What is the easiest way to recreate and/or clean up this image?

[monicaw73787342]

I realize this is very basic, but sometimes basic is difficult in Photoshop! I need to make the loops in this image clean and change the color, I lost the original file? I will probably end up recreating the logo, but is there an easier way? It's a scanned image and is blotchy. If I recreate it would you suggest photoshop or illustrator for making these arrows?

[JJMack]

I do not use it but would think Illustrator would be the best  option.  I read about a trace feature it has.  That feature may do it for you. Illustrator is Adobe's vector application.

[davescm]

I would just draw it with the pen tool, stroke the resulting path with a brush then add any color as a separate layer clipped to the arrow strokes.

[Trevor.Dennis · Accepted solution]

I couldn't let this one pass me by without having a play.  This is 2000 pixels wide, so usable, but I'll flick you the PSD if you want it. (aren't I kind )

The original lacks symmetry which kind of offends me a little bit.  The apparently repeating pattern does not actually repeat, and I have compromised by using copies of the left lower loop, and aligning them as best I could.  I used a combination of vector lines with arrow heads that were FT Warped, made them a Smart Object (so I could repeat the FT) and used New Smart Object via Copy to make copies I could give unique edits. The lower lines have compound (tightening) curves, so I had stroke paths which leave you with raster content, so not ideal.  The same with the little feathered lines which are stroked paths with size set to Fade.

I am not sure what the designer of Adobe Caslon Pro would make of the liberties the original designer has taken with their font.  I am fairly certain that they changed the aspect ratio with the width up to 130% in one place.

Another thought if you have Lazy Nezumi Pro is to use its Loop preset.

These settings:

Produced a pretty close match, and it took me less than a minute to home in on the right settings.

LNP line at the top, of course.  Note that the LNP settings are related to canvas size. Note also that the default max amplitude is 100, but if you click on the three dots you can increase that.

[monicaw73787342]

Wow, thanks Trevor! I couldn't ask for a better answer, and solved my future photoshop problems

[Trevor.Dennis]

monicaw73787342  wrote

Wow, thanks Trevor! I couldn't ask for a better answer, and solved my future photoshop problems

I suspect most of the regular posters here love any excuse to play with Photoshop, so you are welcome.

I meant to say when making post #3 that the file actually caused noticeable lag on my system.  It was 8 bit and 2000 pixels wide, but had what I am becoming more and more convinced is causing me problems, and that's making vector layers into Smart Objects.  Some posters might remember the watch illustration I posted a while back and said it was making my system unusable.  That had a similar construction, but more of them.  Further more, even after rasterising several of the Smart Object layers, my system did not get a whole lot faster.  It's as if once you have caused a document to contain this sort of content, it doesn't let go of it even if you rasterise the layer.  It might even still be the case if you delete the offending layers. 

It needs some proper testing me thinks, and I need to progress the new system build I had hoped to start in January, but does not look like happening any time soon.   

[monicaw73787342]

Going back to your last offer Trevor, if you haven't moved on - it would be great to have the PSD, is that still possible? Thanks again so much!

Thanks for all of the help and feedback. If you don't have the file, no worries - I am late to this!