- by Judd Lyon
- Aug 4, 2008
- Filed in: Web design & development
Adobe Fireworks is an underrated software program if there ever was one – its vector and bitmap image editing, multi-page document, and web exporting features make it a cult favorite among time-starved web designers, myself included.
Fireworks combines elements of Adobe's superstar products Photoshop, Flash, and Illustrator – allowing you to rapidly prototype and improve your workflow. Here's a collection of useful Fireworks resources in no particular order:
Fireworks Zone is a great place for all things Fireworks – it features a large number of tutorials and downloads. It's been run and maintained for the past five years by Thierry Lorey of Orleans, France.
Get high-quality info straight from the source with Adobe's Fireworks Design Center.
The Interaction Designer's Coffee Break has a collection of lessons showing you how to rapidly prototype with Fireworks.
Trevor McCauley of Senocular has long been a source of quality Fireworks tutorials and extensions. Be sure to check out Fireworks: The Things You Might Have Missed.
Smashing Magazine keeps in line with previous work – dropping a smorgasbord of tutorials, tips, and links related to Fireworks.
While not regularly updated, Firetuts showcases a nice array of available effects.
If you enjoy seeing a real-world example then graphic artist Joe DaSilva has just what you need with his series on building the graphics for a coffee shop website.
Web designers who google often regularly wind-up on WebsiteTips.com, it's no surprise they have a long list of Adobe Fireworks resources.
SixThings, the web log of web design & development company Brown Battery Studios has some nifty Fireworks tips including gems like how to create a sticky note, extract a logo, circular gradients, and more.
A search on YouTube reveals around 350 results for "Adobe Fireworks." As with anything on YouTube, you have to the take the good with the bad. A number of Fireworks screencasts from CBT Cafe are informative.
Everybody's favorite learning site Lynda.com has a few Adobe Fireworks freebie vids worth a look if you are brand new and would like to get a feel for the interface.
Blip.tv boasts a very nice collection of Fireworks vids (23 by my count), each with a specific tool covered.
Project Seven was an authority on Macromedia software (as well as CSS) and continues today, mostly focusing on Adobe Dreamweaver add-ons. However, they do have a few Fireworks tutorials that have held up over the years.
Craig Erskine's GrayG.com has detailed instructions for creating chrome or aqua effects, as well as for things like using the pen tool.
Aside from Adobe's forums, Fireworks Guru Forum is your best bet to interact with fellow Fireworkers (unless you are in the Bay Area, where they have a meet-up).
About the author
Judd Lyon is the Principal of TRIF3CTA, a web design and Internet marketing company in Austin, Texas.
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