Graphic computers for Commercial Art

[Brian Williams]

My son Peter is going to the local Career and Technology center for computer aided Commercial Art and he "wants" a newer computer.  He is using a Dell Optiplex GX110 with 512meg of ram and a 900 Mhz processor and a 10 and 20 gig hard drive.  He has a dual monitor setup using 2 different monitors, both are 17" but one is a flat screen CRT and the other is a curved screen CRT.  He is now using Photoshop 7.

What platform is better for his needs, The CTC uses Macs and His BIL uses Intel.
What is a good low priced setup and what drawing tablet do you like...

[Harold Tuttle]

wacom tablets

for photoshop a g5 is the current monster platform
http://www.apple.com/powermac/
expect it to get replaced with an intel processor this winter and become unworthy

photoshop 10 will be out next year, hopefully optimised for the duo core intel procesors

he should be able to do all class work on a mac mini duocore

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[garrettwc]

Brian, Harold has given good advice on the Mac option. I think you need to do a needs assessment first though. Who are his potential employers when he graduates, and what are they using?

Doesn't do him any good to learn all the ins and outs of the Mac if his employers are using Windows or a Unix workstation. If Windows is the choice, the upgrade path would be the Dell Precision Workstation Model 380.

Here's a link to a downloadable brochure in PDF format:
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/precn/en/spec_precn_380_en.pdf

[telewinz]

The platform is somewhat important but as an employer my main concern is what programs he is familiar with, Adobe Indesign or at least Pagemaker will score big.  It only takes a week or two to make the transition from MAC to PC but  years to master graphic arts programs.  Can he do a four color separation with color correction?

[Brian Williams]

Can he do a four color separation with color correction?

He is in the art side of it not the printing side, so no he does not know how to do a four color sep.

[Harold Tuttle]

graphic artists that can not make printable files are amusing,
ones that make up files generating 15 spot colors are career path limited



the nice thing about the duo core macs is they can now boot XP

[Brian Williams]

ones that make up files generating 15 spot colors are career path limited

Explain please.
When I did my Graphic arts for my degree in Industrial Arts we used Mac 512s and similar.  I have not done much but some Paint Shop Pro to mush some photos for viewing on my wallpaper

[garrettwc]

I think what Harold is saying is that the software can produce more colors than the hardware can print. The artist has to keep that in mind when working otherwise he will come up with lots of really pretty art that can't be reproduced in production.

[Harold Tuttle]

a good printer can print 15 colors

i doubt many clients are willing to ab$orb that many plate changes on press


CMYK = a simulation of full color with 4 printing plates, cyan, magenta, yellow & black

Being a competent designer involves understanding the reproduction process
and knowing how to economically contract with 3rd party craftsman
to bring the clients job to completion

heres a great book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0883623382/002-2303086-9797653?v=glance&n=283155

This staple text has been valued by publishers, students, designers, print buyers, and many other graphic communications segments since its release in 1934. Comprehensive in scope, it offers a compact education on printing and the related processes. When the seventeenth edition was published in 1997, digital imaging and printing were still considered "parts" of printing. Now in the eighteenth edition, more than relaying its respected, valuable information on the history and conventional processes of the printing industry, this updated text recognizes the recent technological developments within the industry and describes and emphasizes the areas related to this transition: Typesetting and photography have been almost completely replaced by digital imaging; the use of films and their processing and image assembly are being replaced by computer-to-plate, computer-to-plate-on-press, and computer- to-press systems; new digital workflows are replacing conventional workflows; new processless plates and new UV and violet lasers that allow use of conventional plates; information on toners or digital inks for digital presses; and color management systems.

[telewinz]

"Being a competent designer involves understanding the reproduction process
and knowing how to economically contract with 3rd party craftsman
to bring the clients job to completion"  There are so few competent graphic artists available.  I'm NOT dealing with one right now "I like RGB better than cmyk please print this job in RGB".  Yet in his mind he is an "expert" and MY lack of understanding is "trying his patience".  He is setting himself up for a major embarrassment in front of his superiors and co-workers.  He can't accept that 72 dpi looks fine on the monitor but a little grainy on paper.  Who said state government isn't fun?

[garrettwc]

a good printer can print 15 colors

i doubt many clients are willing to ab$orb that many plate changes on press

That's kind of what I was getting at. It's not that you can't physically do it. It's that you can't possibly print volume and keep costs in a range that won't bankrupt the printer.

[Standing Wolf]

He is in the art side of it not the printing side, so no he does not know how to do a four color sep.

I've declined to hire more than a few self-styled "graphic artists" who thought the "printing side" was for blue collar printing people to deal with. If you don't know RGB from CMYK from LAB, you're not a digital graphic artist, but a hack.

[Brian Williams]

So I should make sure he learns that he is not just an "artist" but that he must fit into the print industry so his product can be used easily.

[garrettwc]

That's it exactly Brian.

[Harold Tuttle]

indeed, a summer internship at a printer,
in the digital house, accepting and processing the work of others would be quite beneficial.

Graphic "artists" are supposed to be craftsmen
If wasn't long ago that GAs had to be very neat and orderly with wax, pens and stats
they were akin to draftsmen

now they drink coffee and emote on a LCD

if he wants to be an "artist" he should study painting or sculpture

The Graphic arts basically sucks as a field
Low pay, long hours, poor instruction and demanding clients.

Web publishing is a field with potential
but everyone wants 1000 dollars of work for 100 bucks
and theres some kid willing to do it.

[Oleg Volk]

I don't know about this field being bad...I seem to do what I enjoy and call it work :-)

[InfidelSerf]

*wondering when Zundfolge will opine on this topic*

[Brian Williams]

I just got home from an orientation with Peter at the school, what a good way to finishout high school for an artsy fartsy type.  He will have a good background and decent portfolio in commercial art.  the course starts with a good basis in art with a solid start in knowing the basic computer stuff.  The instructor has a good background in commercial art and advertizing.  They use some fairly new eMacs and will be using Adobe CS1.  It seem to be a good course and provide a mix or traditional art styles and digital imaging.  Now do I get him a Mac to go along with what he is using or upgrade his PC because that is what I have here.  Either way we will probably get CS1 for the house.  Now where to find a student edition of CS1

[Harold Tuttle]

many college campuses sell student copies of the adobe suite

CS2 is the current rev

[Brian Williams]

cs2 is curent but the school is running cs1

[Harold Tuttle]

$379
http://www.studica.com/products/index.cfm