Adobe Community: Basic questions about scanned image to AI vector

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1. Jacob Bugge,

May 5, 2012 11:28 AM in reply to TCarp

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TCarp,

For a task like clothing design the obvious choice is to redraw, using the Pen Tool.

It is possible to use Live Trace, but nothing is really gained by that as compared to leaving it as raster (unless supplemented with so much cleanup that the Pen Tool would probably be easier as well as better).

Why change it when the company accepts raster artwork?

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2. TCarp,

May 6, 2012 8:59 AM in reply to Jacob Bugge

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Thanks,

And your question about leaving it raster is legit. In fact, we discussed that this morning and concluded the same thing.

Remember, I'm learning about his artwork while getting a better understanding of AI and the overall process he would follow.

I think he may have both the kind of artwork that lends itself to raster but will also have some work that would probably be better if vector (i.e. logo).

If he will end up drawing in AI does the Pen Tool in AI have some of the capabilities to like snap to a line or trace a line? I'm asking assuming he will still want to do his original artwork on a piece of paper by hand. Is he going to be better off to learn how to draw in AI?

Tom

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3. JETalmage,

May 6, 2012 10:18 AM in reply to TCarp

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What are the limits?

Misunderstanding about the assumed "automagic" of autotracing is one of the most commonly-repeated discussion topics in this forum. Do a search for "autotrace".

JET

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4. Jacob Bugge,

May 6, 2012 3:29 PM in reply to TCarp

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Tom,

Your friend may be happier with the present workflow.

But it is possible to make drawings more or less the same way in vector with a stylus on a tablet, such as a Wacom Intuous; drawing with the Pen Tool is completely different, as are creating shapes with the shape Tools and using live Type and other ways of creating more or less predetermined shapes.

You and he may have a look at the different options and choose the least worst.

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5. TCarp,

May 7, 2012 6:33 AM in reply to Jacob Bugge

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Thank you very much.

As you and Jet may be able to tell, this is a learning journey for both me and my friend. Talking this morning, he is currently comfortable with actually drawing on paper. What this learning is doing is helping him understand (and create) a process he can use.

And if he's going to stick with paper AND wants to get vector objects from the drawing, some sort of tablet or other tool may be best.

As a non-artist myself, I find it interesting learning about how/when artists with vector imaging in mind (e.g. logos) makes the leap from paper to mouse.

Tom

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6. TCarp,

May 7, 2012 6:35 AM in reply to JETalmage

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JET, thanks for the heads up.

I use a mapping tool that allows for some tracing. It's not all that sophisticated so my expectations are low for auto-tracing.

Tom

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7. Jacob Bugge,

May 7, 2012 6:54 AM in reply to TCarp

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Tom,

the leap from paper to mouse

Actually, it is a leap from pen to stylus, from paper to screen (you draw on the tablet while looking at the screen, if you look at the tablet it is like using invisible ink). And it is possible to use the stylus instead of the mouse.

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8. JETalmage,

May 7, 2012 9:30 AM in reply to TCarp

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Tom,

I've been doing this since the Mac Plus. You don't need a stylus to manually trace a raster image in a vector drawing program. I very seldom ever use a stylus--and even then only in raster imaging programs--because I simply prefer any decent optical mouse. Tracing your sketches is about drawing paths. It's not about the pointing device; it's about developing an understanding of and acquaintance with the interface of drawing Bezier curves.

JET

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9. TCarp,

May 7, 2012 11:11 AM in reply to JETalmage

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Thanks again to both of you.

We learned today about the challenge of using a tablet looking at the screen. My artist friend would prefer to have the image show on the media he's drawing on but understands this is a skill he may want to develop.

And JET, I get it. I use mapping software (ArcMap) and do some drawing in it, so I understand the general process that he'd use in AI.

I have enough to turn to figuring out what AI skills he'll need.

Thanks again

Tom

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10. Jacob Bugge,

May 7, 2012 3:24 PM in reply to TCarp

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For my part you are welcome, Tom.

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11. Wade_Zimmerman,

May 7, 2012 5:29 PM in reply to TCarp

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If you can wait a short while you will be amazed at the new Image Trace feature in Illustrator CS 6 or better yet since the C^ download is live and full operational download it and try it out.

There may still be reasons to use the pentool for this purpose but the need for that has been great diminished

Easy to recolor

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Basic questions about scanned image to AI vector

May 5, 2012 8:54 AM

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