ART 80T - SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

 

Art 80T - SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Course projects will require Adobe Photoshop for Weeks 1 - 4 + 8 - 9 and Adobe Illustrator Weeks 4 - 8. A video editing program is required for Week 9 + 10, but there are many free or low cost options to chose from. Recent Creative Cloud (CC) versions are recommended, but versions CS5 and above will work.

Be sure to note that all subscription options allow you to install programs on TWO DIFFERENT computers

Subscription Recommendations

  1. If you plan on using any Adobe programs for other courses or projects in the next year (for school or work), I recommend purchasing an annual subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) with the student discount option. This subscription gives you access to all Creative Cloud Suite Adobe programs (including Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, After Effects and Premiere), for $20/month. This is a very significant discount, and the only drawback is that you are committed for a year. Note that you can install each program on 2 different computers, in different locations.

  2. If you are certain you will not be using these tools after this quarter, and you have limited lab access to computers with Photoshop + Illustrator, or prefer to work on your own computer, I recommend purchasing single program monthly subscriptions. Based on the course schedule, start a 2 month subscription to Adobe Photoshop at the end of Week 1 and a 1 month subscription to Adobe Illustrator starting Week 4. (This will cost roughly $90 if you time it correctly.) With monthly subscriptions, you can also install each program on 2 different computers.

All of these different pricing options can be viewed at Adobe.com. When considering the educational discounts, be sure to note that year long commitment is required.

Using Lab Spaces or Shared Computers

It is totally possible to take this course using a lab or shared computer space to complete the course projects. If you are considering this option, be sure to check the software available at the computer labs at your home campus or other work spaces. At UCSC, an adequate version of Photoshop and Illustrator (CS6) is available on many library computer workstations and in other labs.

For students who have previous experience working with similar programs and would prefer to use them for this course, please contact me by end of Week 1 to ensure these alternatives will work.