Anybody who has a Web site knows that content alone is not going to make or break it. The site's visual images, the appearance of its navigation buttons, the type effects it employs, the interactivity it offers--all of these things are key to a Web site's effectiveness, and all of them can be manipulated with Macromedia's newly updated Web graphics program, Fireworks MX 2004. To do so effectively and efficiently, you need this easy, task-based guide. In these pages, best-selling author Sandee Cohen takes you through all of the Fireworks essentials: from using the basic drawing, color, and effects tools to creating interactive buttons, and more. Simple step-by-step instructions; loads of visual aids; and a friendly, no-nonsense writing style make it easy for beginners to get up to speed quickly. Plus, a well-indexed reference format and complete coverage of Fireworks' newest features (added drawing tools, more image manipulation options, motion effects, and more) make it a must-read for veteran users as well.

Now that you've finally figured out that InDesign's increasingly tight integration with the rest of Adobe's creative products will enable you to work more creatively and efficiently, all you want to do is get up to speed on it--yesterday, if possible! Enter InDesign CS for Macintosh and Windows: Visual QuickStart Guide. Using the task-based, visual approach that has become the hallmark Peachpit's popular Visual QuickStart Guides, this volume provides a fast, easy, comprehensive introduction to everything InDesign. You'll learn about all aspects of the InDesign interface, including its tools and palettes, as well as how to create and navigate documents, import and style text and objects, automate your work, manage long documents, use the Bezier pen tools, and work with color. You'll also find complete coverage of more advanced topics (like preflighting and advanced text control) and a thorough introduction to all of InDesign CS' new features: an updated Story Editor, nested styles, separation previews, and the Package for GoLive command.

The latest of Macromedia's award-winning software packages to join the MX family, Macromedia FreeHand MX brings the popular vector-based drawing and layout program into the present day. Whether you've built your career on FreeHand and can't wait to master the software's new features or you're just learning FreeHand for the first time, there's no faster way to get up and running with Macromedia FreeHand MX than Macromedia FreeHand MX for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide. Updated by best-selling author Sandee Cohen to include plenty of new step-by-step how-tos and screenshots specific to Macromedia FreeHand MX, this task-based reference is the perfect tool for learning this visual program. The first few chapters provide an overview of the program before walking you through how to create sophisticated artwork using Macromedia FreeHand MX's many powerful features: layers and layering, points and paths, working in color, strokes and fills, creating text and text effects, and more. The final chapters explain printing, preferences and using artwork with other applications and the Web.

If you work in page-layout programs -- whether you're transitioning fromQuark or PageMaker, or just getting started using InDesign, you'll want tohave a copy of "InDesign 2 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStartGuide" as your resource of choice.

Adobe InDesign 2.0 is coming of age -- it offers new features such as truetransparency, table creation, long document support, indexing, a superior printing interface,and native Mac OS X support. The program's tighter integration with other Adobe products enables graphic designers, production artists, and prepress professionals to exercise design innovation and improve productivity. This cross-platform, visual guide introduces you to the InDesign interface, including the tools and palettes, how to create and navigate a document, import and style text and objects, automate your work, manage longdocuments, use the Bezier pen tools, and work with color. More advancedtopics, such as advanced text control and preflighting are also covered.

Sandee Cohen has been training in the field of desktop publishing for the past 12 years. The graphics curriculum instructor for the New School Computer Instruction Center in New York City, she is a lively speaker at many conferences, including Seybold Seminars, Macworld Expo, and Thunder Lizardevents. In addition to InDesign, she is the author of Visual QuickStartGuides on Fireworks and FreeHand.