Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to introduce myself before I start posting to much.

I am returning to the world of graphic design and entering the world of web design after being out of commercial design (except occassionally) for more than 20 years. For the last 14 years I have been working as a professional artist in a number of media (painting, sculpture, clay, photo,) because of personal issues and economics I have to find a way to have a more consistant income. So I am re-entering the world of commercial art and design.

I have some experience with computers and I have a little experience here and there with several of the art and design programs available, but most of it I would say is very basic. I am very excited to be learning so much and I am hoping to get into some training and tutorial courses soon, but till then I have to figure this stuff out on my own...which seems to be the way most people really do it anyway. I already have a couple of clients and I am finding more, so I better figure it out fast.

I found Inkscape about a month ago and have just started using it in my design work, before that I was mostly just doodling with it. I am pretty excited about learning all this new stuff and using my computer for more than just an internet interface .

Oh and thanks for any future answers to what I am sure will be many questions.

Jim

Welcome!

I'm looking forward to seeing the work you do in Inkscape.

Welcome aboard, Jim!
Inkscape is a powerful and imo professional-grade program with loads of potential for the future.

I am very excited to be learning so much and I am hoping to get into some training and tutorial courses soon, but till then I have to figure this stuff out on my own...which seems to be the way most people really do it anyway.

Lol, too bad we can't just plug it in to our brains, eh?! (A little cartoon with Inkscape plugged into head, comes to mind ) Teacher, tutorial or manual, the actual learning, indeed, is up to us using our brains!

We have many members who also endeavor in "the world of commercial art and design", whom I'm sure you will come across as you read and participate here. And otherwise many incredibly skilled and talented artists, as well as hobbyists (I'm one), abound. We're all here to help if you need it, and welcome any help you might have to offer us! So please don't hesitate to just jump right in, lol!

I hope you aren't dealing with former hurricane and now tropical storm...Alex, is that what I heard? Those names always elude me If you're like me, you're parked under the AC and trying to keep cool -- a good time to study computer graphics, right? lol Anyway, members of this forum literally come from all over the world. Not a big deal I guess, but I always enjoy learning what part of the world people live in

Well, as I said, please feel free to jump right in. Your participation is welcomed!
All best

Prkos, Croatia...wow the internet still freaks me out. It is so cool that I can be sitting in a chair in a house in Texas and be communicating with someone in Croatia that has common interest. I have 3 kids, one son is 14 (this week) and has been playing guitar since he was 4. He is very good and spends a lot of time on the internet chatting with people about guitar. He has "friends" from all over the world. My oldest she is a language major and is fluent in Japanese, learning Chinese, Korean, French and Spanish...yes all at the same time. She is leaving to live in Japan for 6 mon. She communicates constantly with all her friends in Japan over the internet, Skyping, texting, messaging, Facebooking. It is just great to me how much the world could, can and will be coming together though technology.

Brynn, Yes so far I would agree Inkscape is powerful and in my opinion (so far) more intuitive than Adobe Illustrator, which I only have limited experience with, back when it was still Illustrator 6-8 (I think.) Although, one thing I am running into and I am happy for the links on some of the manuals, is figuring things out once I hit a snag. If I can't figure things out pretty quickly it seems to be take more than just an ahhhhahhhhhh moment. Although with all programs I have noticed, at least for me there are a lot of duuuuuuhhhhhhhh, moments....you know moments when you go, duh why didn't I just do that sooner. I also am looking forward to finding short cuts to doing the things I have been doing. I know already that I am not necessarily using the program in the most productive way, but I am sure there will plenty of tips on here that will help with that issue.

I do wish we had a port in our heads to just plug in information. I know there are so many things that I wish I could just learn so that I could just do what it is I want to do. I know that is one of the reasons I focused on Sculpture for so long. I am very good with my hands and can figure out construction in 3d space very quickly and simply the tools all make visual sense to me and I figure them out very quickly, this computer stuff not so intuitive, but I am working through that. As I get a bit older, I am learning that sitting at a computer a little more might be just a tad easier on and for my body.

I am close to the Dallas area, so no we have not gotten a lot of rain from the storm. I relatives in Houston and they have had more than 4" in 24 hours. I figure we will get some of it the later part of this week. Although it is nice and holding the temps down a bit.

Alright I have gotten a little chatty on here for now. Thanks for the warm welcome. I will be asking questions pretty soon....especially if I can't figure out one or two haunting questions pretty fast (I have to bang my head a few times before I ask a question, otherwise I tend not to retain it as well....guessing the brain port thing might not work so well for me )

Thanks,
JIm