[Vincent Rosati]

I hear your pain, brother.

Illustrator is a very specialized tool that caters the needs of numerous industries.
I had a similar experience while working with MIDI and FL Studio. FL Studio was the ‘specialized tool’, and it had capabilities that escape the standards of midi. But it wasn’t until the project was complete, and the midi file was being pushed into its purpose that it was discovered that I created a file that violated the standards.
It wasn’t a terribly huge deal, but it was extra work.

Anyway, AI is super powerful and can efficiently create complex vectors. Your only other option might be Corel Draw. I haven’t used Corel in some time, but if you test it I suspect that its still similar to AI in complexity.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Oh brother! You’re getting into more advanced type illustration, given this example.

Here are the steps outlined in the attached AI file.
I’m sure there are a dozen ways you could do this, but hopefully this will give you some ideas.

1 – Create an object with the Polygon tool.

2 – Make it fancy.
Object Blend Specified Steps.
Add Effect Distort Zig Zag.
Expand.
Pathfinder Minus Back.
Cleanup.

3 – Duplicate with Cmd + D to create the pattern.
See: https://library.creativecow.net/articles/rosati_vincent/radial_patterns.php

4 – Object Envelope Distort Make with Top Object.

Working example file here:
7074_warpedpatternv10.ai.zip

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

I haven’t fully absorbed your thread, so apologies if this is old news. At about step 7, once you’re back on the artboard do Object/Expand so you can access the the individual objects.

“Perfecting” a trace can sometimes take more time than just doing a redraw.

When AI creates a B&W trace it has black filled objects, and white filled objects as the negative-space areas.
Efter the expand, you might want to use the Group Select tool, click on one of the whites and Select > Same fill color, than delete.
There’s probably also a bounding box that may need to be deleted.

Just some initial thoughts.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Initially, I’d say that since you’re working in CMYK I’ll presume that you intend to print this art.
You might want to do test prints on something similar to your production medium – photo gloss, or photo matte, or whatever.
The color issues that you’re seeing on the other systems sounds a lot like the app isn’t properly interpreting CMYK. Many OS or non-pro apps will do this.
You can create an RGB proof, only for these users.
So, this is probably not an issue with the file.
Again, try a high quality test print.
Let us know how it goes.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Post a screenshot, if you get a chance.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Nothing more that Large List, I’m afraid. Have you found any other solutions?

Is the issue that they are just too small, or that they are not there?

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Open the Pathfinder palette and try Unite. You might need to Object / Expand, or your version of Illustrator might have an option on the Unite button. Just hover over it to see if there are any additional instructions.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

I’d say that looks like a Live Trace of actual paint work.

If I had to illustrate something like that I’d maybe start with the Star or Ellipse tool. Maybe use Effect / Distort / Zig-Zag.

Just some rough ideas.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

To get a vector out of Photoshop
Make your selection, as you did.
Than Window / Path / Make work path.
There is a Work Path button at the bottom the the Path palette, or in the Path drop-down menu.
Now you can File / Export paths to Illustrator.
This will create a file with the path objects in the PS file.

Now back in AI, you can add a color as a fill. Or if you need the raster texture you can paste it in (or better, File / Place an external resource TIF or PSD), than use the path as a clipping mask on the raster.

Let us know.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

I think you almost had it with Pathfinder / Unite. You’d just need to Object / Expand before copying out of Illustrator.
Some versions of AI also have a command option, when you click the Unite button, that will automatically expand it. Don’t remember which though.

Vince

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