The correct way to create a silhouette in AI?
Betty Hills
"Illustrator way" starting from a scanned TIF silhouette design,
crude, with jagged edges. I want to blow it up and refine it for use
in a logo.
In PS I would hand paint and trim the outline until it looked good,
but I suspect that it can be placed on locked layer in AI and a better
design created on a layer above? If yes, what is the best way to
proceed?
AES
<79f95c28-8606-45f2...@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
Betty Hills <adsu...@hotmail.com> wrote:
As an occasional amateur Illustrator user, I was intrigued by your
proposal, since I have the same need occasionally.
A quick search on "outline" in Illustrator Help seems to say that the
Effect >> Pathfinder >> Add (or other option) menu command may be what
you want.
Steggy
mmmmm how about the Pen Tool. Of course you need to know how to use it,
but it can deliver miracles.
And if the TIFF is a bit OK, you could start off with Live Trace. Keep
in mind: it is all about the settings.
Gar
Layers palette and click the side arrow and choose Template.
Create a new Layer and grab the Pen tool (probably THE most important tool
in Illustrator!) and start drawing your silhouette.
It's kind of a manual way of doing it but you get good results too.
HTH
Gary W. Chmura
"Betty Hills" <adsu...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:79f95c28-8606-45f2...@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
Ana Pereira
I would open it in PHotoshop first, blur it a litlle and after if it is on
colours would transform it into a BW image using Treshold command.
It could be interesting, if it is in colours chose a channel to use whith
Treshold instead of using the RBG or CMYK image.
In Ill if you open the image whith command Open the trace options will show.
I suggest you try several presets and after change them a bit if needed.
--
--
Ana Pereira
http://anapereira.no.sapo.pt
http://paintshoppro.no.sapo.pt
"Betty Hills" <adsu...@hotmail.com> escreveu na mensagem
news:79f95c28-8606-45f2...@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
tphinsf
While I have to agree with others that the pen tool is essential in
Illustrator, you can "paint" the vector shape and "trim" it in
Illustrator in a similar manner that you can with bitmap artwork in
Photoshop.
1. First, double-click on the Paintbrush tool, and un-check "Edit
Selected Paths." Next choose a calligraphic brush (you can use the fly-
out menu on the Brushes panel to display only calligraphic brushes)
2. Paint the object, using as many brush strokes as you want.
Completely fill it with color, don't just paint the outline.
3. Select all the brush strokes, and from the main menu, select
Object>Expand appearance
4. WIth everything still selected, open the Pathfinder panel, and
option-click on "add to shape area." You'll now have a simple filled
object, or silhouette.
You can now edit the shape using the path editing tools, or use the
Eraser tool to "trim" the silhoutte. Double-clicking on the Eraser
tool will give you the options for controlling the Eraser size, angle,
etc.
Another option is to use the Pencil tool to edit the resulting
silhouette. Double-click on the Pencil tool and check "Edit selected
paths." Then with your object selected, use the Pencil tool to modify
the shape.
--th
Steggy
tphinsf schreef:
tphinsf
OK, this tutorial just popped up on Layers website, seemed very
timely, and shows a great technique with Photoshop and Illustrator:
"Creating Silhouettes in Adobe Illustrator" -- http://www.layersmagazine.com/silhouettes.html
Jean Pierre Daviau
Cowboy
anchor tool and refine the nodes or verts then join the open ends. Helps if
you have a graphics tablet but it can be done with the mouse for sure.
CL8'N
advise that you start using the Pen tool as early as possible. Look at
the Help menu to see how the nature of the tool changes when holding
down the different keys (alt/cmd/ctrl/shift/etc.). The Pen tool gives
you total control over building custom shapes. It's a grapple at
first, but when it becomes second nature you'll agree with Steggy when
he says it can deliver miracles. Don't give up! Everything is
difficult before it becomes easy!!
If you're just looking at using Illustrator for this job only (or very
infrequently), then maybe tphinsf's solution is probably the easiest/
quickest.
---
CL8'N