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WidmarkRob Calculating status...

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CS5 Manually Tracing

Jul 26, 2012 4:15 PM

Tags: #illustrator #anchor #path #points #stroke #tracing

I haven't quite mastered the pen tool yet, but… I'm coming along just fine.

I have this raster image I would like to vectorize, I have just started tracing… I know I could probably just experiment with it and hit control-Z a bunch of times until I figured out, but… I thought I would ask anyway, maybe somebody could give me some tips about tracing with the pen tool.

My Stroke is .25

I haven't figured out how to change the color of my paths, that's why they are green.

is it possible to select the highlighted anchor point on the right & create a path/stroke to the highlighted anchor point on the left?

392 Views 3 Replies Latest reply: Jacob Bugge, Jul 27, 2012 2:51 PM

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1. Wade_Zimmerman,

Jul 26, 2012 9:48 PM in reply to WidmarkRob

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The highlight for the path tool is related to the layer color and each layer comes with it own color.

You can change the color of the layer double clicking a non active part of that layer in the layers panel.

Like this

Double click the color square and you get a picker pick a color

Layers can have any color and so can sublayers and that would be the only waay to control the color

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2. WidmarkRob,

Jul 26, 2012 10:06 PM in reply to Wade_Zimmerman

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Good Stuff, good to know…

Thank you

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3. Jacob Bugge,

Jul 27, 2012 2:51 PM in reply to WidmarkRob

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Rob,

A few of the things that might be worth knowing/realizing:

1) It is best to use the smallest possible number of Anchor Point, placed where they have the greatest effect on the shape, to get the smoothest and cleanest paths; in this connexion it is important to think ahead to enable the right continuation.

2) You may avoid some try and fail, then Undo, when you ClickDrag a new Anchor Point with Handles, by pressing the Spacebar which allows you to move the Anchor Point about while the Handles are freezed.

Others may add other suggestions.

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