Foundation Fireworks CS4

Description

Are you a web designer who is looking for a new and quicker way to prototype and create for the web? Perhaps you are a programmer who finds most design tools to be overkill for what you need to get done. Or, maybe you're an old Fireworks pro, who wants to get up-to-date on the changes in Creative Suite 4. Either way, this book has something for you.

* Coverage of all that's new and powerful for the Web designer and developer in Fireworks CS4
* Targets developers who want design tools that don't get in their way and designers who want development tools that don't constrain their creativity
* Do all your website and page prototypes and comps in one tool and learn how to take them straight to Dreamweaver to implement your designs What you'll learn
* Why Fireworks vs. any other graphics Web design tool
* How to use Fireworks as a compliment to web development
* How to integrate Fireworks into an enterprise environment
* How to master a tool that boasts extreme versatility Who this book is for

    Code savvy designers, or web developers who want to refine their design sensibilities. Either way, the individual(s) will be those who want to enhance their work-flow with a graphics tool that allows them to quickly get things done, rather than getting in their way.

CONTENTS:

00. Book forward, possibly:

--- Jon Hicks, prominent FW designer

--- Alan Musselman, FW dev relations

Part I: Learning Fireworks

01. Introduction

--- History of Fireworks

--- Adobe acquisition of Macromedia

--- Fireworks vs. Photoshop

02. Integration

--- with Dreamweaver

--- with Flash

--- with Photoshop

--- with Illustrator (HG)

03. Working with rasters

--- Marquee, lasso

--- Pencil, brush

--- Blur

--- Sharpen

--- Dodge

--- Burn

--- Smudge

--- Rubber stamp

--- Replace color

--- Red-eye removal

--- Eraser

04. Working with vectors

--- Benefits vs. raster

--- Integration with Flash

--- Good at all resolutions

--- Combining shapes, add/delete vertices

--- Join

--- Split

--- Union

--- Intersect

--- Punch

--- Crop

--- Line tool

--- Pen tool

--- Masks (CM)

--- Shapes

--- Rectangle (most commonly used)

--- Ellipse

--- Polygon

--- Special (all the rest)

05. Exporting

--- Hotspot tool

--- Slice tool

--- Exporting code (not recommended)

--- Optimizing quality vs. file size

--- Using the side-by-side view

Part II: Using Fireworks

06. Creating effects

--- Adding depth

--- Inner shadow

--- Drop shadow

--- Jewel button

--- Chrome

--- Water droplet

--- Reflections

--- Wicked worn

--- Pixel bevel

--- Simple mask

07. Creating logos

--- (Firefox logo done in FW!)

--- Convert text to vector

--- Kerning letters

--- Modifying typography

--- Anti-aliasing, how much?

08. Animation

--- Frames

--- GIF

--- Flash

09. Web design workflow

--- Using multiple pages

--- Using/Benefits of Symbols (CE)

--- Using the 9-slice tool

--- Enterprise environment

--- Benefits of PNG

--- Wireframing (HG)

--- Designing on a grid

--- Common grid templates

--- Using the align tool

--- Batch processing (Is this the right place for this? HG)

10. Extensibility

--- Installing a plugin

--- Must-have plugins

--- Photoshop compatible

--- for Fireworks only

--- Creating your own

Part III: Fireworks in Action

11. Website case study #1: Blog - Matt

--- Gather requirements

--- Choosing a color palette

--- Building the interface

--- Slicing and dicing

--- Writing the code (by hand)

12. Website case study #2: Photo Site - Nathan

Website case study #3: Comic Site - Hugh

14. Website case study #4: CSS Sprites - Craig

15. Website case study #5: Adobe AIR - Rogie

16. Website case study #6: e-Commerce - Chuck

Appendix

--- Keyboard shortcuts

--- Fireworks resource sites