how are these vectors done

[Mike Gondek]

First I’ll refer you to an old tutorial.
https://mikegondek.com/creativetech/photoshop/14/psp14.htm

Then load your mask a selection (CTRL click on the mask layer) and from the paths palette use make work path. You can then copy and paste this path into Illustrator.

[Nina Rosenblatt]

that’s funny actually, I saw a tutorial a while back on doing an image just like that. It may have been on the layers magazine site.

it was about doing the look of an Apple Ipod commercial.

heres one, but this is not of the quality of the one I remember:

https://www.tutorial9.net/photoshop/design-a-coldplayapple-inspired-portrait-in-photoshop/

this:

https://www.layersmagazine.com/retro-adobe-illustrator.html

and this, love this one:

https://www.layersmagazine.com/blending-gradients-in-illustrator.html

[Nina Rosenblatt]

sorry just reread your post. check out the third tutorial i gave you. i think that’s perfect.