[Vincent Rosati]

I realize you’re probably past your deadline at this point, but…
It’s hard to say how you should draw these.
It depends on what they need them to look like.
Do they need to be line drawings, or do they need color, shading, etc.
I would say, you’re probably going to need the pen tool, at least.
One of the general rules in drawing is that you draw what you see.
You can import the raster image, put it in it’s own layer, and lock the layer. Then draw on top of it in another layer.
Depending on how many details you would need, it could potentially be a complicated illustration, or not, depending on your approach and desired result.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Try reattaching. If you used ‘File Upload’, there’s a box that has the link code. You need to add this to your message.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Here’s one way…
Using Object/Blend, setting the tail object to Opacity zero.
Possibly adding Blend/Replace Spine and Outer Glow.

Here’s an example file…
Adobe Illustrator Motion Blur

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

See if the attached file on this thread might do what you are talking about…
Text Wrap Corner of Box

It uses Object/Envelope Distort/Make with Top Object.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Any chance you could ZIP an AI file with a few of the components in the original state so we can see exactly what you are describing – or even just the whole original file? Use the File Upload feature, above.
Maybe put some text notes in the file.

You said:
Object>Expand>Path and then I Alt-Clicked Unite in Pathfinder. Then I clicked the Expand button in Pathfinder.

Thinking out loud…
So, you selected everything, outlined the strokes, turned everything into one object so that it has a black fill with no stroke.

You said:
But it also gave me individual borders around each item. Now all I have to do is select the outer paths and move them to a 3rd layer, then delete the 2nd layer and I have my outlines. Of course then I would do some manual line weighting…

I think I’m just not clear on what you are working with and what your desired result is.

Here’s a CS4 file showing what I have in my mind. I have little confidence that it’s anything remotely close to what you are trying to do…
1228_partcs4.ai.zip
(D’oh, I should have set the file to View/Show Transparency Grid.)

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

This might take a bit to work out.

As you are describing an object with no colors or stroke weights you’re limiting your use of Select/Same Fill or Same Stroke.

You require randomizing.
This can be handled with a script, but you’d still need a way to select the appropriate components.

Could you drag your object into the Brush palette and create a Scatter Brush with random size?

Or maybe you could add the stroke to a basic object, like a circle or something, then drag the circle into the Graphic Styles palette. Then you could select all of your objects, click on your new style, and whammo!, the style is applied to everything you’ve selected.

Just some ideas to get the ball rolling.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

I’m not totally sure about that plugin, but I’d try doing an export and see what it looks like. In Illustrator, it’s not so much what you see in the artboard that counts, but what prints or exports.

When I initially saw your post I started putting together a file. I trashed it when I saw the responses. Anyway, what I was going to offer was doing an Offset Path.

Set your type (make it kinda big).
Create outlines.
Then Object/Path/Offset Path. Use a negative value like 2pt or whatever. You can enable Preview while in this dialogue box. This will create the interior structure of the bevel.
Now you will have all of the points and paths you will need to draw the bevel effect.

Total control, and it will look as good as what you put into it.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Looks like the font’s probably Eras.

You’ll probably have to draw white triangles and put them into position.
Maybe using the Align palette, or Blend two triangles for each object.

Hard to tell, but the blur that moves leftward out of the text might be a different shape, more of a hollow-ground or concaved shape (depending on which way you are looking at it).
So, you could pull the points on the left sides of the text to the left using the Direct Selection tool, to have the extra mass that you need, then put the white shapes on top.

To finalize it you would just use the Pathfinder tool to subtract the shapes or something. Of course, with the text outlined.

Probably spend at least 10 minutes on this, but no more than 45.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

I’m guessing this is a transparent PNG. Maybe try saving the image as a PSD, and use that in the Premiere Project.
Also, regarding the flicker, I’m guessing you mean video flicker on a CRT display. If so, you could right click on the clip in the Premiere timeline and select flicker removal, or otherwise vertically blur the image from 1.5 to 2 pixels. There’s plenty more on this issue in the Premiere forums.

Vince

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[Vincent Rosati]

Yes, on PC you will get an AVI file when decompressing a video file.

Vince

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