Edit Unlicensed Watermarked Vector to Test Look

[yesimtri]

I know that you can edit an unlicensed, watermarked Adobe Stock image in photoshop to help you decide whether or not you want to license the image.

Can we edit unlicensed, watermarked Adobe Stock vector files to adjust to our colors, sizing, etc for a test preview be we choose to license it?

It's kinda hard  to grasp if a vector file will work if I'm need to majorly adjust colors, move elements around, or just needing one or two elements from the vector.

Thank you!

[twaritar3263062]

Hi Tri,

You can definitely save the image in the preview mode and edit the vector file to test whether it works as per your requirements, but I would like to inform you that watermark images are of low resolution. So in order to get a high-resolution vector file, you need to license those images.

Also, you may refer to Adobe Stock pricing and membership plan | Adobe Stock  for more details about our subscription plans.

Feel free to update this thread in case of any additional query.

Regards,

Twarita

[yesimtri]

I already have a stock membership. I have vectors saved in my libraries for projects, but I don't know how to edit the previews.

I would ungroup, release clipping masks, etc, and it's still just an image and I can't adjust certain elements, etc.

Do you know how to adjust the vector previews?

[twaritar3263062]

Could you please let me know which application are you using to adjust the vector previews( Illustrator or Photoshop)?

Regards,

Twarita

[yesimtri]

Illustrator.

[twaritar3263062]

Moving to Illustrator​

[Ton Frederiks]

twaritar3263062  wrote

So in order to get a high-resolution vector file, you need to license those images.

Twarita,

There is no such thing as a high resolution vector file.

Vector files do not have a resolution and are resolution independend.

[yesimtri]

I already have a stock membership. I have vectors saved in my libraries for projects, but I don't know how to edit the previews.

I would ungroup, release clipping masks, etc, and it's still just an image and I can't adjust certain elements, etc.

How do we edit the vector previews?

[Srishti Bali]

Hi yesimtri,

As per your conversation above you have previewed some images from stock however you were unable to edit some elements.

In order to help you better on this we would require some details like :

• Image numbers
• Version of Illustrator
• Also please share some screenshots to explain which elements you are trying to edit.

Regards

Srishti

[yesimtri]

Here's the screen shot of the preview image from the actual library with the File # that I have save for possible use. I'm working on Illustrator CC. I have the creative suite along with paid access to Adobe Stock.

Basically, I want to edit the elements to see if it would work for my project before using one of my licenses. Example would be to change the red circles in this image to a different color and change the navy to another color. Or delete some circles and resize them.

[Ton Frederiks]

If you would be able to edit the preview of the vector file in the way you described it, you would have full access to the vector information.

There would be no difference between the preview and the licensed file.

Allowing to edit the vector information would be the same as giving away the artwork.

So the answer is no.

[yesimtri]

Correct, but with Adobe stock images, you're able to edit the watermarked preview images in Photoshop to see changes and edits then license the image. Once you license, the watermark disappears.

Thus, I'm asking if vectors can be the same in illustrator where you can edit the watermarked preview image (with the watermark still on there) to see if it would work for your project then license it where the watermark disappears.

You can see on this Adobe link and look at #6, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Adobe link: Using Adobe Stock

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

As Ton said, you cannot edit the vector, but you can edit the color if you want. (See screenshots below.)

1. Select the image and use an Image Trace Preset, such as 6 Colors
2. Expand the Image Trace to get to its vector
3. With the vector objects selected, go to the Edit menu > Color > Recolor Artwork.

Recolor Artwork is like a color laboratory within Illustrator do to all kinds of amazing things with your color.

Here's one of my video tutorials about Recolor Artwork from Creative Pro: A Look Inside Illustrator’s Live Color - YouTube

6 Color Preset (Image Trace)

Expand Image Trace to get to it's vector

Recolor Artwork dialog window.

Colors Swapped out.

[yesimtri]

Thanks, Jeff.

So basically the answer is no. You cannot legitimately edit watermarked preview vectors in Illustrator before licensing, but you can edit watermarked preview images in Photoshop.

Thanks everyone for your input. I was trying to see if Adobe allows editing of watermarked preview images in Illustrator like it does for Photoshop stock images so it would be easier to find the perfect vector to license for a project before committing to the use of one my Adobe Stock credits.

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

This is, however, a fairly simple Pattern. You could create something similar in 5 minutes using Illustrator.

Here's a video tutorial about the Pattern feature in Illustrator: http://www.jeffwitchel.net/2012/07/create-simply-amazing-patterns/

[Ton Frederiks]

Yes, basically the answer is no.

The reason you can edit watermarked images is because you would be leaving the watermark in the image, because it is part of the image pixels. The creator does not have to do anything to make his file watermarked, the system just burns ir into the preview.

With an editable vector file it would be easy to delete the watermark.

Unless the stock system would take the effort to create a separate file with the watermark baked in to the vectors.

[Kurt Gold]

I think it's a bit overcautious to claim that it's illegitimate to use the Image Trace method Jeff is describing above (as long as you are not going to steal anything and just want to do some experiments with colours etc.). I would have recommended that as well.

Leaving the watermark of a raster image in Photoshop? Well, with basic Photoshop skills it is quite easy to remove any visible watermark, so strictly speaking even opening the image (knowing that you can and will manipulate it) would have to be called an illegal act. Don't get me wrong, but this attitude seems to be a bit crampred.

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

With the Image Trace method, if you delete the Watermark, it's still there as a hole hole through the pattern. So it's definitely not an illegitimate use of the image.

[Kurt Gold]

Yes, but you could plaster over that hole or darn it with some other ploys. Don't think that's the point.

I think it's rather simple: As long as you are not going to steal anything you can do anything to find out if the product is appropriate for its purpose, or not.

[John Mensinger]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Kurt+Gold  wrote

As long as you are not going to steal anything...

Right.

Pre-purchase experimentation is no crime. One could even say it might be a prudent step in determining whether the purchase will serve the intended purpose.

[Jeff Witchel, ACI]

Absolutely! Using the altered image with or without the watermark in a comp, will just help to sell the final image. Who could possibly complain about that. Totally legal!

[Ton Frederiks]

As long as you are not going to steal anything, everything is ok.

There are many ways to remove the watermark.

Google recently introduced a simple way to remove it from images (and a way to prevent it).

[Srishti Bali]

Hi yesimtri,

Please place the image and embed on new Illustrator file to check color change. On preview, if you open .ai file directly, you wont be able to release compound path to layers, once you license the image you will be able to change colors on .ai file without embedding it.

Regards

Srishti