Skip navigation
irsmun7
irsmun7 Calculating status...
Currently Being Moderated

Trying to do a knockout with text.

May 24, 2012 2:01 PM

I admittedly am an amature illustrator user. I have only used it for a week now. I do have experience in photoshop so the learning curve was ok.

 

I want to create a vector logo so I cannot use photoshop. I know how to do what I want to do in photoshop but not in illustrator.  I need to do a knockout on a letter of text combine all objects together as one so I have a single vector file with transparency in the appropriate places.

 

logo.jpg

There are 6 elements in this graphic: clean, green, text on bottom left, text on bottom right, the arrow on the "g" and another "g" (in white behind the green making it appear as a knockout).

 

Visually this works as long as you have a white background since the rear "g" is in white. There is a white stroke around that "g" creating the knockout effect. What I have been trying to do for the last 2 days is combine all of these elements into one object with everything white being transparent. I am frustrated.

1068 Views   10 Replies   Latest reply: irsmun7, May 24, 2012 4:52 PM
 
Replies
  • Jesseham
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Jesseham,
    May 24, 2012 2:14 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    Outline stroke is what you're looking for - it will take the stroke around the "g" and make it into a compound path that you can then use with the pathfinder to chop off your "n"  Holler back if you need more detail.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Kurt Gold
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Kurt Gold,
    May 24, 2012 2:18 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    Have you already explored AI's Pathfinder?

     

    There are several ways to get what you want. A Knockout group would be an alternative, for example, but since you're saying you're a newcomer I wouldn't recommend that route as it takes some more knowledge.

     

    Start with Pathfinder.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • irsmun7
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. irsmun7,
    May 24, 2012 2:25 PM   in reply to Jesseham
    Report

    Yes, I will need a bit more detail. Do I need to select all the objects? Do I need to group them? I need a step by step. Again, I am only a week into this.  Thank you so much. My hair is already starting to grow back.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Jesseham
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Jesseham,
    May 24, 2012 2:39 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    Type -> Create Outlines of your g and your n, (if you haven't already)

    Select your "g" and Object -> Path -> Outline Stroke.  This will leave you with a group containing your stroke (now a compound path) and your fill.

    Ungroup them.

    Put your outlined stroke above your N in the layers panel. (not essential, but if it's not the next step is different)

    Select your outlined stroke and your n and from the pathfinder panel, "exclude" (top row, far right)

    This will give you a group containing your cut shapes.  Ungroup.  Delete outlined stroke. Profit.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • irsmun7
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. irsmun7,
    May 24, 2012 3:07 PM   in reply to Jesseham
    Report

    Ok, we are getting somewhere. Thats a whole lot of steps to do a simple knockout but it worked, thank you.

     

    The only problem was when I outlined my letters in "clean" I lost my gradient fill. When I tried to add it back it puts the gradient in each individual letter not the word as a whole. I am sure I was supposed to prep something properly and I did not.  Do I have to do this over or can I fix it from here?

     

     

    It now looks like this:

    logo2.jpg

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • irsmun7
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. irsmun7,
    May 24, 2012 3:22 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    Wait....I did it!! I selected the letters, then chose Object>Compound Path>Make

     

    Then I reapplied the gradient.  Sweet.

     

    Now, for the last part, how do I join all of these elements into a single object?

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Mojorocker1964
    Currently Being Moderated
    7. Mojorocker1964,
    May 24, 2012 3:34 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    Select all the elements, right click, group. Incidentally you can right click, (Option-click on a Mac) and isolate the group. This allows you to edit individual pieces of the graphic without having to un-group. You may say "how does that save time?" It don't. It allows you to make edits without effecting any other elements in your graphic. This will become painfully evident when you combine several graphics together in an layout. I use the select by color tool, (Y on the keyboard shortcut list) and then the (I keyboard short cut) copy attributes all the time. You will see the need to isolate the graphic in time.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • irsmun7
    Currently Being Moderated
    8. irsmun7,
    May 24, 2012 4:21 PM   in reply to Mojorocker1964
    Report

    I just saved it as an eps file. Not the right way to do it but functional none the less. Plus my original file is still editable. I would still like to figure out how to group all objects and text as a single vector object.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Jesseham
    Currently Being Moderated
    9. Jesseham,
    May 24, 2012 4:34 PM   in reply to irsmun7
    Report

    You can't have them as "one object" with different fills.  You can have them as a group, as mojo said.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • irsmun7
    Currently Being Moderated
    10. irsmun7,
    May 24, 2012 4:52 PM   in reply to Jesseham
    Report

    Ahha.. Ok, its the fill types that are keeping it from happening. Thank you for that understanding.  You guys have been great.

     
    |
    Mark as:
Actions

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (1)

Answers + Points = Status

  • 10 points awarded for Correct Answers
  • 5 points awarded for Helpful Answers
  • 10,000+ points
  • 1,001-10,000 points
  • 501-1,000 points
  • 5-500 points