Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 5/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: For the life of me I can't get magic wand to do anything in Illustrator CS 11.  I've had the program for years but have never been able to get past the wand - which I use all the time in Photoshop.

I import an image, and try to select certain portions of it to no avail.  All that happens is it selects the entire object.

It should be so simple???

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Cal smith



ANSWER: HI Calvin,

The magic wand in Illustrator is completely different than the one in Photoshop. The magic wand in Illustrator is used to select similar objects, not images (ie. same fill, stoke, etc.). It will not work in placed images.

Thanks

Kevin




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply Kevin.  Then how do I select an colored area of an object....like a  background you want removed from a graphic?

Answer
Hi Calvin,

It doesn't work like that. It selects Illustrator created objects, such as a square or a path. It will not select parts of a graphic that you placed from another application, such as Photoshop. You will have to remove the placed background in Photoshop before you bring it in.

Thanks

Kevin