Description:
Designers with substantial experience with other drawing and painting applications may not realize how much more practical and time-saving Fireworks can be when it comes to making graphics for the Web. Whether you are new to Fireworks or have already dabbled a bit, and are looking to find out all it can do, you couldn't find a more thorough or enthusiastic instructor than Joseph Lowery and his Fireworks 4 Bible. One of the premier writers on Dreamweaver and Fireworks, Lowery has earned the respect of Macromedia and the many users who have benefited from his advice. Here he fulfills the usual function of the Bible series: basic instruction is mixed with a detailed manual that performs perfectly as a reference guide. Lowery discusses the particular strengths of Fireworks, the (common Macromedia) interface, and the work environment; every tool, menu, and palette gets scrutinized. Mastering the tools (a "short learning curve," the author notes encouragingly)--vector graphics, bitmaps, colors, strokes, paths, and text--are then examined. Readers are introduced to how the results work on the Web (hotspots, slices, rollovers) and then learn the best methods for making GIF animations (onion skinning, tweening, frame handling). The appendices include a Web primer and keyboard shortcuts. Throughout the book, features that are new in version 4 are highlighted for easy access, as are tips (insights that go beyond basics), notes (technical asides) and cautions (anticipations of common errors). Why would you want another reference when Macromedia provides great online application support? Because Lowery packs a lot of experience in with the how-to instructions. For example, he is sure to mention any technique that might shave even just a second off work time. Add them up and you may just find yourself with enough leftover time to have another cup of coffee and make more art. --Angelynn Grant
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