Synopses & Reviews
The smart way to learn Microsoft Expression Design—one step at a time! Work at your own pace through the easy numbered steps, practice files on CD, and hands-on exercises to master the fundamentals of creating professional-looking designs and illustrations with the powerful tools that Expression Design delivers. Youll learn how to produce high-quality effects by using the Live Effects feature, how to use a variety of brush types, and how to work with vector images. With STEP BY STEP, you can take just the lessons you need or work from cover to cover. Either way, you drive the instruction, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Includes an easy-search companion CD with files for practicing the books lessons, a complete eBook, and more!
A Note Regarding the CD or DVD
The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via O'Reilly Media's Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to [email protected].
Synopsis
The smart way to learn Microsoft Expression Design—one step at a time! Work at your own pace through the easy numbered steps, practice files on CD, and hands-on exercises to master the fundamentals of creating professional-looking designs and illustrations with the powerful tools that Expression Design delivers. You’ll learn how to produce high-quality effects by using the Live Effects feature, how to use a variety of brush types, and how to work with vector images. With STEP BY STEP, you can take just the lessons you need or work from cover to cover. Either way, you drive the instruction, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Includes an easy-search companion CD with files for practicing the book’s lessons, a complete eBook, and more!
For customers who purchase an ebook version of this title, instructions for downloading the CD files can be found in the ebook.
About the Author
Sara Froehlich has been using Acrylic (newly released as Microsoft Expression Design) since it was released as Creature House Expression 2, and was in the beta testing group for Creature House Expression 3. She has written numerous tutorials for the software and has coauthored a complete Microsoft Expression course. Sara maintains a Web site dedicated to Microsoft Expression that includes tutorials, news, articles, and downloads at http://www.northlite.net/expr. In addition she teaches several online courses. She is editor of Designorati, a community-based site packed with information-creative professionals. Founded in 2005 by a group of designers and creative professionals, Designorati provides news on illustration, typography, desktop publishing, and more.
Table of Contents
Introducing Expression Design; Information for Readers Running Windows XP; Managing the Practice Files; Using the Start Menu; Navigating Dialog Boxes; Features and Conventions of This Book; Using the Books CD; CD Contents; Minimum System Requirements; Installing the Practice Files; Using the Practice Files; Removing the Practice Files; Getting Help; Getting Help with This Book and Its CD; Getting Help with Microsoft Expression Design; Chapter 1: Working with Documents; 1.1 Understanding the Difference Between Vector and Raster; 1.2 Opening an Existing File and Exploring the Workspace; 1.3 Creating a New Document; 1.4 Importing a Document Created in Creature House Expression Versions 13; 1.5 Key Points; Chapter 2: Navigating the Workspace; 2.1 Using the Toolbox; 2.2 Using Panels and Panel Widgets; 2.3 Changing the Display and Preview Modes; 2.4 Moving Around in a Document; 2.5 Using the Zoom Tool; 2.6 Undoing Mistakes; 2.7 Saving Your Work; 2.8 Key Points; Chapter 3: Manipulating Objects; 3.1 Selecting Objects; 3.2 Grouping Objects; 3.3 Selecting Anchor Points; 3.4 Positioning Objects; 3.5 Duplicating and Deleting Objects; 3.6 Transforming Objects; 3.7 Key Points; Chapter 4: Working with Layers; 4.1 Understanding Layers: What They Are and Why They Are Important; 4.2 Exploring Layers; 4.3 Manipulating Layers; 4.4 Setting Layer Options; 4.5 Key Points; Chapter 5: Using the Drawing Tools; 5.1 Exploring Path Anatomy; 5.2 Using the Shape and Line Tools; 5.3 Using the Page Grid; 5.4 Using the Pen Tool; 5.5 Using the B-Spline Tool; 5.6 Creating and Editing Cusp Points; 5.7 Making Compound Paths; 5.8 Modifying Paths with Path Operations and Clipping; 5.9 Key Points; Chapter 6: Using Fills; 6.1 Using the Paintbrush Tool; 6.2 Using the Properties Panel; 6.3 Using the Color Picker; 6.4 Using Solid and Image Fills; 6.5 Using Gradient Fills; 6.6 Key Points; Chapter 7: Using Strokes; 7.1 Setting Stroke Attributes and Using the Strokes Gallery; 7.2 Editing Paths to Change Stroke Appearance; 7.3 Creating and Saving Custom Strokes; 7.4 Using the Blend Paths Command; 7.5 Key Points; Chapter 8: Working with Text; 8.1 Creating Text Objects; 8.2 Setting Style Attributes for Text; 8.3 Setting Advanced Text Attributes; 8.4 Putting Text on a Path; 8.5 Putting Text in a Path; 8.6 Converting Text to Paths; 8.7 Key Points; Chapter 9: Working with Bitmap Images; 9.1 Importing Artwork in Vector and Bitmap (Raster) Formats; 9.2 Creating Bitmap Images; 9.3 Tracing Bitmaps to Create Vector Graphics; 9.4 Transforming Bitmap Images; 9.5 Key Points; Chapter 10: Exporting and Printing Your Work; 10.1 Setting Crop Marks; 10.2 Exporting Your Art to a Raster Format; 10.3 Exporting Image Objects from the Document Window; 10.4 Exporting Your Art to XAML Code; 10.5 Exporting Your Art to PDF; 10.6 Printing Your Art; 10.7 Key Points; Setting Preferences in Expression Design; General Options; Workspace Options; Stroke Options; Display Options; Unit and Grid Options; File Options; Clipboard (XAML) Options; Print and Export Options; Memory and Undo Options; Glossary; About the Authors; Sara Froehlich; Marc Campbell;