Expert: LizaL - 2/26/2006

Question
Hi Lisa-
Well, you were exactly right. I was using the path selection tool instead of the direct selection tool. Thanks again!

Just one more question...After creating the paths and successfully importing the images from Photoshop into Illustrator I had attempted to use Live Trace to change the images into vector images. This worked just fine except for the fact that the transparent background which I had successfully acheived turned white! What's the best way to keep the transparent background while changing the image into a vector image using Live Trace?

Do I need to export the Live Trace graphic back into photoshop, cut paths again, and then re-import the image to Illustrator?

Thanks again.
Rich


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Followup To
Question -
Hi Lisa-
Thanks so much for the instruction on creating the paths that turned the white background transparent. It worked like a charm!
I did, however, have trouble using the direct selection tool. Every time I tried to move a point in or out to get the path more flush with the object, the entire selection
moved instead of just the one point. What was I doing wrong?
Thanks again for your terrific instruction last go 'round.

Rich



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Followup To
Question -
Hi Lisa-
The image in photoshop to be moved into illustrator is a graphic element. A cartoon character, actually. I wish to place it in an  illustrator document that has a green background. Since I want it to appear like it sits on top of the green page I need to  eliminate the surrounding white. Eventually I may create a drop shadow behind it.

It will be used primarily for print.

Thanks for any help and direction you can provide.
Rich


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Followup To
Question -
Hi Liza-
Here's my question:
I have an image in photoshop (CS) that I wish to import
for use into an illustrator (CS) document. The problem is, when I import the image I also import the white space around it. I'm new to using photoshop and illustrator together and need to know how to either:
1) make the white area around the subject image become transparent before importing it to illustrator, or
2) get illustrator to import just the subject image and not the white space around it.

Can you advise me how to procede?
Thanks.
Rich
Answer -
Hi Rich,

Can you give me just a little more information?

1. What kind of image are you working with -- is it a graphic element or a photograph (or part of a photograph)?

2. What is the end result -- that is, will it be used in print, or on the Web?

Let me know as much as you can about the image file itself, and post back, and I'll be happy to help you.

Lisa
Answer -
Hi again Rich,

What you need to create in Photoshop is a clipping path. You do this using the pen tool, and when you save your document, the path "travels" along with the picture, or cartoon, in this case. Then when your Photoshop document is placed into Illustrator, only the part that you clipped out will appear.

Here's how:

1. In Photoshop, select the Pen tool. Make sure its options are set to open path (that would be the rightmost box in the group of two, in the options bar above the image window, once you've chosen the Pen tool). In this case, you don't want your path to fill; you just want it to serve as an outline.

2. Draw your path. Naturally you can tweak it however necessary once you've drawn it, using the Direct Selection tool (located above the Pen tool in the tool palette). Once the path is to your liking, open your Paths palette.

3. From the Paths palette flyout menu (the triangle on the top right of the palette), select Save Path. You have the option to name your path, and if you only have one path, this is up to you; some projects might require multiple paths and it could get confusing, so naming is always an option. At any rate, save your path by hitting OK.

4. Now, from that same flyout menu, go back and select Clipping Path. The path you just created (and named, perhaps) is your clipping path, so select it from the popup menu that appears. You'll see an option to enter a value for Flatness -- and this refers to the smoothness of the path's lines when printed. I normally don't enter anything here, but have been told that a smaller value (less than 10) is desirable, if any flatness is to be designated.

5. Save your document -- and saving as a .psd (Photoshop file) is fine.

6. In Illustrator, use the Place command (under the File pulldown menu) and navigate to your saved .psd. Place it, and you should see that its background is now transparent.

7. This is probably also when you'll see if you need to go back and tweak your clipping path! If so, just reopen the file, delete the previous path, and follow the steps above to create a new clipping path.

Here's a little movie that illustrates these steps:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/clipping_path.mov

(Relatively speaking, it's kind of a large movie, so it might take a minute to load.)

Hope this helps, and let me know if I can clarify anything!

Lisa

Answer -
Hi Rich,

Glad I could help! Now about the Direct Selection tool... I wonder if you might have been using the Path Selection tool, which shares the same space as the Direct Selection tool. The Path Selection tool is a solid arrow, while the Direct Selection tool is hollow. And that tool will select and move your whole path at once.

I think the default tool palette shows the (solid) Path Selection tool, and if you click on it and hold your mouse button down, you'll see the Direct Selection tool below.

But if that's not the case, and you were definitely using the Direct Selection tool, it might be that you weren't clicking directly on a point along your path -- and using the point's handles to manipulate it.

I should have clafiried this: It's kind of a fussy operation, but if you select the (hollow) Direct Selection tool, and click directly on a point, you'll see handles appear on either side of the point. You can use those to maneuver the point itself, or the direction of the line.

Take a look at this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/pen_tool_and_points.mov

You can also add or delete points along your path. You can see me doing that in the little movie, as well. Not to complicate matters, but if you click on the Pen tool and hold down your mouse button, you'll see a full compliment of related tools. The Add and Delete Anchor point tools will add and delete points, respectively. And if you click on the Convert Point tool and then click on a point along your path, you can change the nature of that point from an angle to a curve.

So I hope this helps, and let me know if it doesn't!

Lisa

Answer
Hi again Rich,

I'm glad things are clearer to you now! But I'm not so sure I can help you this time. You have Illustrator CS2, and alas, I only have the lowly Illustrator CS :)   So I don't have the Live Trace function, and I can't speak from experience at all here.

What I have done, though, is gather some information about Live Trace that might help you. From what I've read, your suggestion might be the best -- to do the clipping path in Photoshop, place the image in Illustrator, do the Live Trace, and then take it back to Photoshop to re-clip.

It seems to me there should be a faster way to do this, but as I mentioned, I don't have Live Trace so I can't test it out. And nothing I've read really points to the reality of simply doing a Live Trace in Illustrator that would give you a transparent background.

Anyway... here's what I found that you might look into:

-- There's a PDF you can download on this page that tells more about Live Trace (and it's a good site to bookmark, too, just for reference!):
http://www.creativepro.com:80/story/feature/23537.html


-- Look at the second example here, under Illustrator:
http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=127

If I read this right, they're talking about how the Illustrator image will indeed take on an opaque background, but they just delete the white parts and move on. (At least I *think* that's what they're getting at!)


-- This person talks about making a clipping mask in Illustrator, which is a viable way to mask objects... but I'm not sure if this is what you want. Check it out, at any rate, and don't miss the link to the clipping mask tutorial about a third of the way down the page:
http://www.faystudios.com/illustrator/stepbystep_flyer.cfm


-- What you suggest about making the clipping path, then doing the Live Trace, and then re-doing the clipping path sounds like what they mention here:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/illustrator/ss/sflivetrace.htm

...especially if you look at page six and read what they say about doing the path in Photoshop:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/illustrator/ss/sflivetrace_6.htm


Anyway -- sorry I can't help  you here with Live Trace, but you may have prompted me to upgrade my Illustrator CS!

Lisa