College Art Textbook: FREEHAND MX Chinese Version Tutorial

Author: Zhang Bingfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: FreeHand is a drawing software that has been rapidly promoted and applied both domestically and internationally in recent years. It is powerful, flexible, and widely used. In the Chinese market, it is one of the main software tools in the desktop publishing field, alongside Photoshop and PageMaker. After more than a decade of development, it has become a relatively mature drawing software. This book is based on the Chinese version of Macromedia FreeHand MX and aims to help readers master the software. It also includes some tips and insights from the author to help readers quickly get started and apply their knowledge creatively to produce satisfactory works. The book is divided into 13 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the features of FreeHand, the new features of FreeHand MX, and provides a detailed explanation of the installation and startup of FreeHand MX, as well as the operation of panels and toolbars. It covers FreeHand MX's view modes, anti-aliasing modes, multi-window display, custom views, and the working environment. Chapter 2 discusses FreeHand MX's file management, including basic file operations, workspace management, homepage settings, template applications, print management, and the use of wizards. It also mentions image formats. Chapter 3 explains basic shape drawing and various assistive functions, including line drawing, geometric shape drawing, and freehand drawing, as well as auxiliary functions such as rulers, guides, grids, tracking lines, and the info panel. Chapter 4 covers strokes, including basic strokes, brushes, calligraphy, custom strokes, patterns, and PostScript. Chapter 5 discusses the basics of paths, basic operations, and some composite operations. This includes the basic elements and properties of paths, creating and editing paths, connecting paths, creating and decomposing compound paths, clipping paths, and performing various operations on paths. Chapter 6 covers various object operations, including object selection, movement, arrangement, copying and pasting, grouping and ungrouping, layer adjustment, transformation, and text object operations. Chapters 7 and 8 discuss FreeHand MX's text operations and graphic effects. Chapter 9 covers the creation and editing of charts. Chapter 10 discusses layers and components. Layers include the layers panel and layer editing, while various operations on components are mainly completed through the library panel. Chapter 11 covers color mixing, editing, and various fill methods, with a focus on advanced fill methods such as basic fill, custom fill, gradient fill, lens fill, pattern fill, PostScript fill, texture fill, and tile fill. Chapter 12 discusses the special effects functions provided by FreeHand MX for users. Chapter 13 covers the integration of FreeHand MX with other software, primarily focusing on web creation methods and Flash animation generation methods. During the writing process, the author aimed for practicality and did not explain every function and command in detail. If readers find any omissions, they are welcome to point them out. The author also encountered many problems during the writing process and realized that FreeHand still has many aspects we have not fully understood. If any experts discover issues or techniques not mentioned in the text, they are encouraged to share them. Thank you!
Contributors to this book: Li Zhigang, Huo Qifeng, Huai Hanping, Liu Yan, Cui Huimin, Di Liqing, Zhao Fu, Liu Ruifeng, Nie Jing, Yuan Huina, Pei Shilun, Zhao Changxia, Fu Xiaojing, Xu Dafeng, Zhou Jian, Wang Fei, Yu Zhong.
At the end, heartfelt thanks go to all the friends who have shown concern and support for this book! FreeHand is an excellent vector drawing software widely used in advertising design, layout, and color printing. FreeHand MX is the latest version of this software series. This book provides a clear and concise introduction to the various commands and parameter settings of FreeHand MX, with detailed explanations of the new features added to the software. The content is easy to understand. The book is divided into 14 chapters, covering topics such as the features of FreeHand MX, file management, basic shape drawing, as well as operations on strokes, paths, objects, text, graphic effects, charts, layers, components, color control, fill, special effects, and the integration of FreeHand MX with various other software. Each chapter includes corresponding exercises and illustrations, with most chapters featuring practical examples. The book uses numerous examples to help readers deeply understand the basic principles and usage of FreeHand MX, enabling them to apply their knowledge creatively to create beautiful works. The book is well-structured, concise in operation, detailed in content, rich in illustrations, lively, and serves as both a reference for computer enthusiasts and a training textbook for colleges and universities.