I hope someone give me an idea of what a proficient AI user is and does.

I received a message on Twitter from a company looking to see if I am still looking for some part-time work.
They need a "proficient AI user" to make research charts "using their templates, data and style guide."

I'm afraid that is outside my experience and/or skills.

Hey guys! I just received a job to design a "First Aid" tshirt.
I swear I seen this font before but I can't remember what it is.
See image attached.

Does anyone know what font this might be?
I have tried Photoshop's Match Font and Whats the Font website and not go.
-Joe

During the last three months during my unemployment to freelance graphic designer (still working on getting clients), I have been redesigning off and on this printing guide from the old print shop (with my former boss permission) that we designed back in 2007. I am trying to update some of the ancient information in it as well as update the out-of-date images.

So I am working on a small section Preflighting which tells readers where they can find preflighting in various applications. I have InDesign and MS Publisher included, Pagemaker definitely has to go (can't believe anyone uses that anymore), and plan to add Affinity Publisher since it now has preflighting. My problem is I can't simply find anything pertaining to QuarkXPress preflighting except Markzware. I have not used QXP for I don't know how many years. Does QuarkXPress have a built in preflight feature like InDesign? If it does, can someone tell me where I can tell readers where to find it. Personally, I would just drop QXP from the list but I guess there are still QXP users out there.

Thank you to any one can help me with this.

Affinity Publisher 1.9 is out!

While there is several new features and improvements, two things pop out: Package and Data Merge.

The Package feature is finally here and I tried it. Thumbs up!
It package fonts and images just like InDesign.
Interesting is that when you open the folder with the package files, it saves a copy of the Affinity Publisher (.afpub) as a package document (.afpackage) which you can open in Affinity Publisher.
And my understanding is just like InDesign, Publisher loads the fonts temporary while working on the document.
So this is a huge step! I believe more people, especially those that want to dump Adobe, will flock to AP.

Then there is Data Merge!
Was kinda surprised that this feature came around sooner, but don't get excited. I already found a problem with it.
When importing a mailing list with empty fields for envelopes, there is no place to tell it to skip the empty field like you can in InDesign.
So you end up with a AP document that has blank address lines. So you have to go through and delete the blank lines.
Kinda disappointed but hope that Serif fix that soon or maybe I am missing something. Maybe there is a work around.

But I do believe more people will start to use Affinity Publisher over time.
-Joe

Updated my Affinity Publisher to 1.8 and been trying out the new import InDesign IDML files into AP.
It actually does a good job but you still have to do some cleaning up which is expected.

I am working on a article to post on my Linkedin page and hope to post it in next couple of days.
If anyone is interested, I can post a link to the article here if you wish when I post it on Linkedin.

Since I eventually soon be unemployed, I have been spending some time on YouTube getting myself up to speed on some things.
Hoping that I could find a job that I can work from home. Creating interactive pdf forms, photo editing, graphic design, etc.

Recently I posted a short article on Linkedin, not much but maybe it give me some exposure.
Done a few articles before but plan on doing more in hopes it catches someone's eye.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/losing-your-job-hello-youtube-joe-frazee?articleId=6623025509032833025#comments-6623025509032833025&trk=public_profile_article_view

BTW, here a link to where I am at on Linkedin. Did not use it much in the past but now is best time to start spending more time there.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefrazeeohio?trk=author_mini-profile_title

Since I am moving away from Adobe...at home.

I have replaced Lightroom with ON1 Photo Raw.
Replaced Photoshop with Affinity Photo.
Replaced Illustrator with Affinity Designer.
And replaced InDesign with Affinity Publisher.

Now I am looking at a Acrobat replacement.
Have old Acrobat 9 Pro but I am on the latest Mac OS.
So any recommendations for a Acrobat alternative?

Well I bought Affinity Publisher for my iMac at home. And I have to say I really like it.
It does most of what InDesign does minus a few things like data merge, scripts, and packaging files. These missing features are in the works and will come in a update.
Also, I love how fast it is! And I like the simple interface too.
And I love the StudioLink feature. That's pretty cool.
The free stock images from Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplash is really nice. Better than Adobe Stock where you have to buy images.

I read briefly that possibly they are working on the ability to open InDesign IDML files.
I doubt it but I have found a run around to getting InDesign files into Affinity Publisher.
First you need to make a pdf (press quality) with bleeds if there are any, and no crop marks.
Make sure you have the fonts loaded first. Then open the pdf with Affinity Publisher.

I found that everything opens up almost perfectly. Even line endings so far seem okay.
As for photos, they are of course embedded but you can link them to original file.
If you don't choose the text flow option, it is easy to relink the text boxes with the frame text tool.
Click on first text frame (little triangle in lower right corner of the frame) and then click on the text frame you want to like to.

BUT, Affinity Publisher is not perfect. As i mention, there is no packaging feature or data merge feature.
But those features will be added in future update.
But I did run into a problem (sort of).
When I open the document (pdf), if there are any pdfs in the document, the pdfs become editable as if you open them into Adobe Illustrator.
The problem is that if you do not have the fonts, you are screwed. The Font Manager will show a whole list of missing fonts!
After playing with it, I found the solution. You have to go into the Document Setup and change Image Placement Policy to Linked Preferred.
Then you have to replace the pdf ad with the pdf file (that is if you have it).
Hopefully they will offer that option before you open the pdf with Affinity Publisher in future update.

Also, interesting fact is that the Affinity applications are all the same under the hood.
Only difference is the extensions which tell which application the file was created in.
That explains why in StudioLink, you can edit photos and vectors right inside Publisher without leaving the app.

Bottom line in my opinion, if Serif can bring packaging and data merge features to Publisher, they have a very good chance to give Adobe a run for its money.
And if there are working on making it possible to open IDML files in Publisher, I know plenty of clients who would switch.

BTW, I been using Affinity Photo for two months, haven't missed Photoshop one bit.
Photoshop is so slow compared to Affinity Photo. Might be saying goodbye to Photoshop.
And I replaced Lightroom with ON1 Photo Raw. Haven't missed Lightroom either!

Finally!
Affinity Publisher is about to be released on June 19 or 20, 2019.
I got an invitation email to download it on the 19th. Can't wait!
Still not sure of the name yet.
But if it can do the majority of what ID can do, I guess I can get use to the name.

Maybe I can now delete that old copy of InDesign on my Mac at home.

Hey guys! I have a question about numbering carbonless forms in InDesign.

I have a form set up in InDesign and it needs to start at 00750.
Usually I use the auto page numbering in InDesign by setting the page number at the number the form starts at.
But InDesign page numbering only goes up to 4 digits (0750).

Any suggests on starting the numbering at 00750?
Is there something else like a plugin that will make this possible?

Joe
(not that Joe)

Serif just posted a sneak peek of their Affinity Publisher!
It looks pretty cool.
Can't wait to try it out!

https://youtu.be/jZHAk1a8vi0

So I got the heads up that the kid management hired nearly three years ago has turned in his resignation. No surprise since he has been banging heads with boss.

So it's that time to find some dumb college kid who is or just graduated from college in graphic design. Like before, management is going to advertise for a "prepress person" in which then people show up asking for more $$$ than what they want to pay. So then they change the ad to hire a "graphic designer" knowing that so local college kid will take the bait, once in the door, they throw them in front of the digital press. When the college kid says "Hey, this isn't graphic designing?!" Management replies, "Yes it is! And don't question us because we're professionals and we know this is graphic designing."

We might be seriously thinking switching to Fuji from Kodak Prinergy.

Has anyone here done the switch?
What should I know about XMF before switching?
Is there a huge learning curve?

Thanks Syphon

So the rumors are true! 
The upcoming new Creative Cloud 2015 requires that you have a Mac running Mavericks 10.9 or Yosemite 10.10.
Boy, my bosses are going to have a heart attack!
Bought a refurbished iMac last year with Mountain Lion 10.8 and just upgraded an 2009 iMac to Mountain Lion just because management doesn't want to go all in with upgrading our crapping old system (server, etc). They just don't want to spend any money these days. They have always been this way.

Since I have a new iMac running Yosemite at home, maybe I can convince them to let me work at home. 

Link to Adobe Blog

I guess management wants to know what alternatives there are to the Prinergy RIP which we have now.
I'm guessing most shops use Prinergy but we are wanting to look at our options when we upgrade.

So, what RIP options are there and what are the pros and cons?
What about Preps? Does Preps work with specific or all RIPs?

I am thinking of upgrading my iMac at home to Yosemite possible next weekend.
Also plan to upgrade my mother's and possibly brother's Mac minis later but both have slower broadband than me.
Last time I upgraded mom's Mac, it took five hours to download and really don't want to go through that again.

So, I came upon this article on how to download the upgrade from Mac App Store and be able to copy installer to a usb drive.
Have anyone here tried this?
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/install-os-x-yosemite-save-installer/

Every time the holidays come up, I think about this video.
Even though it's about a designer, I can relate to it as we have clients making changes again and again and...
And it's their own file I have to make changes!
A day in the life of a designer

Found this article on G+ and wonder what you think.
Why You Should Import RGB Images Into InDesign and Convert to CMYK On Export

I never tried the Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers) as they suggest in the article.
We tend to "fix" the crappy InDesign file the client sent before we go any further including converting RGB photos to CMYK.

Found this in the G+ stream.
Reminds me of my shop but on a lot smaller scale and more primitive, BUT the zombies look like the works at the shop.
Night of the Printing Dead

Received an email from KelbyOne on this photo stock website.
Passing it on if anyone is looking or might be interested.

Dollar Photo Club