Hopefully, they can offer an easier way to work with In Design...In Design will have a new Live PreFlight tool.

Adobe is currently offering pre-orders for $1,799 and upgrades for $599. Professor Jimmy Moss can I borrow $599???

President Abraham Lincoln's penny gets a makeover

The U.S mint unveiled four new designs for the 1-cent coin (penny), Yesterday September 22nd during a ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. It will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday and the 100th anniversary of Lincoln appearing on the penny. The first penny is scheduled to go into circulation on Feb 12, 2009. The penny hasn't changed since 1959. The classic mugshot of the 16th U.S president will remain on the heads side of the coin, but the Lincoln Memorial will be replaced on the other side by four new images which include a log cabin, a Young Lincoln taking a break, Lincoln as a Young Lawyer and a half-completed Capitol dome. The copper will also be replace, by high quality steel.

Do we really need a new penny????

Gas signs in Los Angeles

It's sad to see that unemployment rate is increasing, America's economy going down the toilet, and Gasoline prices sky high. As they say another day another dollar...The price of gasoline has been slimming down my pockets for at least two years now. The national average price of gas this week is $3.67 a gallon, five years ago the average price of gas was $1.53 a gallon. When the gas price reached $3.00 a gallon I told myself "Get used to it", but when it passed $4.50 a gallon it was like a slap in the face. Oil prices will continue to go up...At what price will Americans stop pumping gas??? At least we don't have to pay $10.48 for a gallon of gas like people in Norway...

It's good to see people like the ones below, advertising the truth about oil companies...

CS3 in Fine Arts Building?

On Monday, I was surprised when I went to the computer lab in Salazar Hall. I used a Mac Computer to work on the Final Presentation in In Design program. I was surprised when I uploaded the In Design program they the CS3 version, Illustrator CS3, plus the Photoshop is in CS2.It’s a shame to see that the Graphic Design computers labs in the Fine Art building are still utilizing CS1 programs. I wonder how long it’s going to take the department to upgrade the programs? The Graphic Design labs are the ones that need to be up to date with programs.

ABC3D

This is a fascinating and innovative video, it's from a book called ABC3D. It's a
pop-up book of the 26 Alphabet letters, the cover is real cool, I also like the letter U alot. The hardcover book was made by Marion Bataille it will be released on Oct 14,2008. You can preorder a copy today at Half.com. Marion Bataille is a widely published graphic design artist and illustrator. I will definitely buy her book, it's only $19.95.

Words from the Wise

I wanted to share these inspiring and excellent quotes, with my fellow graphic design classmates. Each one of these quotes has given me inspiration; hopefully it can do the same thing for you…….

“Don’t confuse legibility with communication” David Carson

“You can do a good ad with poor typography, but you can’t do a great ad with poor typography”- Herb Lubalin

“Design is about making order out of chaos.”-Cipe Pineles

“A poster must do two things well: to be noticed and to hold your attention long enough to get the message across. And in that order.” Emil Weiss

“The expression in a (typographic) design is what is most important, not the typeface that is used.”-Wolfgang Weingart

Hidden Logo's

I was at my friends house on Tuesday talking about politics, music and more music. He happens to work at FedEx, out of curiosity I asked him, “Have you ever noticed the hidden arrow in the FedEx Logo.” He automatically said “NO”. I told him to look closely between the letter E and x. Yesterday, I got a phone call and he told me that it took him a while to find it. He asked several managers and co-workers if they knew about the hidden arrow in the logo, most of them were unaware of the hidden arrow.

I was amazed that my friend and his co-workers were unaware of the hidden arrow. I don’t blame them either, when I worked at FedEx I found the arrow after working there for several months. I never viewed the FedEx logo the same. It supposed to symbolize speed and precision.

There’s a similar logo to FedEx, it’s a logo created for a puzzle game called Cluenatic. The logo has the letters C,L,U and E they’re arranged as a maze. Can you find the letters? Can you see a key? If you see the logo from a distance it looks like a key.