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Armando Sotoca
In this interview, we have Armando Sotoca, a talented designer who believe Fireworks is the only tool he needs most. Let's hear his valuable insights and experience on Fireworks.
To begin with, who are you and where are you from?
Yep! I'm Armando Sotoca and I'm a spanish graphic and interactive designer from Asturias. I studied editorial design but I have mostly worked with web and UX design these last years. I really like work on these fields and learn something new everyday but I really (REALLY) love editorial design!What do you work as in your day job?
I work as an art director and "all-in-one" designer in a small studio called [Q]Interactiva (www.q-interactiva.com). We make all kind of stuff from graphic to interactive. Not only design but developing too. We make mobile projects and learning courses too!What type of projects do you work in Fireworks and are there any challenges you faced that Fireworks have helped you? Mmmm, I think I keep "Fireworks" opened all the time! If i'm doing something which goes to screen (desktop, mobile, etc...) Fireworks is my best choice and the most powerful tool I can find. Think in wireframes or responsive web design. Since it's all vector based it's easy to resize, reuse and retouch with pixel precision!
How long have you been using Fireworks?
Virtually every day for almost 4 years.Why should a designer use Fireworks? Flexibility and time-saving. Just give it a try then you'll understand what I'm talking about (Just note I'm talking about web & UI design xD)
Tell us why Fireworks is your preferred choice for doing user interface design?
I think is one of the best tools for UI design. It lets you create sketches and final designs very quickly and intuitively. Bitmap and vector tools, symbols, master pages, gradients, textures, filters, interactivity.. All the tools I need in one single application.Fireworks excels as a rapid prototyping tool. How does Fireworks helps you in your daily design workflow?
First I analyze the needs (and perhaps visual trends that may be useful) and then start to create basic shapes to help me to create the visual structure and hierarchy of elements. With Fireworks and its tools, I can have a really good prototype (even with some interactivity) in just a few hours to send to client.
You should really watch "Interaction design and rapid prototyping with Fireworks" (http://www.adobe.com/devnet/fireworks/articles/atv_fw_interaction_design.html) :)
What is your favorite workflow in Fireworks and why?
- Read the requiriments of the project a couple of times and ask yourself before start if is there something wrong. Meet the client again if necesary.
- Explore (surf the web watching other sites, learn new visual tricks or trends, taking screenshots of things I like...)
- Open Fireworks
- Make the structure. Is it a Web project? Then open the 960.gs template (http://960.gs/) or 1140 cssgrid template (http://cssgrid.net/) for responsive web design :) There are a lot of grid systems that can help you through that process.
- Create a master page.
- 6. Work and enjoy!
If you can only list 5 favorite best features in Fireworks, what will they be?
1. Properties panel (Properties inspector)
2. Pages panel
3. Gradients
4. Stackable filters (awesome!)
5. Simplicity of working with vector objects
Many people compare Photoshop with Fireworks. What is your viewpoint in this?
They're both great apps but in fact, they're made with different purposes in mind. Photoshop is not a really good choice for web and prototype design. Dude, just make a rounded corner shape. How do you change the roundness? Do it again?Try now in Fireworks. In fact I wrote about this time ago but sorry, it's in spanish :S (http://www.criteriondg.info/wordpress/usar-fireworks-el-analisis-definitivo/)I think Photoshop is for image editing and Fireworks is for screen design. Just use the one you prefer or take the best from each one and combine it in your work :)
Fireworks work even better with fireworks extensions. What are your favorite extensions from other developers and how do you use it in your work?
Like Glenn (http://fireworksinterviews.com/glenn-hitchcock), I use "Export as Favicon" from John Dunning. He has a lot of useful things (http://johndunning.com/fireworks/)And i'm using "Orange Commands aaaaaall the time" (http://orangecommands.com).
This one save my ass time ago: "Export Pages to PSD" (http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=1849527)
Do you develop your own Fireworks commands?
Nope.Do you have a Fireworks tip for the Fireworks community?
Make a document where you can put your buttons, styles, icons... create your own resources library :) And a "secret": Use keyboard tools shortcuts to subselects objects. Example: If you selected text objects and vector shapes, use the "T" for Subselect only text objects :)Are you involved with any communities on the web?
I am at the Spanish Community-Help from Adobe since 2009, helping users with Photoshop, Fireworks and Illustrator. You can find me at Dribbble (http://dribbble.com/Skeku) or Twitter (http://twitter.com/Skeku)Do you have a blog? Where can we find you?
I'm always writing about cool thinks I find on Internet: resources, portfolios, industrial design, web design... Check it out! http://www.criteriondg.info/wordpress/
Thanks for the opportunity to talk you, Armando. Last question, any advice to the designers out there exploring Fireworks?
Grrrreat choice! There are lot of tutorials out there to learn how they can best use it. And don't be scared at first if you're coming from a Photoshop background, just do random things like create a rollover, master pages, edit vector shapes... You'll discover the full potential of Fireworks very soon :)
- Read the requiriments of the project a couple of times and ask yourself before start if is there something wrong. Meet the client again if necesary.
Connecting the World with Fireworks
Click and drag the "Yellow Guy" icon located above the zoom slider onto the google map. Blue overlay areas allow you to see street map view! Have Fun!
