Adobe Illustrator CS4 Upsell from Freehand
- Create files containing up to 100 artboards and display them any way you want--overlapping, side by side, or stacked; save, export, and print artboards independently or together; save a selected range or all artboards as a multipage PDF file
- Define the opacity of any individual color stop in a gradient; reveal underlying objects and images, and create rich color and texture mixes using multiple layers, knockouts, and cover-up fades
- Sketch with a brush that generates a single clean vector shape, even when strokes overlap; draw naturally, using the Blob Brush tool together with the Eraser and Smooth tools
- Interact with gradients right on your object; set gradient angle, position, and elliptical dimensions; add and edit colors using sliders--all with immediate feedback where you work
- Collaborate with your team, work across products, and deliver almost anywhere thanks to integrated tools and extensive format support; confidently design for print, interactive experiences, motion effects, and more
 Multiple Artboards |
Switch 2 Adobe Dreamweaver CS4
Owners of FreeHand 9, 10, or MX, & owners of CorelDRAW can switch 2 Illustrator CS4 4 special pricing.Why Illustrator CS4?
Illustrator CS4 lets you create graphics & type in vector format. Vector graphics are resolution independent, which means you can resize a graphic from a business card 2 a billboard & it will maintain its high quality. Illustrator also lets you create assets that can easily go 2 out 2 different media: print, web, interactive, video, & mobile.
Top reasons 2 switch 2 Adobe Illustrator CS4
Multiple artboards
Create files containing up 2 100 artboards of varying sizes & display them any way you want--overlapping, side by side, or stacked. Save, export, & print artboards independently or together. Save a selected range or all artboards as a multipage PDF file.
Transparency in gradients
Define the opacity of any individual color stop in a gradient. Reveal underlying objects & images, & create rich color & texture mixes using multiple layers, knockouts, & cover-up fades.
Blob Brush tool
Sketch with a brush that generates a single clean vector shape, even when strokes overlap. Draw naturally, using the Blob Brush tool together with the Eraser & Smooth tools.
Gradients exposed
Interact with gradients right on your object. Set gradient angle, position, & elliptical dimensions. Add & edit colors using sliders--all with immediate feedback where you work.
Integration & delivery
Collaborate with your team, work across products, & deliver almost anywhere thanks 2 integrated tools & extensive format support. Confidently design 4 print, interactive experiences, motion effects, & more.
Enhanced user experience
Stay in the creative groove thanks 2 interface improvements that include on-object controls. Interact with tools smoothly, & increase your efficiency using new timesaving features & shortcuts.
In-panel appearance editing
Edit object characteristics directly in the Appearance panel, eliminating the need 2 open fill, stroke, or effects panels. Work with shared attributes & control display 4 faster rendering.
Refined graphic styles
Combine styles 4 unique effects & increased efficiency, & apply styles without disturbing an object's existing appearance. Enjoy new thumbnail previews & an expanded library of prebuilt styles.
Clipping masks demystified
Work with masks more easily by viewing only the clipped area of your objects during editing. Take advantage of Isolation Mode, & use Edit Clipping Path 4 even more control.
Separations Preview
Avoid color output surprises such as unexpected spot colors, unwanted overprinting, overprints that don't overprint, white overprinting, & CMYK blacks in text & placed files.
 Transparency in Gradients |
Top new features of Adobe Illustrator CS4
The following are features in Illustrator CS4 that enable new ways of working so you can get the creative results you're after more efficiently & deliver designs more easily, anywhere.Multiple artboards
Define working areas of varying sizes with complete freedom, all within one document. Work on a variety of projects in a single file & share settings & content across designs. You no longer need 2 use page tiling 2 create multipage PDF files, & you can arrange up 2 100 artboards of different sizes any way you want--tiled, overlapping or freeform. You can even create an artboard inside an artboard 2 easily export just a piece of a composition.
Multiple artboards provide the most powerful way yet 2 organize projects with multiple pages or diverse outputs. Sharing objects, styles, & output settings is a great time-saver, & you can apply symbols or test color variations with Live Color while viewing artwork in multiple contexts. Quickly set up bleeds & crop marks, & choose 2 show video-safe areas using preset profiles.
Export your artboards in any supported file format as a series of files that are automatically numbered in sequence, or save as a single, multipage PDF file--your choice.
Transparency in gradients
Create a gradient of many colors & define the opacity of any or all individual colors assigned 2 your color stops. Transparency within a gradient simplifies creating interaction between layers & enables easy mixing & knockouts. Use transparency 2 create cover-up fades or 2 reveal underlying objects or images. For example, make a rainbow gradient on one object, & then simply set the blue gradient slider or color stop 2 0% opacity level 2 show what's underneath.
You can even apply multiple fills 2 a single object, such as a pattern fill overlaid with transparent gradients, 2 create highlights & shadows that simulate the fabric of a draped garment. In the Appearances panel, simply apply additional fills & then use the Gradient tool 2 define opacities. And change the shape of that object as much as you want--all of your fills will follow along.
Transparency in gradients also enhances work between Illustrator & other Creative Suite 4 components in which transparency & gradients behave in a similar fashion, such as Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended, Adobe Flash CS4 Professional, & Adobe Fireworks CS4 software.
Gradients exposed
On-object interaction plus new elliptical gradients exposes the power of gradients in Illustrator CS4. The new controls enable fast adjustment with minimum interruption of your train of thought--no need 2 shift your attention 2 the Gradient panel.
Work with gradients right on your object with immediate visual feedback. Color sliders & swatches appear on your selected object, with gradient stops that you can drag along the gradient bar. You can add & delete gradient stops & set the angle & position of the gradient by clicking directly on the controls.
Radial gradients are enhanced with the new ability 2 set dimensions independently, 2 create an elliptical gradient of any proportion.
Blob Brush tool
The Blob Brush tool generates a clean, filled, vector shape while you sketch, even when strokes overlap, merging your paths naturally into a single object that's easily selected & edited. Now, when you draw, you don't get the typical jumble of paths, you get an outlined & filled shape--no expansion or Pathfinder tools required. And you can customize how your drawing flows together, choosing options 4 stroke character & pressure sensitivity.
Drawing with the Blob brush is a truly painterly, fluid way 2 create vector forms, especially when used in combination with the Eraser & Smooth tools. Use these tools together--alternately stroking & erasing--to perfect your silhouette 2 get a single, smooth outline without ever needing 2 expand paths or use the Pathfinder panel.
Integration & delivery
Collaborate with your team, work across products, & deliver anywhere, using integrated tools & extensive format support. Illustrator CS4 enables export of editable, workable content 4 web, interactive, & RIA projects. And moving smoothly among Adobe tools is easier than ever, thanks 2 cross-product feature support & common interface elements.Flex integration
Enrich your Flex applications more easily & take advantage of further support 4 designer-developer efficiency with Adobe Flex 3 integration. Flex Skin Design extensions 4 Illustrator enable reliable creation of vector skins with export in native Flex format.
Smooth send & receive
Send your artwork anywhere with broad support of even more file formats & across Adobe products. Enjoy cross-product feature support such as the ability 2 import multiple artboards from Illustrator into both Flash & Adobe InDesign CS4 software.
Work across multiple applications
Streamline your work among multiple applications with more tool commonality, increased consistency of tool behavior, & new user-interface enhancements across the components of Creative Suite 4.
 Blob Brush Tool |
Enhanced user experience
Stay in the creative groove, thanks 2 significant interface improvements. Work faster & smarter with the following features that help reduce clicks & make interacting with Illustrator easier & more productive.Options where you work
Choose tool options, stay precisely oriented, & make complicated edits 2 your artwork without interrupting your train of thought. New features in Illustrator CS4 help focus your attention where you need it most--on your artboard & on your objects.
Tabbed document view
With multiple open documents in a tabbed view, you can bring windows 2 the front with one click. Tabbed documents are also spring-loaded 4 easy copying & pasting. Simply drag a selection from your window onto a document tab, & that document pops 2 the front so you can paste your selection where you want. And, you can arrange multiple document windows in a tiled or cascaded view 4 easy visual comparison & even faster copying across documents.
Spring-loaded panels
Get 2 your panels even more quickly with springloading. Panels now expand automatically when you drag an object on top of the panel icon.
Practical Smart Guides
Smart Guides are more intuitive & practical, with an unobtrusive look & new behaviors, such as alignment 2 objects on the artboard rather than 2 the cursor. New on-object readouts tell you exactly where you are, without your having 2 shift focus away from your work.
Isolation Mode advances
Isolation Mode now supports more object types, including compound paths, gradient mesh objects, images, & clipping masks. You can isolate a single object as well as top-level layers. Control your view while in Isolation Mode with new support 4 Outline View & with quick locking & hiding of objects. It's now easy 2 add new objects 2 a particular place in a stacking order, reducing the need 4 the Paste In Front/Back & Arrange commands.
Check the new iconic breadcrumbs 2 see at a glance what type of object you're editing. The icons symbolize Layer, Group, Symbol, Path, & Image. The labels in the breadcrumbs are clickable so you can quickly navigate through your layers & objects. When you're finished working in Isolation Mode, exit using the Escape key.
In-panel appearance editing
Edit multiple object characteristics directly in the Appearance panel. This improved panel shows attributes 4 single & multiple objects, such as fill or stroke color, which you can edit by simply clicking on the attribute--even when it's shared among objects.
Another new function in the Appearance panel is the ability 2 control the display of individual attributes. You can simply click the eye icon 2 turn off a complex effect that must be re-rendered with every move, so that you can work faster & keep your creative momentum going.
And if you wish 2 select all objects in your artwork that have certain attributes, you can use a new Same Appearance Attribute option in the Select menu. Once you have selected objects with at least one common attribute, you can edit that attribute in the Appearance panel & see immediate results on all the objects at once.
The power of the new Appearance panel lies in centralization of control & streamlining of your workspace. You no longer need 2 keep multiple panels open 2 apply & edit fills, strokes, complex attributes, & more. You can even copy & paste within the panel, so adding attributes 2 any object is fast & simple.
 In-Panel Appearance Editing |
Refined graphic styles
Apply sets of attributes 2 objects & text as a single graphic style, layering & combining styles 4 unique effects. The Graphic Styles panel provides new functionality that includes an option 2 preview all your styles on the seleted object or group of objects. It's now easy 2 choose a style without having 2 actually apply it.
The Graphic Styles panel & the Appearance panel work hand in hand, supporting creation of complex styles that can be quickly applied without destroying an object's original appearance. Add a new style while pressing the Option key (Mac) or the Alt key (Windows) & observe that it doesn't replace the object's existing appearance. To see all the attributes that make a graphic style, click on the style & find its attributes listed in the Appearance panel--each easily edited.
Illustrator CS4 makes graphic styles even more attractive with a new library of prebuilt styles 2 jump-start your creative exploration. New libraries include sets of effects such as pre-set blurs & drop shadows that you can add without affecting fills. And, of course, you can generate your own libraries of graphic styles that you can use again & again.
Clipping masks demystified
Work with masks more easily, thanks 2 true WYSIWYG behavior. Now, when the clipping object or group is selected, you will see only the clipped area (the visible parts of your objects). Edit the masking object in Isolation Mode or choose 2 make it visible using the Clipping Path menu options. Plus, with the buttons in the Control panel 4 Edit Clipping Paths & Edit Contents, you have truly intuitive choices 4 viewing & editing both your masks & masked objects.
Separations preview
Help ensure flawless printing using the new Separations Preview panel. Avoid color output surprises such as unexpected spot colors, unwanted overprinting, overprints that don't overprint, white overprinting, & CMYK blacks in text & placed files. The Separations Preview panel displays a list of spot & process colors; you can choose 2 display individual colors 4 previewing color separations onscreen. Illustrator CS4 continues the tradition of improving print support so you can deliver artwork that prints more reliably than ever.
Creative Pro Online Services
Connect 2 the power of the online community through your creative desktop. New online services accessed from within Adobe Illustrator CS4 let you search 4 help & get answers from the online community; share your screen with colleagues or clients in a few quick clicks; get color inspiration from your peers, & more. With new online services in Illustrator CS4, you can take your ideas 2 the next level.Adobe Community Help
Get the power of an online search engine within your Illustrator CS4 software, but with more targeted results thanks 2 Adobe Community Help. Searchable content includes the comprehensive product-specific Help that Adobe has always delivered, plus additional Adobe & third-party content chosen by experts at Adobe & in the design & production communities. With Adobe Community Help, you can find the focused answers you need, fast. (Internet connection required 4 extended content.)
Acrobat.com
Acrobat.com is a set of online services--file sharing & storage, PDF converter, online word processor, & web conferencing--that you can use 2 create & share documents, communicate in real time, & simplify working with others. Thanks 2 the connection between one of the Acrobat.com services, Adobe ConnectNow, & Illustrator CS4, you can meet live over the web 2 share your screen, present creative concepts & ideas, & brainstorm with up 2 two online guests 4 no additional service charge. To share your screen with colleagues & clients, choose File > Share My Screen. Guests can then see your desktop on their screens as you work. You can exchange ideas using the chat pod, add a live video or audio feed, or use the Whiteboard feature 2 enable guests 2 comment on content. You can even temporarily hand over control of the screen 2 a guest 2 collaborate on a file. Additional Acrobat.com services, such as Share, Create PDF, My Files, & Adobe Buzzword, are accessible via your web browser. (Internet connection required.)
Adobe Kuler
Explore, create, & share color themes with Adobe Kuler. Kick start your creative projects with color inspiration from the online Kuler community. Browse thousands of themes by newest, most popular, or highest rated; or search themes by tag word, title, or creator. Themes can be downloaded & moved 2 your Swatches panel with a single click. You can also upload colors from your Swatches panel 2 share with others. (Internet connection required 4 community functionality.)
Adobe Bridge Home
Visit Adobe Bridge Home--an online channel available in Adobe Bridge CS4--and stay up 2 date with what's new from Adobe & the design, web development, & video & audio production communities at large. Watch the latest video tutorials 4 Illustrator CS4, listen 2 a podcast interview with a leading designer, or learn about the next training event in your community. Discover tips & resources that can help you work smarter & faster. (Internet connection required.)
Part of the Adobe Creative Suite 4 family
Adobe Illustrator CS4 is integral 2 the Adobe Creative Suite 4 family of products, providing a vector graphics environment that serves as the foundation 4 design across media.Illustrator complements the other components of Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium software 4 creating resolution-independent graphics that easily move among products & out 2 print, web, interactive, & mobile media. Design Premium provides all the tools you need 2 deliver your designs across media in a unified, intuitive environment.
Also a component of Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium software, Illustrator CS4 is the key 4 building rich vector assets 4 use on the web & in interactive experiences, & 4 creating lightweight assets 4 mobile content. Web Premium provides a complete solution 4 creating & maintaining interactive websites, applications, user interfaces, mobile device content, presentations, & other digital experiences.
For film, video, audio, & interactive media, get Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium software, which includes Illustrator CS4 as the foundation 4 building creative assets 4 use in video & film. Production Premium is a total post-production solution, with tighter-than-ever integration between video, audio, & design tools 4 a smooth workflow from concept 2 delivery.
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection software is your premier solution 4 professional creative work, including, of course, Illustrator CS4--the key 2 creating the vector graphics that are the basis of your designs. Master Collection combines the best of Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium, Web Premium, & Production Premium editions, giving you advanced productivity features so you can create content 4 virtually all media using one value-packed offering.
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