Adobe Illustrator/Logo as vector

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Expert: - 1/25/2009


Question

DWI logo
I have a logo, currently in png and jpeg format.
I ultimately want to have this logo available to load in ProAnimator to create 3D effects.
I need. however, to make this logo in a vector based object, with Outlines on letters before I can import in ProAnimator.

Online help, and Illustrator CS4 ver 14.0 help menus have been of little help thus far, and I'm wasting alot of time trying to figure this out.

I've "placed" logo in Illustrator, tried "tracing", "locking", in various order, and still cannot get the letters to "outline" for my final product.

Can you provide a detailed step by step from placing correct logo file type in Illustrator, and creating this vector with "Type Outline" for letters???

Thanks, Syl

Answer
Hi Syl,

Unfortunately, you're probably never going to get a satisfactory result with Live Trace when trying to trace a logo that's mainly text. It's great for making cool vector art out of photos but sorely lacking when you're trying to re-create text.

The best way to achieve perfection is to recreate the text portions using the actual fonts, typing the text portions. Looks like Sari and maybe Barmeno? The small font is too small for me to identify. You could use Live Trace for the swoosh.

If you must resort to tracing, just get the largest, cleanest-edged jpeg you can get, paste it into your AI doc and follow the basic instructions for Live Trace. I mean something like 10x bigger than the preview you sent me. Select the artwork, go to Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options and adjust the settings until the preview shows something that is close to what you need. You'll still have extra anchor points and you will need to manually clean up the traced paths.

If you need some tips on what all the settings are/do, there are many tutorials available for free on the internet. Here's a step by step that nicely defines what all the Tracing Options are:
http://www.tutorial9.net/illustrator/adobe-illustrator-tip-1-intro-and-livetrace...

Hope you find a solution!
Amy

Amy

Expertise

I can help troubleshoot your Illustrator 9 through CS3 (and most CS4) problems and suggest the best way to get the results you need. Although I can help with some installation issues, my forte is prepress and how to use the tools and functions in the application itself.

Experience

I've been a graphic artist for over 20 years. Oh my God, 20 years.

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Fine Arts

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