O.K here's the thing.
I am interested in doing some graphics work for myself and maybe for money in the future.
Note: I am not trying to cut in on anyone else's business, or make a quick buck I just want to develop some future career options that do not involve what I am doing now.

What would be a good software package to learn?
I have access to Adobe Photoshop 5.5, Illustrator, and FX.
Are these a good starting point or just a waste of time?

Also, slightly related, if I wanted to create a playfield layout what would be a good software package to use.
I was thinking of Auto-Cad because I use it at work, but I would hate to have to create a library of components from scratch.
I have also started learning CATIA but I think that it would be over-kill.

Any tips or comments would be appreciated.

Thank-you
Adam

well though it is old software the baisics dont change I learned on photoshop 4 and 8 doesnt seem all that different ( just some new tools). Illustrator is recomended for anything original, "vector graphics" things can be resized to any size without quality loss (dont forget copy and paste) is my favorite program even though I suck at design. second thing is graphics what will you specialize in? if prepress learn quark express, or Adobe Indesign theese are the ones for page lay-out and the ones mostly used to make the printing plates (cmyk is your friend). if web design Macromedia Dreamweaver and flash is great. graphics is a cut throat business and can be time consuming depending on the taste of your client, some like crap and some change thier mind too much. when anything is done get a contract so you get paid and make them sign off on everything they say they like. last but not least get a mac, it is the graphic designers main tool yeah before I hear everything about people defending the pc, graphics is what I studied and that is the mac is the mainstay. I didnt persue a career in graphics I just went back to what I did before school, fix computer stuff except with a specialty. hope it helps and good luck.

Quoted from jd3

last but not least get a mac, it is the graphic designers main tool

Awww man, I just bought a new PC.  

Thanks for the tips.
I guess my short term goals,(1-2yrs), are to make custom decals, plastics, playfield overlays & cabinet art.
Why you ask, well from my beginings in this hobby I have wanted to design my own Pinball machine.
I realize that this is well beyond my abilities so lately have been thinking that instead of starting from scratch why not customize an existing machine.
I could take an existing low value SS game and redesign the playfield layout and art. As long as I keep the original number of components the same, (ie switches, lights, targets) I will be able to use the original boards and roms without change.
Basically it would be just a matter of making a new plug-n-play playfield and harness.

My future plans, (3yrs +), heck I don't know...I would love for it to be Pinball or leisure industry related, but I doubt that would be possible, so who knows. I've even had people request drawings for tattoos from me, maybe I'll do that  
Deep down what I desire is one big "do-over", (keeping the wife, child & pets of course), or failing that, to just do something before my time is over.

Side-Bar:
Has anybody noticed how "all over the place I am".
I want to buy a new machine....
I can't afford it, I want to fix an old machine....
Screw that, I want to buy a Black Knight 2000....
I want to learn Graphics design....
O.K I don't want to fix an old machine, I want to completely tear down a machine and rebuild it using a playfield and art of my own design....

Crap! am I Bi-polar or is it just a mid-life crisis....like come on man, pick something and stick to it.

Still not knowing what he wants to do when he grows-up.
Adam

Adam I just think your morphing into another class of collector.Read them again and see if it`s true.Heck if thats not it Ya your probably going through mid life crisis or something like that .

Like JD said. The basics of Photoshop are the same but the newer version has a lot more to offer. Illustrator or Freehand for Vector design drawings. QUARK well, nobody likes it but they all use it, go figure. Indesign is better software but not the norm in the industry.

One piece of advice JD3 forgot to merntion on PC or Mac. Save your work as often as possible. This way if anything happens (i.e. your machine quits the application or reboots by itself or gives you the Blue Screen of death(PC Only)) you will be covered and won't have to start your project all over again.

As far as what and where you want to go with the graphics. There is no reason why you can't do it all.

Since you already have your PC. Use it and make some money. Then get a real MAChine.

MacPhreak...........

Quoted from admin

This way if anything happens (i.e. your machine quits the application or reboots by itself or gives you the Blue Screen of death(PC Only)) you will be covered and won't have to start your project all over again.

If you have anything above Windows98 there is no blue screen of death anymore, win2000-winxp work very well with graphic programs and very rarely crash anymore when properly updated and maintained. Only time my crashed was while I was running two graphic programs, a rendering program, 4 explorer windows, email, dozens of background applications and msn messenger running all at the same time.

Yes the majority of professionals use Macs, but we are not professionals and don't have huge amounts of money to spend on those pretty white/blue boxes when windows will do the job just as well if not better 

I have created hundreds of both simple and very complex graphics/images on PC's using many programs, from the expensive Adobe products to much lower priced programs, all and all they work very well. For instance I use Macromedia Fireworks for my graphics lately. It is very easy to use, tons of features, and is much less expensive than the Adobe programs. When I brought my Zaxxon CPO's that I made in Fireworks to the professional printer here he asked me where I took classes to do graphics and which version of Illustrator I used. He was shocked when I told him I took no classes (self taught) and use Macromedia Fireworks. (By the way, Fireworks is also available for Macs, so it must be a good program  )

All and all, you just have to find a program that works for you on the system you have, and have some time to work on.

My advice is use the PC, is not worth buying a Mac that in the end will do the same job but cost a lot more. I know MacPhreak is a die hard Mac guy and I will admit Macs are good (it hurts me to say that but is true) but I find they are way over priced when a PC will do just as well, if not better in the end. As long as you go with AMD and stay away from the Intel crap you'll be fine  

Just my 2 cents.

While all of what you say is true, you "Battlezoneman" are not an average user right? Average users tend to spend the same amount of money in the end from paying for services to get their  machine set up. This may not be the case in your environment since you are knowledgeable in the PC world.  But in the end for the average user, it can end up costing the same amount after 3 to 4 years. Yes they both can do the job and both can do it well. Both are extremely fast and capabilities are great but the possibilities are endless now and generalizing tends to diminish and or embellish both sides. they both have their strong points and weaknesses but in the end I personally just don't like the round about way you have to work just to set things up.

So all in all as you say, it comes down to preferences and what you are used to. And an other thing for sure, If you have not tried it you are not warranted to comment on it. Some say they went to Futureshop and played with an iMac for 10 minutes and did not like it, but 10 minutes, COME ON ! How can someone make a serious call like that from only 10 minutes. In my opinion you have to have had or used one for at least a week to make a judgment call like that.

Just a Fact from my past.
I used to sell Max for more than 3 years and I have never had a PC to Mac convert say they wanted to go back. But in the end it is the price that will win because people are not willing to pay or simply are unable to pay so end up buying a PC and usually get screwed because the person behind the counter is only interested in money and not giving the customer a GOOD machine (PC or Mac)!

Some prefer Max, some Prefer PC's and those that are clueless either way and have only experienced one side are biased and should not comment on such things........

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. I hope I did not offend anyone with my above statements and if so it was not my intention.

MacPhreak