[Tom Hepburn]

OK, I think I understand.

First save another version so you don’t lose the original.

Here is what I would do, select blood layer #1 by, ctrl click on PC, or opt click on a mac…I think) first. Then shift, ctrl or opt click the blood layer #2. You now should have both layers as a selection. Next shift click each layer in the layer palette so they are all selected and go to the drop down menu at the top right of the layer palette and > merge layers. Now you have 1 layer with the blood as a selection while maintaining it’s multiply overlay. Inverse your selection under select and delete and you should be left with one layer of the just he blood with no background and the look that you had with all of the previous layers. You may already know some of the above, but I wanted to make sure my response makes complete sense. Let me know if it doesn’t. Also, I’m sure this isn’t the ONLY way to do this, but it is how I would do it.
Hope it helps,
Tom

[Tom Hepburn]

What I’ve done through trial and error is to create the file as you’re doing in illustrator, then save it as an .EPS

For some reason (for me anyway) it never seemed to work with Maya unless it was saved in a previous version illustrator eps. I use Illustrator 8 when I save the eps. It gives you the version option in a drop down menu when you have save, but always defaults to the version you’re using. I would try that first as I think that’s the problem. If you still have a prob, I have another suggestion.

Tom

[Tom Hepburn]

If memory serves me (always a long shot), you can check “composition” when you import. At least with Photoshop, it then brings your file in as a composition. Within that composition are the separate layers.

Tom

[Tom Hepburn]

I just tried a bunch of things in another last ditch effort and apparently a “shift” click will do it.
Thanks anyway.

Tom
Moderator, feel free to delete this if you see fit.

[Tom Hepburn]

A quick question: is this blood on it’s own layer still? If so either program will work. There are a couple of ways to do it.

1)In PS you could sample the color in the blood that you want to keep, select the layer and simply (edit>)fill.

2) or in either program you could crush the levels to black so your left with with a flat color (or lack of color in this case) then, image>adjust>hue/saturation and click the “colorize” box and adjust to the red you want. You could also do it the same way in AfterEffects, but you could save yourself a bit of rendering time but doing it in PS.

T

[Tom Hepburn]

Anyone?

🙂

[Tom Hepburn]

Hi Matt,

That does sound strange. If it were me I’d try scanning them in at 300 or even less, as a test, unless you’re zooming in on a pupil or something. Just to be clear, you’re are talking about them blurring after you render right?

I’d be interested to know what the problem was when you find out. One other thing to check is if they’re scanned in as RGB?

Tom

[Tom Hepburn]

Sorry Jeff, this was pertaining to Photoshop, not illustrator.

Thanks for the reply.

Tom

[Tom Hepburn]

Thanks Jim,

I also found out that dragging the layer to another document (with the same parameters that you outlined) while holding “shift” would do the same thing.

Good times!

T

[Tom Hepburn]

Thanks to both of you. I’m off and running.

T