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kissfrito@yahoo.com
kissfrito@yahoo.com
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Saving a shape to file?

Jul 10, 2012 10:58 PM

Tags: #illustrator #mac

I have simply created a special ellipse in illustrator that I want to save to file and import to an iPhone application. I was wondering about the following:

 

1) How do I make the file so that just the ellipse appears, ie cut everything else out of the file, all the white space, so that there just exists space for the ellipse shape and the ellipse shape only.

 

2) What file format would be the best to save it to? Any particular settings / suggestions?


Sorry if this is simple, I am new to illustrator.

1196 Views   17 Replies   Latest reply: Jacob Bugge, Jul 12, 2012 1:43 AM
 
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  • [scott w]
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    1. [scott w],
    Jul 11, 2012 12:48 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    File > Save for Web and choose PNG24 for the format.

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    2. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 1:07 AM   in reply to [scott w]
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    Thanks...I know how to save it, but I'm wondering how to crop it so just the shape gets saved and no exterior space. Kind of like if you were trying to save a circular icon, and didn't want the box shape around it.

     
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  • Mylenium
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    3. Mylenium,
    Jul 11, 2012 1:14 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    Artboard tool --> Fit to Object, then enable the Use Artboards option when exporting.

     

    Mylenium

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    4. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 1:40 AM   in reply to Mylenium
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    Thank you sir. I noticed it will only fit down to the smallest square shape that will surround my ellipse. Is there any way to make the square edges of it translucent so just the ellipse remains?

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    5. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 11, 2012 1:55 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    kissfrito,

     

    Make sure to tick Transparency.

     

    You can only save rectangular areas to the raster formats, so they will correspond to the Bounding Box (hence the need to Use Preview Bounds if you have a stroke, to avoid cutting off the outer half of the stroke at the middle of the straight parts).

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    6. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 2:05 AM   in reply to Jacob Bugge
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    Thanks...where exactly is that?

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    7. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 11, 2012 2:12 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    kissfrito,

     

    It is in the main Save for Web (& Devices) window where you choose the format.

     

    In this case, or others, you may also wish to tick Anti-Aliasing in the Image Size window.

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    8. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 3:47 AM   in reply to Jacob Bugge
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    Thanks...Is the anti-aliasing so the little white specs don't appear around the border? I went into preferences and shut off anti-aliasing drawing and yet they still appear (don't know if that is different from Anti-Aliasing in the IMage Size Window, could not find that). Anything else I can do to eliminate the little white specs?

     
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  • [scott w]
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    9. [scott w],
    Jul 11, 2012 4:45 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    Your'e going to need to post some screenshot to explain "white specs". If it's a vector image within illustrator there's really shouldn't be any "white specs" unless you are using something like a drop shadow or outer glow and have a matte color set in the Save For Web window.

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    10. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 11, 2012 5:00 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    kissfrito,

     

    I am referring to the Image Size window inside the Save for Web & Devices window, not the general preferences which govern how your artwork looks in Illy; you should retick Anti-Aliasing there.

     

    You may also select a suitable Matte colour in the Save for Web & Devices window, corresponding to the background colour.

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    11. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 11:37 PM   in reply to [scott w]
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    Here is the screen shot:

     

    Screen Shot.png

     

    See the sort of white specs around the edges?

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    12. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 11, 2012 11:39 PM   in reply to Jacob Bugge
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    Alright I see what you mean Jacob, in mine it calls it "art optimized", I changed that to none and the outline seemed to go from smooth to really rough.

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    13. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 11, 2012 11:54 PM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    kissfrito,

     

    What happens if you change the Matte to the grey background colour?

     

    And do the white specs grow when you zoom in?

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    14. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 12, 2012 12:05 AM   in reply to Jacob Bugge
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    The white specs do grow as I zoom in.

     

    When I change the matte, the white specs seem to get filled in with whatever color I choose as the matte.

     

    Thanks again.

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    15. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 12, 2012 1:26 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    kissfrito,

     

    I asked about the specs size to rule out any monitor issue.

     

    When you use the GIF format with transparency, you have to use the Matte colour to avoid the whities, because the pixels in question are filled with a mixture of the image colour and the Matte colour..

     

    But it should be unnecessary when you use the PNG format with transparency, because the transparency is what it says.

     
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  • kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    16. kissfrito@yahoo.com,
    Jul 12, 2012 1:36 AM   in reply to Jacob Bugge
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    That's exactly right. Didn't realize I was saving as a GIF, but when I switched to PNG it worked. Thanks so much for your help!!

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    17. Jacob Bugge,
    Jul 12, 2012 1:43 AM   in reply to kissfrito@yahoo.com
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    You are welcome, kissfrito.

     
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