• Course aim:

This course covers the skills you need to efficiently layout text and graphics for documents from business cards to brochures, reports and banners.

• Recommended for:

Anyone new to InDesign or who has been using InDesign for a while but without any formal training. This course will make your workflow more efficient, your results more consistent and your documents easier to edit.

Option:

If you have used InDesign for a time and just need to learn some aspects at this level, then a single day may be sufficient.

• Content:

Introduction to InDesign ›› navigation ›› managing your workspace

Documents: new ›› open ›› save
Objects: create & transform ›› select ›› resize

Colour: stroke & fill options ›› gradients ›› colour modes ›› rich black ›› swatches
Text: enter/place ›› formatting ›› style sheets ›› spell check ›› text wrap
Graphics: formats ›› place ›› managing link ›› text wrap
Layers: using layers panel ›› selecting ››hiding ›› locking ›› organising

Copy & paste options, step & repeat
Pages & Master Pages ›› page numbering

Preflight ›› Packaging ›› Export pdf ›› bleed & crop marks.

• Course aim:

The focus is on longer documents, more advanced formatting suitable for tables, catalogues and books, and data merge.

• Recommended for:

Anyone who is comfortable in the InDesign environment and is ready to take on the next level. I recommend having used InDesign regularly for at least a month.

• Content:

Layout structure: columns ›› grids

Text: threading text ›› adv settings for bullets & numbered lists
Style sheets: next/looping styles ›› nested styles ›› span columns ›› keep options
Graphics: place options ›› anchored objects ›› object styles
More on layers

Master pages ›› text variables
Library ›› snippets ›› nested objects
Table of contents ›› books ›› index
Tables & table styles
Find & replace options ›› track changes
Data merge.

 

• Course aim:

You will learn the processes and restrictions around creating eBooks of various formats, and meeting the validation requirements.

• Recommended for:

You will need to be familiar with InDesign including style sheets, Master Pages, managing graphics and exporting to pdf.

• Content:

eBook: contents of the epub file

Preparing text, style sheets & images in the inDesign file ›› Articles panel ›› clean up

What can/can't be converted

Validating: checking your file against the standards

Previewing for different e-readers

Using scripts

Managing Table of Contents

 

• Course aim:

By the end of 2 days you will be able to create artwork using the shape tools, compound paths and begin to use the pen tool; understand and apply colour; add text including text along a path; prepare a document for printing.

• Recommended for:

Anyone who wants to discover vector graphics and is new to Illustrator, or has used it but without formal training.

• Content:

Introduction to Illustrator interface: navigation ›› tools ›› panels ›› new document

Shapes: create ›› apply colour to stroke & fill ›› multiple stroke/fill ›› appearances

Selecting ›› moving ›› position ›› align ›› resize

Colour: modes ›› colour panel ›› swatches ››gradients ›› rich black

Copy & paste methods

Layers: using layers to organise and manage selections ›› visibility ›› stacking order ›› locking

Compound paths ›› clipping masks ›› opacity masks

Pen tool: introduction to techniques for differrent kinds fo curves

Paths: joining ›› breaking ›› pencil & eraser

Type: type tool ›› area type ›› type on path ›› formatting

Printing issues: crop marks ›› bleed ›› pdf settings ›› registration

Artboards: resize ›› add/remove ›› reposition

 

• Course aim:

Further develop your skills with the pen tool; combine shapes or break apart for more complex graphics; create stylized art from photos; create brushes; and set up documents for more complex layout with knifelines. Topics chosen to suit your purpose.

• Recommended for:

Anyone who is familiar with Illustrator and wants to expand their skills.
Assumed knowledge includes the basics of creating shapes and applying colour to fill & stroke, adding text and applying basic formatting.

• Content:

Pen tool: techniques for using and tracing objects

Paths: knife & scissors ›› joining paths ›› variable stroke

Layers panel: review and use in more advanced ways

Placing graphics ›› Image trace

Colour: colour guide ›› blends ›› gradient mesh

Scale: scale tool ›› create and manage patterns

Pathfinder tools

Text: formatting ›› applying brush strokes and multiple stroke ›› stroke behind fill

Styles panel

Brushes: apply ›› modify ›› create brushes ›› blob brush

Symbols: symbol sprayer settings

Export options

Separations ›› overprint & trapping ›› knifelines

Graph tool

 

• Course aim:

After 2 days you will be able to use Photoshop to use modify photos using adjustment layers to apply colour correction, use healing tools to touch up partrs of an image, crop images, resize, save for web, use masking, combine or merge sections from different photos and many more

• Recommended for:

Anyone new to Photoshop or wanting to develop their skills

• Content:

Manage the Photoshop workspace: tools ›› layers ›› menus ›› create/open files

Selections: making ›› different tools ›› saving ›› changing

Colour: using foreground or background colour ›› creating colour ›› fill ›› colour modes ›› gradients

Brush tool

Layers: understanding & managing layers ›› blend modes ›› clipping layers

Text: add ›› format ›› effects

Colour correction: adjustment layers ›› levels ›› curves ›› hue saturation ›› shadows & highlights

Touching up: clone ›› healing brush ›› patch ›› content aware tool

Effects & filters: blur ›› layer effects ›› warp

Image size: understanding image size and resolution ›› resampling ›› cropping ›› smart objects ›› print vs web

File formats: which to use ›› save for web

Mask: creating mask ›› editing mask

Combine images: photo merge ›› deep etching

 

• Course aim:

The course covers creating artwork in Flash and importing artwork, managing the timeline to create animation, using symbols and buttons, and controlling your animation with basic ActionScript commands. You will be able to create presentations, banners, scrolling text and navigation elements, and use ActionScript on buttons to control play.

• Recommended for:

Anyone new to Flash or wanting to work with more understanding and more options. As these are not public classes, if you have some familiarity with Flash, then there's the option to go further into ActionScript.

• Content:

File settings, orientation & navigation
Creating artwork: drawing modes ›› line & pencil tools ›› primitives ›› selecting ›› pen tool ›› paintbrush ›› transforming shapes

Colour: changing colour ›› colour palette ›› swatches ›› gradients

Text options

Animation: what can be animated ›› timeline ›› frames ›› tweens ›› easing ›› onion skin ›› keyframes ›› masks ›› 3D ›› articulated motion & bones

Symbols: graphic symbol ›› movie clip ›› buttons ›› symbol properties

Importing artwork: options ›› formats ›› optimising

ActionScript: stop & play ›› link to files/sites ›› move play to a specific destination

Sound: adding ›› synchronising ›› modifying

Publish: settings ›› formats

 

• Course aim:

This course moves into using more advanced ActionScript to create slideshows, interactive navigation, and show/hide options. It covers using Event Listeners, arrays, loops and includes writing our own AS code as well as using Flash's Code Snippets.

• Recommended for:

Anyone ready to look into basic coding and create interactive animation.

Assumes familiarity with Flash to create/import graphics and use the timeline.

• Content:

Review: shapes ›› symbols ›› tweens ›› timeline & layers

Import graphics ›› bandwidth profiler ›› minimising size

Colour effects & filters ›› text animation

Scenes

ActionScript: introduction to AS code ›› code snippets ›› interactive navigation ›› event handlers ›› link to URL

Writing ActionScript: event listeners ›› arrays ›› loops ›› controlling movie clips ›› position on stage ›› show/hide ›› slideshows

 

• Course aim:

The focus is on the skills needed to create web banners. The basics of creating shapes and applying colour will be covered but the focus is on the timeline, buttons, masks, ActionScript for controlling play and ClickTag.

• Recommended for:

Anyone who has sme familiarity with Flash and needs to create web banners.

Assumed knowledge is experience in the Flash environmnet.

Option:

Participants with no previous experience could do Level 1 first or have a modified Level 1 covering the basics of Flash with the specific features for Flash banners.

• Content:

Review: shapes ›› symbols ›› tweens ›› timeline & layers

Import graphics ›› bandwidth profiler ›› optimisation

Colour effects & filters ›› text animation

Managing timeline & layers,

ActionScript: code & code snippets ›› AS2 vs AS3 ›› stop/play ›› event handlers ›› link to URL ›› show/hide ›› slideshow

 

• Course aim:

By the end of 2 days all the elements for creating a full working site will be covered. This includes layout for a fixed sized site.

• Recommended for:

Anyone new to creating websites, to html code, cascading style sheets and wanting to understand and be able to at least tweek the code which is producing the site.

• Content:

New files ›› understanding the Dreamweaver workspace ›› toolbar

Manage sites ›› panels

HTML: code structure ›› tags ›› quick tag editor ›› lists

CSS: applying ›› understanding ›› editing the code ›› external CSS files ›› box model ›› floats Text & graphics: adding ›› formatting ›› image formats

Setting up navigation links ›› anchors ›› Spry widgets in CS6

Basic forms ›› tables

Adding flash or video if requested

 

• Course aim:

This course will focus on the code and set up for email marketing situation

• Recommended for:

Anyone creating email marketing

• Content:

New files ›› understanding the Dreamweaver workspace ›› toolbar

Manage sites ›› panels

HTML: code structure ›› tags ›› quick tag editor ›› lists

CSS: applying ›› understanding ›› editing the code ›› external CSS files ›› box model ›› floats Text & graphics: adding ›› formatting ›› image formats

Tables

 

• Course aim:

This course will cover how to set up your site to respond to different devices: mobile, tablet or desktop.

• Recommended for:

Anyone with reasonable familiarity with Dreamweaver interface and basic website design.

Assumed knowledge: being able to make sense of HTML and CSS coding, and to edit the code as well as use Dreaweaver's panels.

Option:

If you're familiar with creating websites in other applications but not working at the code level, then a single day introduction to HTML and CSS may be a sudfficient introduction before doing the Responsive layout course.

• Content:

HTML: code structure

CSS: review ›› editing the code ›› external CSS files ›› box model ›› floats

Using Media queries and different style sheets for each device

Creating with Dreamweaver's Fluid Grid Layout

 

• Course aim:

You will learn to design and publish HTML pages including creating easy-to-use sitemaps, using master pages, and a drag-and-drop workspace. You will be able to use tools for interactivity, image control, typography and browser pinning.

• Recommended for:

Ideal for designers who want to create a website but don't want to touch the code.

• Content:

This course is in development and will be offered later in 2014

 

• Course aim:

By the end of 2 days you will be able to produce realistic floor plans, create 3D architectural visualizations, build 3D contour site models and cutaways of interior long elevations.

• Recommended for:

Anyone new to SketchUp.

• Content:

Interface: workspace ›› tools & menus ›› navigating ›› keyboard shortcuts

Drawing ›› modifying ›› basic materials & maps ›› using styles ›› lighting & shadows ›› exporting model ›› creating print-ready images

Efficient workflow: importing CAD files ›› working from jpegs ›› scales ›› walls ›› layers ›› scenes ›› doors & windows ›› interface locking

Adding realism: using components & outlier ›› aligning north ›› realistic sunlight & materials ›› 3D warehouse ›› ground plane ›› atmospheric effects ›› background images

Animating a model: cameras ›› walk tool ›› fly throughs ›› sections ›› animation settings

Massing Model: Create terrain from contours ›› sandbox ›› drape tool ›› sky map

Photo-realistic visualizations: interior lighting ›› plug-ins ›› extensions & scripts ›› enhancing images

 

• Course aim:

By the end of 2 days you will be able to draft site plans, create house elevations, produce technical drawings for manufacturing or engineering, floor plans for interior design and create long sections of building plans.

• Recommended for:

Anyone new AutoCAD.

• Content:

AutoCAD workspace: 2D interface ›› Ribbon & panels ›› navigation ›› tools ››setting units & limits ›› Model & Paper spaces

Creating a Drawing: coordinates ›› tools ›› dynamic input ›› selecting & modifying objects

Efficient workflow: creating elevations ›› moving & copying ›› mirroring objects ›› layers ›› scaling in Paper Space

Dimensioning: adding dimensions, text & leaders ›› modifying text ›› text styles

Isometric Drawings: drawing to grid ›› isometric grid ›› Isocircles ›› dimensions

Working with Polylines: creating & editing polylines ›› converting lines to polylines ›› adding hatching

Working with Blocks: creating ›› editing ›› importing ›› adding X-Refs ›› importing graphics

Printing Drawings: printing ›› exporting as pdf ›› packaging files