What's this site all about, anyway?

First (and for the last time), I'll introduce myself. I'm Ron Rockwell, and I've been a FreeHand user since it was first developed - and because of that, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool FreeHand user. I use the program to create everything from illustrations to package designs, small brochures, instruction manuals, dummy Websites, and elements for Flash movies (you can see samples of my work at my portfolio site, http://www.nidus-corp.com.)

My wife, Yvonne, is the proofreader and technical editor of the projects contained on this site. She is also responsible for the administrative tasks involved with readership and the site in general.

In 2001, I wrote a book, FreeHand 10 f/x & Design. The publisher went bankrupt, leaving the book to languish in a warehouse somewhere, but it's available at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com. Due to the publisher's problems, I receive no royalties from the book, but I encourage you to pick up a copy if you want to learn a lot about FreeHand 10 in a project setting (at a greatly reduced price, I might add).

There's a great magazine called "MX Developer's Journal" that has articles about all of the Studio MX programs, and I have the pleasure - and sometimes struggle - of writing a monthly article about FreeHand (there's a link to the magazine beneath the navigation information on your left). I worked on the Casual FreeHand Course for over a year, and think that you'll find it well worth the cost of ownership.

As programs go, FreeHand has gone a long way. I'd like to help you work effectively in the program - hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I do. Each issue will contain tips and tricks about FreeHand MX and older versions, with an emphasis on the MX version. Most of the information will be in the form of a how-to project that will give you a hands-on learning experience. I encourage questions and article requests, and will give readers an opportunity to submit their work for display on this site.

This site is a personal effort by Ron and Yvonne Rockwell, and in no way connected to Macromedia (although my water faucet and blimp drawings are samples in the program's Samples folder). FreeHand is a registered trademark of Macromedia.

With all that out of the way, let's get into FreeHand!