Expert: Amy - 9/3/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I've a slight problem.. I find it difficult to insert a logo into an .EPS document without the white background. Now I've Googled it, and check a lot of the results but a lot of them require CS2 (Live Trace function), and reading some of the previous questions about Paths and such (using Adobe PS CS or CS), and isn't that helpful to me as i still use version 7.0. So I was wondering if it is possible for me to insert a image with a transparent background into an .EPS document i have using only PS 7.0 and Illustrator CS. Also, would this image be in hi-res? Because I am preparing something for print. Thank you

ANSWER: Hi Peter,

Sure, it can be done. And the answer uses paths, which you'll be able to do using 7 and CS. It requires some image editing work in PS, so it's not a magical answer - but once you get the hang of it, it becomes quite easy and you'll soon be quite proficient at it.

In PhotoShop, open image file.
- Check resolution and image size in Image Size. This is what you're stuck with, or you can reduce the resolution but you can't increase it. For color images, you want 300dpi. For bitmap aka line art aka black and white artwork, you want somewhere in the region of 800-1200 dpi. Change the image size to what you need it to be in Illustrator to make sure that the final dpi will be accurate at print size.
- Note: If you're working in Indexed Color or Bitmap mode, you'll need to convert to CMYK or RGB to do the rest of this.
- Using magic wand, select the white background. Adjust the tolerance settings to something that works for your image and make sure anti-aliasing is turned on. Make sure "contiguous" is also selected.
- Select > Inverse
- Use select > modify > contract by 1 or 2 pixels to grab less of the white background ...as you see fit.
- Use select > modify > smooth if necessary to smooth your path.
- Open Windows > Show Paths
- Using little flyout menu in Paths window, select Make Work Path
- Set your tolerance between .5-1.0 or somewhere in there and hit okay. The larger the number, the smoother the path, but you may get too smooth and start clipping edges off the image.
- Double click on the words Work Path in the Paths window.
- Give the path a name. Path 1 (default) is fine.
- Using the flyout menu on the Paths window again, select Clipping Path. Make sure the path you want is selected, leave flatness blank and hit okay.
- Convert image to CMYK if it's RGB.
- Flatten image if it contains layers.
- Save as PhotoShop EPS.
- Choose an 8 bit preview and binary(Mac) or ASCII(PC) encoding. Leave all of the other boxes unchecked. I always use binary encoding because most of my prepress people are on Macs.
- Place the image into Illustrator. Embed it - don't choose LINK during the place process.
- It's in there, it's got a path on its edge that's acting as a clipping mask, making the background "transparent." You can edit that path using AI's path editing tools like smooth or the white arrow tool to drag and reposition individual anchor points. That way, if a little bit of white is peaking out, you can use the white arrow tool to snug the clipping path in a little bit.

Well, I hope this helps!
Amy

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

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply but i've some further questions. Where do i go to change the tolerance after "-Using little flyout menu in Paths window, select Make Work Path". I tried leaving that step out (tolerance one), and continued to follow the rest of the steps but i keep getting a lot of white bits and semi-jagged edges. Even if i try to tuck them away, the logo (what i'm working on) ends up not looking like the original, which isn't so good. Also, is it possible for obtain an almost-perfect duplication of the original picture or would results always (or most of the times) turn out this way?
Thanks again for replying

Answer
Hi again.

I thought I answered your follow up but it seems that I haven't. Weird.

Anyway, Tolerance setting is entered after choosing Make Work Path. A dialog box pops up with a box for tolerance amount.

Yes, editing the background out of an image isn't easy - you will have to work at it. Play with magic wand settings, smooth selection settings, and adjust anchor points in Illustrator until you're happy with the results.

As to why your image isn't looking like the original, the image quality should not be affected at all using the steps I gave you. It will be the exact same image, just with a clipping path drawn over it. While that might affect the amount of the image's edge that you see or don't see, it won't affect the resolution of the image.