Transitioning from photoshop to illustrator

Hello fellow DP'ers,

I've been in the graphic design biz for about 4 years, and im thinking about trying out some new software. I use photoshop for all of my work, and i was wondering about the differences between PS and AI. How similar are the two programs. How hard is the transition.

All feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Dennis Bosher
Skilled Graphics

 

Well, under the hood they are totally different.

Illustrator is a vector graphics program, which stores information based on math instead of pixels.

Since Adobe makes both products, the learning curve (when you take the format into consideration) is simlar - the tools Photoshop and Illustrator share in common function as you'd expect them too.

Adobe is a great company that way they do things is consistent.

Follow a few good tutorials at vectortuts.com and you should be up to speed in no time!

 

Yeah think of Pen Tool 3.0, Illustrator is my preferred way to go when making logos or any sort of typography because it can be sized to any specifications with no pixelation which is really nice.

 

Thanks for your comments. I would appreciate anyone else's comments about this transition as well.

 

Illustrator is great for logos, complex illustrations and any printing works where the image could be scaled at any size without losing definition. But Photoshop does everything else better and is best suited for web work.

 

In my experience photoshop has always done the trick, it has vector capabilities, so the scaling hasnt been an issue. I have found issues when a client requests specifically the ai format. Photoshop can export the paths in AI, but to my knowledge, thats it.

 

Photoshop always renders in pixels though it's now a vector format. Yes, there are vector tools in photoshop, but they still output in the end to pixels.

Illustrator doesn't do that. It's true vector. You can import bitmaps into it and edit those in vector space, but it will never replace photoshop either.

Here's how I look at it: Photoshop is for the manipulation of photographic images. If you've got a picture that was captured by a camera - Photoshop is the best tool out there, and nothing will beat it!

But, of you're making an image from scratch, like for a website or something - why on earth would you use photoshop? why not use your camera to maker a logo while you're at it - if you're so set on using the wrong tool for the job. Or why not a hammer?!

 

Im actually downloading AI trial now, so hopefully i wont be using the wrong tool soon. But in all honesty, I've been doing this for 4 years, logo design is my specialty, never had a problem. The closest thing to a problem i have had, is once a client passed me by, because the source would be a psd, instead of AI. Other than that, i have never had an issue in 4 years. I stay pretty busy too, im not getting rich, i average about 3 to 4 hundred dollars a week, and considering my rates, that's quite a bit of work, to have had no real conflicts.

However, i would like to be using the correct tool, and at least have the ability to utilize it if needed, so i will be learning AI, just as i learned PS.

I appreciate everyone's comments, all are welcome.

 

I don't understand how you can possibly be making a living doing identity design without delivering a vector logo.

that's step one. You deliver a vector logo. Photoshop can't technically do that, so no matter what it looks like or what it depicts, in my eyes it fails as a logo in the same way a portrait in wax crayon, not matter how good, fails as an oil painting.

Please do learn illustrator, and once you understand it you'll understand what I'm saying to you and it will all make sense. It's scary to think that you could continue getting work for 3-4 years using the wrong tool. Very scary.

 

simplyg123, if logos are your specialty, you have to invest the time to learn it, in the long term, you'll wonder how you ever done without it, and having a vectorial source is required when working for bigger companies, because that logo will be used in mugs, tshirts, big posters, etc.

 

I think innovati makes another good point, If you specialize in logo design even I am shocked that you have been using photoshop, when you make a project that needs to be on a business card and a billboard.

Plus I have never really heard of someone asking for an .ai file type for print. Maybe thats just me but I was taught to deliver in .eps

 

All i can tell you is here i am, making a living using only photoshop. Any graphic created using the vector tools in PS, can be sized up, or down, to any size without quality loss.

And like i said, i will soon be using AI as well.

 

@Shawn Ross: you're old! I'm joking. EPS was the standard for a long time, even during my start, but now the industry is shifting to PDF since it has become and open-standard. Adobe, because of this, has re-written all of it's native formats to use the same libraries for greater cross-program compatibility than ever before.

Personally, as an interchange vector format I prefer SVG, and it's easily previewed in opera (what Adobe Bridge uses to thumbnail it's images) and Firefox, as well as editable (even on a more advanced level than Illustrator) by the free program Inkscape.

I have just today received an EPS from another designer, but it's the first time I've received one in years.

For modern logo-design, if *I* was the client, I'd require this as the requirement/deliverables.

Logos in standard PDF format:
-Full colour special version (gradients, highlights, shadows)
-Flat colour version (with pantone inks used specified)
-One-colour version

And I'd also require, if my copmany name was involved with the logo:

each of these colour variations in a horizontal and vertical format.

And then on top of that, I'd require a high-resolution PNG render of each of the 3 or so main ones for easy addition to documents.

I'd require a 16x16px version of the logo to be used as a favicon at a possible later date.

Call me picky, but those are what I deliver to a client when I do a logo and I'd expect nothing less.

 

Yeah those are usually what I deliver to mine, my mentor just taught me to use eps. LOL I sir am not old... he was though. I've never gone as far as the 16x16px and png's but I guess that would be easier than a case by case system.

 

Good question and good answers. Thanks for the information.

 

Lots of good information here. How long have you been in the business? Any formal education in the field?

 

I've been doing design stuff on the computer since 2003, but I've been using some of the programs like Photoshop for 11 years it must be.

I did also take a 3 year design course at college and have been involved in design forums and discussion during that time too.