• Adobe Illustrator

  Former Flame Artist needs Illustrator/Photoshop Help

  Posted by Colleen @ grassroots on July 12, 2007 at 1:22 pm

  I am a former Flame Artist/Compositor that is now doing straight print work and need help translating my flame knowledge into Illustrator/Photoshop CS2. Please help me with the following basic things that I can’t seem to figure out.

  Soft masks:
  I just want to bring an image into Illustrator and then create a free hand SOFT mask around it.

  Simple Fill & Matte
  I know I am an idiot on this one BUT I am trying to save a file with an Alpha attached and then be able to bring it into Illustrator as a Fill and Matte

  Kehrrie replied 18 years, 10 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Kehrrie

  August 14, 2007 at 12:04 am

  Through trial and error I’ve determined that:

  1. Illustrator can open a Photoshop document that has layers;
  2. Those layers that have transparency will carry through as is;

  Therefore, for example, if I have a two layer document and layer 2 has transparent bits (or “alpha” if you will), then Illustrator will treat that layer as an object with the transparency that was created in Photoshop.

  IMPORTANT –> The key is that you must have either a minimum of 2 layers and your object of interest must be on a layer other than the background layer, which will be solid, OR no background layer. I think. Give it a try.

  I don’t think it’s feasible to try to create a freehand soft mask in Illustrator. It’s just not geared for it.

  HTH :: kehrrie

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