Macromedia FreeHand 10: Training from the Source

FreeHand is more than just an illustration package--it’s a complete set of professional drawing, page layout, and Web design tools, capable of handling everything from logos and infographics to user interface design and Web animations. Who better to unravel the complexities of the program than the people who created it? In Macromedia FreeHand 10: Training from the Source, the experts at Macromedia lead you step-by-step through real-world projects. No other book can make that claim--or make it easier for you to master FreeHand 10. The book’s project-based tutorials let you learn at your own pace as you gain hands-on experience with the practice files on the accompanying CD-ROM. Macromedia FreeHand 10: Training from the Source starts with an introduction to the major features of FreeHand 10, then guides you through sample projects. You’ll learn the basics--combining text and graphics, working with paths and points, using layers and styles, and preparing files for a commercial printer--then move on to advanced topics, such as the editable symbol library and FreeHand’s rich integration with Macromedia Flash. At the end of this “desktop course,” you’ll be proficient at creating and manipulating graphics and text in FreeHand.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Lesson 1. FreeHand Basics: A Quick Tour. Creating a Folder on Your Hard Drive. Creating a New Document. Exploring the Controls. Customizing Applications Preferences. Working with Panels. Organizing the Workspace. Creating an Element on the Page. Changing the View. Creating Basic Shapes. Saving the Document. Applying Basic Fills and Strokes. Applying Gradient Fills. Arranging, Aligning, and Grouping Elements. Adding Other Elements. Customizing Tool Settings. Creating a Mirror Image of an Element. Rotating an Element on the Page. Getting Help. On Your Own. Lesson 2. Combining Text and Graphics. Creating a New Document with a Custom Page Size. Adding Custom Pages and Arranging Pages on the Pasteboard. Creating and Editing Ruler Guides. Importing a Vector Graphic (EPS Format). Cloning and Scaling Elements. Importing and Creating Colors and Tints. Applying Color to Objects. Adding Text to the Layout. Importing Text into a Layout. Applying a Color Fill to Text. On Your Own. Lesson 3. Working with Points and Paths. Manipulating Paths with the Freeform Tool. Important Foundation Information. Point Principles. Control Handle Principles. Drawing with the Pencil Tool. Differences Between the Bezigon and Pen Tools. Drawing with the Bezigon Tool. Drawing with the Pen Tool. Exchanging Elements Between Documents. Lesson 4. Using Layers and Styles. Creating a New Custom-Size Document. Importing a Tracing Pattern and Moving it to a Background Layer. Defining Process Colors. Creating an Element with the Pen Tool. Rotating a Copy and Duplicating the Transformation. Combining Elements with Paste Inside. Changing Your View of the Artwork. Creating Other Foreground Layers. Creating Curved Paths with the Pen Tool. Defining and Applying Object Styles. Combining Elements with Path Operations. Creating Other Elements. Aligning Elements. Positioning Artwork and Editing Styles. Adding Elements to the Clipping Path. Scaling and Reflecting Artwork. Importing a Picture Frame. Other Layer Panel Controls. Exporting Artwork for Use in Other Programs. On Your Own. Lesson 5. Creating More Complex Art. Creating Illustrations with Path Operations. Adding Text to a Path. Adding Blends to a Path. Copying Elements from Other Documents. Setting Up the Perspective Grid. Applying Perspective to Artwork on Vertical Planes. Applying Perspective Artwork on the Ground Plane. Tracing Imported Artwork. Trimming Excess Artwork. Adding Text and Other Elements. Using the Live Envelop Feature. On Your Own. Lesson 6. Blending Shapes for Shading. Getting Started. Creating Blends. Pasting Blends Inside Paths to Create Three-Dimensional Shading. Creating Shading for the Top of a Sphere. Creating Shading for a Cylindrical Ring. Adding Dimensions with Radial Fills. Using the Contour Gradient Fill. Completing the Figure. Creating a Realistic Shadow. Creating the Finished Document. Customizing FreeHand's Toolbars and Shortcuts. On Your Own. Lesson 7. Page Layout in FreeHand. Assembling the Top Section. Separating the Text Labels. Creating Multi-Column Text Blocks. Using In-Line Graphics. Making Text Flow Around Graphic Elements. Saving the Document as a PDF File. Lesson 8. Multiple-Page Document. Specifying a Custom Page Size. Creating Guides for a Consistent Layout. Using the Edit Guides Command. Mixing Custom Process Colors and Blending Gradients. Creating Text and Graphics Elements. Using the Xtra Operations. Using Transparency in FreeHand. Using Layers to Separate Types of Artwork. Using Text Effects. Duplicating Pages in a Document. Importing Text and Linking Text Blocks. Defining Paragraph Styles. Using the Text Editor. Importing Images. Wrapping Text Around Graphics. Using the Links Dialog Box. Using Colors from Bitmap Images. Using Find and Replace Graphics for Text. Creating and Applying Master Pages. Printing Your Documents. Specifying a Print Area. Collecting Files for Output. On Your Own. Lesson 9. Setting Up Animation. Building the First Sequence. Building the Second Sequence. Building the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sequences. Building the Final Sequence. Releasing the Blends to Layers. Exporting the Animation. Assigning Flash Actions. Lesson 10. Web Site Storyboards. Approaching Web Site Design. Working with Symbols. Using a Symbol as a Brush Stroke. More Powerful Editing Features. Duplicating Groups of Pages. Assigning Active Links with the URL Editor. Adding Name and Notes to Objects. Exporting to Various Formats from FreeHand. Appendix A: Windows Shortcuts. Appendix B: Macintosh Shortcuts. Appendix C: Moving to FreeHand. Appendix D: FreeHand Resources. Index.