How to Work 10X Faster with Adobe Stock and CC Libraries
Ask any creative about the favorite part of their job, and it’s unlikely someone will answer “the mundane tasks.” Things like adapting a single element across hundreds (if not thousands) of assets, or going through the pains of re-working a previewed stock photo after attaining the license. And yet, those same tasks are all-too-often a habitual part of what creatives still do today – and something Adobe has worked to streamline through the capabilities in and the tight integration of Adobe Stock and Creative Cloud Libraries.
Creative Cloud Giveaway! Win the Full Adobe CC 2018 Release Free
Last fall, Adobe launched the all-new CC 2018 product line, a major milestone of creative tools and services marking the sixth major release of the CC product line. This latest version contains thousands of new features and advancements compared to CS6 (across all creative applications), and this product is available only via Creative Cloud membership – a community which now surpasses 12 million paid subscribers.
Adobe CC 2018 is also known as the Creative Cloud 2018 Release… And that is exactly what we’re giving away for free below, and this offer is open to everyone worldwide.
Yes, It’s True: Adobe XD (New Experience Design Tool) Is Now Free!
Some incredible news out this morning: Adobe has announced they’re making their popular new experience design tool – Adobe XD, a major part of the Creative Cloud – completely free(!) for anyone who wants to download and use it, forever:
Save $400-$500 on Adobe MAX 2018 with Exclusive Promotion Code
“Adobe MAX is an experience unlike any other — an opportunity to learn from the experts and connect with thousands of the most influential designers, developers, and decision-makers in our industry.”
If you’d like to go to Adobe MAX this year in Los Angeles (October 15-17) and save US$400-$500 in the process, then you came to the right place… You can get an instant discount of $400 simply by using our exclusive ProDesignTools promotion code here: M18PDT. This coupon code is valid worldwide.
Free New Books! Download the Lightroom Tutorial Guides (108 Pgs.)
Adobe recently added a brand new product to the Lightroom ecosystem, surprisingly called “Lightroom CC.” This cloud-based photo service is different from the longstanding version of Lightroom that we know and love, the desktop-focused application which was simultaneously renamed to be “Lightroom Classic CC.”
Why Not to Buy Adobe Software on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon Mkt
[UPDATE – Adobe stopped selling CS6 entirely – here’s why… This means the CS products are no longer being made by the company, nor legitimately for sale through any channel in any country, from any vendor or reseller.]
Some folks think it might be a good idea to try to save a few bucks and buy Adobe software off of eBay, Craigslist, Amazon Marketplace, or from any vendor or seller who is unfamiliar. It could be Creative Cloud, CS6, Photoshop, Lightroom, Acrobat, Elements, or any other title – in a retail, student, full or upgrade version… or sometimes it’s the “OEM” scam, or the plausible-sounding “extra” volume/enterprise license swindle.
But it’s actually not a very good idea at all. Why?
The first problem is that Adobe does not recognize these venues as valid or authorized resellers, they are fully disregarded and invalid. So as a result, Adobe will not officially recognize any of those buyers as actually owning their software. Yes, you read that right.
Meaning, you think you own the genuine article but effectively you don’t. You cannot provide an accepted proof of purchase – so you can’t formally prove you own the products. You may not be able to transfer the software to someone else, nor be able to get product support or upgrade to the next version, etc… You also aren’t able to return the software to get your money back from Adobe like you normally can.
The 14 Must-Have Adobe CC Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheets, Free!
Here’s a very handy resource from Jamie Spencer – the complete set of essential keyboard shortcut cheat sheets for every major Adobe CC application… These comprehensive sheets can save you loads of time every day by speeding up your work and allowing you to bypass the need for mouse clicks and movements, getting you to the function you need in the fastest possible way. They are extremely helpful assets to have in your arsenal – and can easily be consulted anytime as an instant reference, or printed out in high resolution and posted, or even used as desktop wallpaper. They are completely free and available for download here:
Complete Reference Guides and eBook Manuals for All Adobe Tools
Even years after it went up, a lot of people still don’t know about it.
We’re talking about the free online documentation for all Adobe software – a set of user manuals that can answer quite a few customer questions, and also be a great resource if you don’t use a product yet but want to find out more about it…
This exists in searchable and downloadable form for all major Adobe applications, including the Creative Cloud, Creative Suite, Lightroom, Acrobat, Photoshop Elements, etc. – for all recent releases on both Windows and macOS.
For example, every so often we receive a question on how to save back to earlier versions from InDesign CC or CS6… Fortunately, this is answered in the “Saving Documents” section in InDesign’s online manual. (And for all the cases like these, we also put together a special roadmap for CC file compatibility.)
Related: Do you believe any of these? The 10 Most Common Myths About Creative Cloud
Each Adobe reference below can be downloaded as a complete offline ebook if you want (more about this below)… These books are substantial – the latest “Photoshop Help & Tutorials” handbook is over 900 pages alone!
How to Save 70% with the New Adobe CC Student/Teacher Editions
Let’s face it, Adobe’s traditional product prices have seemed expensive over the years, especially if you’re on a student’s budget. The last perpetual version available, Creative Suite 6 from 2012, historically had full prices ranging from $399 for Dreamweaver through $999 for Photoshop Extended and on up to $2,599 upfront for the Master Collection suite, which contained all CS6 applications. As cool and powerful as this software was, it’s hard to afford when you’re in school – even after the student/teacher discount.
Adobe eventually stopped selling CS6, as the version reached EOL and end of support – but fortunately the company still offers deep discounts for education customers on the newer CC release. A few years ago, in fact, they increased the discount on Creative Cloud to up to 70% off the regular prices. And while there are a lot of misconceptions about CC, the main products like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc., still download and run on your desktop as normal.
Creative Cloud Price Is Changing: Here’s What That Means for You
A reader asked about a message he received from Adobe about a change in CC subscription pricing in North America. Per the company’s email, some membership costs will be rising 5-6% for individuals in the US, Canada and Mexico – the first increase since Creative Cloud came out in 2012. Here is an excerpt from the notice Adobe sent about the pricing adjustment in these countries:
