Rating: 
Summary: This is the BEST Illustrator Book to buy
Review: (...)In the Illustrator book genre, you have but two choices: #1 "pulp" encyclopedias on the software. These basically parallel what the manuals and online help facilities contain -- They're good, but they're basically lots of words, and few pictures. #2 Quick, Beginner books... like the "Dummies" and the "Visual Quick Starts" ... yes, they're good too -- but tend to only scratch the surface of the program. Neither genre approaches the applicability of the software in terms of "why" or "how" the tools fit into the creative process. Steuer's "WOW" book, on the other hand... printed on heavy enamel stock, process color throughout, is actually a THIRD genre -- providing the creative spark of inspiration which is VITAL in taking dry how-to information and applying it to visually exciting creative finished illustration. No, this is NOT a "skim the surface" beginners' book. Yet beginners will benefit because they'll be inspired to skip the 1, 2, 3, exercises and move directly into sophisticated techniques that can be learned quickly and easily. No this is NOT an encyclopedia. Most illustrators don't need an encyclopedia and the sheer bulk of information and tedious trial and error of getting to the answers they need actually retard the creative process rather than support it. Illustrator WOW is a gallery of highly sought after creative visual techniques, along with enough technical how-to tutorial to accomplish the look. (...) The ultimate solution for anyone who is actually serious about getting to the top of the heap in Adobe Illustrator is to buy this book... Illustrator WOW, and then buy "Real World Illustrator" -- these two encompass the very best of all Illustrator books, and arms the artist with both encyclopedia and sheer creative inspiration. Learning without excitement or passion is never effective.
I teach Adobe Illustrator at James Madison University. I know what makes the difference between learning how to use a software tool, and learning how to use the tools to create inspired visual communications. You want to learn the tools? Use the Illustrator online help facility. It's all there. You want inspired visual creativity skills? Get Illustrator 9 WOW book. And, that's all I have to say.
Rating:
Summary: This is the BEST Illustrator Book to buy
Review: (...) In the Illustrator book genre, you have but two choices: #1 "pulp" encyclopedias on the software. These basically parallel what the manuals and online help facilities contain -- They're good, but they're basically lots of words, and few pictures. #2 Quick, Beginner books... like the "Dummies" and the "Visual Quick Starts" ... yes, they're good too -- but tend to only scratch the surface of the program. Neither genre approaches the applicability of the software in terms of "why" or "how" the tools fit into the creative process. Steuer's "WOW" book, on the other hand... printed on heavy enamel stock, process color throughout, is actually a THIRD genre -- providing the creative spark of inspiration which is VITAL in taking dry how-to information and applying it to visually exciting creative finished illustration. No, this is NOT a "skim the surface" beginners' book. Yet beginners will benefit because they'll be inspired to skip the 1, 2, 3, exercises and move directly into sophisticated techniques that can be learned quickly and easily. No this is NOT an encyclopedia. Most illustrators don't need an encyclopedia and the sheer bulk of information and tedious trial and error of getting to the answers they need actually retard the creative process rather than support it. Illustrator WOW is a gallery of highly sought after creative visual techniques, along with enough technical how-to tutorial to accomplish the look. (...) The ultimate solution for anyone who is actually serious about getting to the top of the heap in Adobe Illustrator is to buy this book... Illustrator WOW, and then buy "Real World Illustrator" -- these two encompass the very best of all Illustrator books, and arms the artist with both encyclopedia and sheer creative inspiration. Learning without excitement or passion is never effective.
I teach Adobe Illustrator at James Madison University. I know what makes the difference between learning how to use a software tool, and learning how to use the tools to create inspired visual communications. You want to learn the tools? Use the Illustrator online help facility. It's all there. You want inspired visual creativity skills? Get Illustrator 9 WOW book. And, that's all I have to say.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Pictures, No substance
Review: A coffee Table book that is small and hard to understand.
Rating:
Summary: This is why digital grahpic artists get a bad rap
Review: After looking through these reviews, I feel I had to add my own two cents. Anyone who thinks this book is "wonderful" is not a "real" user of this product, and they certainly won't be by using this book as their reference. Many of the less positive reviews still cite the artwork as being "fantastic" or "excellent", but this is simply not the case. I would go with "adequate" myself. The first section of the book is an attempt to mystify Illustrator in some way to make it seem more useable. However, all it serves to do is add confusion to an already difficult program. If you really want to see some great art created with Illustrator, just page through a magazine and look at the ads and title typography. You'll learn a lot more than you will from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a good visual
Review: but if you really want to learn how to use Illustrator 9 then I would get the Adobe class room in a book I believe it is a better at doing the job instead of this one. Wow is a good reference book to skim through thoe
Rating:
Summary: Compact but complete
Review: Despite the book's compact form factor, the AI9 Wow Book is bursting with art, inspiration, instruction, and tips. In addition to pieces from perennial computer artists like Ron Chan and Bert Monroy, I was delighted to find prominent graphics like the logos for the Matrix movie and Cracker Jack, and familiar Time magazine infographics. Graphics for McDonalds, North Face and Apple are also displayed and discussed. Overall, the range of artwork--from spontaneous sketches to fine-art calligraphy to precise medical illustrations--is inspiring. It has helped me expand my graphic techniques (and my business). While many computer books spend pages walking you from step A to B, the Wow! Book's step-by-step instruction is terse and precise. I had Illustrator open as I worked each step, something I'd recommend to others. The highlight of the book is Chapter 8, the chapter on AI9's transparency, styles, appearances, knockouts, and opacity masks. It opens with a thorough intro to transparency, appearances, styles. The art that follows demonstrates both simple and more advanced and specialized techniques. I found the offset linework appearances (done by Illustrator 9's product manager, Ted Alspach) especially mind-opening; it clearly demonstrates how a single path can carry multiple strokes, fills and effects. Other techniques convinced me that my art production could be accomplished in Illustrator, rather than shuffling between it and Photoshop. In the span between Illustrator 8 and 9, many techniques for brushes have been developed. This book includes plenty of new brushes technques. The brushes supplement by Sandee Cohen, in Chapter 4, was particularly useful to me for creating Flash-exported animations. If you purchase this book, be prepared to spend plenty of time trying out--and learning--Illustrator 9's fantastic capabilities.
Rating:
Summary: Not Enough Stars!
Review: Here's my hypothesis...the star rating average for this book is low because thousands of people who bought the book are home successfully using illustrator 9 instead of filling out reviews. Illustrator 9 WOW! is a great combination of practical and artistic. I would highly recommend it to anyone using this program.
Rating:
Summary: Avoid this book if you are a beginner
Review: Hey... I'm not stupid. But this book sure makes Illustrator 9.0 a bit intimidating to the beginner. I wish I would have spent my money on a book that would have been more useful to me.
Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: I could not get anything out of this book. First off, I'm a mere beginner and this books onto more inter-advanced projects. I did not learn anything. My skills have never improved since!!
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Pack
Review: I find this book very useful. This is the only and best compilation of the best of the best-done in Illustrator and probably on vector graphics. Inspirational! A must have. Even if you just starting to play with vector graphics or you are veteran, there are many tips and useful information.
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