Adobe Announces Illustrator CC – Here are My Favorite New Features

Justin Seeley May 6, 2013 1 Comment

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I’m currently in Los Angeles attending Adobe MAX, and Adobe has officially announced the “CC” line of apps. You can read all about that here. During the announcement today they showed off Adobe Illustrator CC (one of my favorite Adobe apps) and showed off some of the new features. I’ve already recorded a course on this over at lynda.com, which you can check out here, but I these are my absolute favorites…

1. Multiple File Placing

Much like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator CC now lets you place multiple files at once into an Illustrator document. The operation is the same (File > Place) but now you’ll be able to load your cursor up and place  up to 314 images at a time. Why 314? Well, because the engineer who built the feature was born on March, 14th :)

2. CSS & SVG Features

As a guy who primarily focuses on web design in both my personal work and my professional teaching, this one is HUGE. You now have the ability to generate CSS code from your Illustrator objects including gradient fills, drop shadows, etc. In addition to CSS, you also have the ability to export out as SVG. While this isn’t something new per say, Adobe has enhanced the SVG workflow greatly.

3. Enhanced Guides

Guides in Illustrator used to be somewhat tedious to use. You would click and drag from side-to-side and slowly define your boundaries. Now, with a simple double click you can add guides to your artboards at any point on your ruler. I love it!

4. Automatic Corner Generation

If you create pattern brushes, you’re going to love this new feature. Adobe has built a new auto feature that generates corner tiles for pattern brushes based on certain criteria that you choose. This makes creating pattern brushes so much faster & easier.

5. Touch Type & Free Transform

While I feel like the touch workflow is still in its infancy, this is definitely a cool feature, and as more and more companies develop touch displays/tools it’ll continue to evolve into something even more awesome. Basically you now have the ability to do “Minority Report-style” manipulation on text & objects in Illustrator. Tool cool!

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I’m Speaking at PEPCon 2013 in Austin, TX!

Justin Seeley April 7, 2013 1 Comment

Conference season is upon us once again, and I’m speaking at some really awesome events this year. First up on the calendar is PePcon, The Print+ePublishing Conference, in Austin, TX. This is the conference to go to for anyone looking to get up-to-speed on the world of electronic publishing or anyone who uses Adobe InDesign, period. Here’s the full conference description from the PePcon website:

Join the world’s top InDesign experts and the Adobe InDesign team, April 28–May 1, 2013, in Austin, Texas, for the InDesign event of the year! Find answers and valuable insight on publishing for eBooks, print, iPad/tablets, interactive documents, and more! Be inspired by fresh ideas and new products. Includes four pre-conference tutorials, a 2-day multi-track conference, and six amazing post-conference tutorials. Register today for PEPCON: The Print + ePublishing Conference!

My session is called “Illustrator and Photoshop: Awesome Effects Using Our Two Favorite InDesign “Add-ons”” and it focuses on teaching you how to use both Photoshop and Illustrator to create eye-catching graphics for your digital publications. It’s going to be a fun session, full of design-related awesomeness!

I’m truly honored to be a part of this event. Seriously, look at the speaker roster… It’s AMAZING! If you haven’t signed up for this event yet, you definitely should! As an added incentive, you can save $50 off your registration by using the code LYNDA at checkout. I hope to see you there!

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A Different Kind of Milestone

Justin Seeley March 27, 2013 5 Comments

This week marks two years since I began my journey for health & wellness. If you recall, back in 2011 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and High Cholesterol and weighed over 400lbs. Since that time I’ve lost over 200lbs, kept it off, and resolved all of my health problems. I was able to accomplish this through diet, exercise, and the use of modern medical technology (weight loss surgery). I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of this accomplishment and how thankful I am to have my life back on track.

When you’re overweight it’s hard to be self-aware of your situation. After all, we look in the mirror and (usually) see what we want to see. I never saw a 400lbs man looking back at me. Sure, I noticed that I had put on a little bit of weight, but never thought it was that bad. Oftentimes it takes a serious wake-up call or a cataclysmic event to snap us out of our delusional state of mind and make us see ourselves for what and who we really are. My moment of clarity came when an obnoxious doctor screamed out my medical problems down a hallway to one of his nurses. At the time I was alone in the exam room, and hearing this news while in this state of isolation, for whatever reason, snapped me into a state of both panic and determination that I’ve yet to let go of to this day.

I’ve had my share of ups and down over the past year, including losing two of my closest relatives and confidants, my grandmothers. Even through all of the trials and tribulations, I never lost my focus. I never reverted back to old & unhealthy habits to help counter the pain. I was able to funnel my angst and my anger through new and healthier channels. I worked and trained hard for months on end, and finally finished a half marathon race (13.1 miles). The best part is that I did it for me. I realize now that I’m worth it. I know that life is worth living and that I should make the most of this privilege every single day.

No matter what your situation. Whether it’s obesity, drugs, alcohol, or whatever… You ARE NOT alone. You ARE good enough, and dammit YOU’RE WORTH IT. I say this a lot when speaking to fellow weight loss journeymen… Taking the first step onto the right path is always the hardest, and yes, you’re going to fall off the path now and again. What matters is how and if you pick yourself back up. This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Struggles like these are life-long and we have to fight them day in and day out. At the end of the day it’s up to you who’s left standing. Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself… NOTHING.

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Finding Clients Using Social Media

Justin Seeley January 29, 2013 3 Comments

I’m doing a series of Q&A videos wherein you ask me a question and I (hopefully) answer it. In this installment of the series I tackle a question from Andrew about finding clients using social media. This is a tricky art, but it can be done as long as your honest with people and you leverage your knowledge to position yourself as a thought leader within a given community.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Social Media Presence

Justin Seeley January 28, 2013 2 Comments

I think it’s safe to say that social media isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and if you and/or your business aren’t on social media, you’re missing the boat. However, once you’re on these sites, how do you get the ball rolling? Starting the profile is only half the battle. Now you have to learn how to start the conversation as well. With that in mind, I give you… 5 ways to improve your social media presence.

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2013: The Year of the APE!

Justin Seeley January 10, 2013 5 Comments

The world of publishing is changing. Granted, I believe that it’s changing for the better, but it is changing nonetheless. Traditional publishers are having to make room for independents in ways they never thought they would have to because of this marvel known as the internet and the freight train that is the “self-publishing revolution” we’re witnessing today. More so than ever, people are downloading eBooks and iBooks and many other forms of digital media that simply don’t go through the traditional distribution channels anymore. I see this as a huge win for those of us who want to get our message out in front of the world, but up until now have had no way of doing so.

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How to Produce Killer Content

Justin Seeley January 7, 2013 No Comments

Today’s internet is all about content. Whether it’s a blog, a podcast, an eBook, or a YouTube video, content rules the roost when it comes to building an audience and cultivating a community around you and your brand. There’s been a lot of talk recently about how brands aren’t necessarily supposed to be publishers. Well, I believe that to be a flawed way of thinking. I think anybody with an internet persona (brands included) should be a content creator and should strive to produce killer content for their audience. The trick is not to use your content purely as a selling tool. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t sell people on the products and services you provide, but do so in a way that also provides value and positions you as a thought leader in your field. I have a theory about how to produce killer content, and I’ll share that with you in this article.

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My Thoughts On Adobe Killing Touch Apps

Justin Seeley January 5, 2013 2 Comments

Recently it was announced that Adobe would no longer be updating several of their touch-enabled applications which were a big part (from a marketing perspective) of their Creative Cloud launch last year. The apps that will be getting the axe are Adobe Debut, Adobe Collage, Adobe Proto, and the Android versions of Adobe Ideas and Adobe Kuler. So, basically they’re keeping Photoshop Touch around as well as the iOS version of Adobe Ideas. The main reasoning behind this? Adobe cites lack of adoption as their reasoning behind killing these apps just 9 months into their lifespan. While I’m sure the numbers weren’t stellar, I still say they’ve pulled the plug just a little too soon.

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5 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Life in 2013

Justin Seeley January 1, 2013 No Comments

A new year is upon us. It’s hard to believe, I know, but it’s here and there’s really not much we can do about it. What you can do, however, is look back on the year that has passed and take inventory of your life. What went right? What went wrong? By taking the time to sit down and write out the answers to these questions, you will make yourself aware of where you stand in the grand scheme that is your life plan. Don’t have a life plan? Well, that’s ok, you can start one now! It’s never too late, and nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. While there are many things you can do to improve your life, I’m going to give you 5 examples, all of which are easy and can be accomplished easily if you set your mind to it.

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How Twitter Got Me Home This Holiday Season

Justin Seeley December 29, 2012 1 Comment

Yesterday was, by far, one of the most trying days (in terms of patience and anger management) that I can remember. However, once I took a moment to think clearly and allowed my geek reflexes to kick in, I was quickly able to remedy my situation. What you’re about to read is a testimonial for the true power of the modern web and a great use case for how and why you should use social media to your advantage.

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