Artwork on a Transparent Art Board

I’m trying to do something very simple yet can’t seem to figure it out.
I’d like to work with my vector graphic line drawing on a completely transparent background. My goal is to add color in blocks behind the line drawing.
I know how to import my artwork, placing it on the art board, and then make a Live Trace. And I understand how converting it into Live Paint will create outlines. But it looks like if I want to remove the default color of the art board (White), I need to also remove the color of the line. And I don’t want to have to re-color all of my line.
I remember in the old days of Streamline how this was possible. (My last version of Illustrator was the original CS, so I’m way behind.) It looks like the only option for coloring artwork in CS4 is to do it exactly inside the lines, super-clean. And I’d like the freedom to paint behind the line.
Does anyone have a work-flow that they could share with me to achieve a line drawing on a transparent background with a second layer underneath for color?
Thank you.

Win 7, Illustrator CS5, plenty of RAM & ROM
I am having trouble with PNG transparent files also. This work is from an original EPS, so no tracing is involved. I wish to use the file in PowerPoint so I need the transparency. As I mentioned above, I thought that PNG files were natively transparent, unless you add a coloured background.
I have tried flattening the file but this does not work.
Only saving as a web file maintains the transparency, but this quality is too poor to use.

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Exporting all art boards from a document with only one art board adds -01 to filename in cs4!!! GRRR

Hi all,
I love the new multiple art boards feature but where is the logic when you only have one art board? It gets re-named with an -01.
picture.png becomes picture-01.png
This is really frustrating because the old crop marks system is gone and oh well it is just frustrating.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Tim

He cheryl,
Thanks for your reply, but then i can't use the art board to crop the image... there is always transparent space around the artwork.
Tim

Art board changes from CS3 to CC?

We are updating our workflow, and with it, software. Going from CS3 to the creative cloud. For years we have stuck to CS3 as our downstream customers were slow to update and it was beneficial to provide the product in an older format usable to the broadest user base. Now we are upgrading to CC and I'm experiencing difficulty translating older Illustrator documents to Creative Cloud.
My understanding of the Art board is that it defines the live matter area of the artwork. Along with the Zero Zero point, this would serve as the starting point for image setters. When I preview the translated documents, the art board and the coordinates change. when I distill an eps into a pdf, i get a totally different result than when I save as a PDF within the program. Ive also experinced the zero zero point changing simply by opening the document again. This is making production very difficult as it seems like its not stable.
Anyone experience this in CC and is there a fix for it? See screen grabs below:
This is the way the document appears in Illustrator, notice the zero zero point.
When the document is distilled, the art board shrinks:

LTU,
how do I fix it so its consistent?
I believethe following ways still work:
A) Install and run the script in the OP of this thread,http://forums.adobe.com/thread/890507?tstart=30
or
B) Manually change the relevant preference settings as follows:
0) Close down Illy (you can only change the preference file with Illy closed);
1) Find and open the AIPrefs (Win speak) or Adobe Illustrator Prefs (Mac speak) file withe a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit; the preference file is a (hidden) file in the (hidden) folder Adobe Illustrator CS5 Settings
2): Find and change the following two bits of code:
/isRulerOriginTopLeft 1 >>> /isRulerOriginTopLeft 0 (change 1 to 0)
/isRulerIn4thQuad 1 >>> /isRulerIn4thQuad 0 (change 1 to 0)
This is a global change so you only have to do it once (just as you can undo it once).
You may find the folder as described in <a href="http://www.bugge.com/Family-and-friends/Illy/illy.html">Move the folder</a>.
Also, it doesn't explain the discrepancy between Distiller and saving as a PDF within CC.
I have no clue about that one, I am afraid. I hope someone else has.
Someone?

How to view individual art board in Bridge CS4?

Hi.
Can somebody tell me how to configure the Adobe Bridge CS4 so that it shows/views/displays individual art boards (that I can scroll thru) and NOT the whole *.ai file (which contains ALL the art boards)?
I want to preview the individual art boards as a larger image, and when they all appear together in the *.ai file, they appear smaller.
At the bottom of this page:
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/illustrator/articles/lrvid4016_ai.html
it says;
"To view documents, open Adobe Bridge and select an Illustrator document from the Content panel. A larger view of the document appears in the Preview panel located to the right of the Content panel. When viewing an Illustrator file with multiple artboards, click the right-facing arrow below the preview to display each of the artboards."
I do not have this arrow, so therefore no option. On my bridge, all artboards appear together. How do I separate them and get the arrow he is talking about?
TIA.

Interesting, looks like you also need to save the file with Create PDF Compatible File checked in the Illustrator options dialog when saving - the sample files were saved without PDF compatibility, so no individual artboard preview.
I resaved the sample file In the Cradle of the Deep with Create PDF Compatible File checked, and it shows the artboard previews individually.

Include art board images in packaged Links folder

Is there a way to include the images placed on the art board in the packaged Links folder? Meaning include all the images when packaging not just the ones in the document.
Here's my weird workflow as well. Maybe someone could suggest a change that would improve the process.
1- designers lay out editorial features not knowing if the images will land on color or B/W pages (dont ask — I wish I could change this).
2- color images are placed in the layout but b/w versions are placed on the art board — directly left or right of the page containing the color version.
3- features can sit for days until ready for pagination.
4- production artists paginate the pages after ad-logs are complete.
5- images in editorial content are swapped, when needed, to b/w — placing the original color images onto the art board.
6- features are packaged for delivery to a web production team which copies and pastes the text and images into web templates.
6a- If color images are swapped for b/w during print pagination and the article packaged they will not be available for the web production department.
I have joined a stubborn team that I finally convinced to move from Quark 4... but they can not let go of this art board process. Any suggestions, comments or feedback is greatly appreciated.

mckayk_777 wrote:
Just a thought.
Increase the size of the sludge to include the images and see if they are taken when packaged then
I believe tha answer to that is no, but Packaging DOES pick up anything that touches the bleed area. This mans defining a large bleed gives you a lot of space on the pastebaord that will potentially be included in the package, but it also means that using the bleed guides and document bleed settings in the print and export dialogs is no longer valid, a small inconvenience since you can easily add a new set of ruler guides for the bleed and define bleed dimensions in the dialogs.
Or get REALLY sneaky and define the bleed as huge, then define the slug as the size you would use for the bleed. When you print or export, don't set a bleed, but include the slug area. The big downside to this is that the bleed area is included in the view when you fit spread or fit page in window.

How can i use eyedropper between two different art board.

Hi
How can i apply the same color for the images in two different art boards with eyedropper.
I am trying to apply the same color from the image in one art board to another image in another art board.
Can any one help me please. Thanks
Steve
I am using Mac

apresslink,
Presuming you are unable to use the Eyedropper Tool normally, in other words keep the target object selected while you pick up the colour, by having the Artboards open in adjacent windows to ClickDrag between (I am still with 10 which may explain at least part of my ignorance for which I apologize):
Until someone presents a smarter solution, you may cheat and create a carrier object beside the source object, drop the colour in that, cut and paste it to be beside the target object, and drop the colour there. With multiple colours to drop multiple times, you may create a palette to hold them, to use just like a painter working on several canvases at the same time. Or you could paste diminshed copies of the source objects.

How can I create accurate decimal dimensions when creating a new document or using the art board in Illustrator CS6? When I type in a number with a decimal, it automatically rounds the number up.

How can I create accurate decimal dimensions when creating a new document or using the art board in Illustrator CS6? When I type in a number with a decimal, it automatically rounds the number up.

For my part you are welcome, sdowers.
Unfortunately, the uncertainty arising from the rounding has been up several times here in this forum.
I just came to remember a warning that needs to be given:
The rounding of the representation of a numerical value may be harmless in itself, but if you use it for any operation that changes the value, such as multiplication or whatever, things will go wrong because the operation will be made on the basis of the rounded value instead of the true value. So, as in your first case in post #2, 39.625 rounded to 39.63 will become 79.26 instead of 79.25.

I need to write a Java script to make my Art board bigger by 1 (one) inch on the Width and Length, Regardless of the Content?

Hi,
I am currently using "Visible bounds" (java script)to add 1 inch to the width and to the Length of my Art board, but when i make a clipping mask it actually reads the hidden content from the Clipping mask and makes conforms my art board to that particular shape. Am using Adobe illustrator cs6 Here is My Code:
var myDocs = app.documents;
var i = 0;
for (i = myDocs.length-1 ; i >= 0; i--)
    var doc = myDocs[i];
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All i Want is to add 1 inch to my width and length and this does it but if i have a clipping mask it will pick up the bounding box i guess? and it will conform it to the shape... any help please... Try my code and you will see that it does add 1 inch but now make you artboard lest say 12" x 12" and make a shape bigger than the art board and you will see how it adds 1 inch to the art board based on that shape... now if you make a clipping mask to fit that shape in the 12" x 12" art board you will still get 1 inch bigger than the shape thats being clipped ...

yes, visible bounds is reading the non-visible masked objects too.
you're going to have to do it the hard way, loop through all your objects to get your bounds manually, and while you're at it, test for clipping masks and use the masking path instead.

Is it possible to export multiple sections of the art board as individual PNG's?

I have an art board full of GUI buttons and each button consists of an icon and a background sitting beneath it. the back ground is just a rectangle with some shading and made into a symbol repeated over and over again incase someone wants to change the color palette of the buttons in 1 go.
Is it possible to export every button (icon and background) as its own individual png? and have each png the size of the icon rather than the art board?
The equivalent of Photoshop's Generate>Image Asset.
***one key component i really need to know is if i can also have illustrator automatically create folders for these files to be exported or generated into***
in the same way that in Photoshop, if you name a layer "Folder1/Image1.png" it will export that layer automatically as a png name Image1 inside a folder name Folder1.
Thanks!

Try export to css. I believe that is the equivalent. It will create individual png files.

Real circles, arcs and bigger art board

1.) I work with large format graphics and CS3 AI's limitation of around 120" x 120" makes my work difficult. Other graphic applications that are much less mature than AI have almost infinite art boards to work with. I would also be nice to be able to work in scales, too. It is laborious to have to constantly be working at half-, quarter-, or eighth-scale. I wear out a calculator and the possibility for errors shoots through the roof. Lastly, some things just don't scale well. In short, AI is biased toward those whose output is magazine sized. Since it is essentially the only graphics application left standing it should realize that many of its customers need to work is something larger than ledger. At the very least they should have the same limitation for both ID and AI. At present an 120" AI file cannot be placed in ID which has a limit of around 111". Some "suite."
2.) Make text compatible between AI and ID. As I recall, at present (CS3) the text from one does not conserve its formatting when placed into another. I'd like to have the option.I have to use MSWord as a go-between. Again, some "suite."
3.) If AI is going to be a complete vector art application perhaps it should start with the ability to draw simple shapes. At present, it can only draw X,Y defined vector paths. The "circle" tool only draws circle-shaped paths. Its size is controlled by changing the X and Y dimensions of an imaginary square into which it is inscribed. A true circle is drawn and manipulated via its center placement, its radius and its diameter---at a minimum! In AI none of these controls are available. Remember compasses from the old drawing board days? At the very least AI should emulate this ancient tool. I don't remember anyone ever trying to draw a circle by drawing a square first and trying to place four arcs in the corners. It is crazy.
The same is true for arcs. AI only draws crude arc-like paths. In fact, it is even less accurate for arcs than it is for circles. Going back to simple definitions, an arc is a series of points equidistant from a single point. AI's "arc" tool does not draw anything close to this unless you hold down the shift key. Then it draws the arc from one of the end points. This may be helpful sometimes, but 99 percent of the time if you want to draw an arc you are going to want to start at the center and draw from end point to end point. AI acts as if the center does not exist! It is not even indicated; these are not arcs! Lastly, much like a true circle, an arc is manipulated by its center point placement, its radius and its included angle, and/or the location of its end points. None of these are available in CS3. As I said, it only draws X,Y vector paths--very, very primitive.
The ability to draw fundamental shapes correctly and easily should be the first thing a vector illustration program tackles. It is absurd that it is still missing after 13 versions. Let's hope version 14 finally gets it right. And please don't mention CAD tools. The tools I'm taking about are basic, basic, basic tools.
MGuilfoile

I absolutely agree.
I don't ever recall using a program that created arcs and circles like AI. A circle appears simply to be 4 arcs of 90 degrees. You cannot change the start and end angles, either by dragging the points or by dialog input. I'm not an illustrator by training - I'm a technical writer but I've been doing line illustrations, exploded views, etc. for almost 20 years using various vector-graphics programs. Every program I've used allows you to alter an arc, elipse or both, NOT just size and move!!
I'm only evaluating AiCS4 for possibly migrating from FreeHand. In Freehand, you cannot change the angle of an arc but you can with elipse. Even the limited graphics package in FrameMaker allows you to define the start/end angles of an arc (not an elipse) via the properties dialog.
I'm new to AI and I'm just astonished that the arc and elipse tools have been so neglected over the long life-cycle of the program.

Multiple art boards disappear on reopening doc

Using a Dell PC, Illustrator CS4, Windows XP Pro.
I had a one art board document. To create three additional art boards, I ALT/SHIFT & dragged the initial board. After finishing my work, I closed the document. On reopening the doc, I find all of my work still where it was, with one art board placed off center in the middle of the work. I am able to use the art board tool to place art boards under the work, but when I save, close, and then reopen, those boards have disappeared again. This didn't happen with previous documents I've done using multiple art boards. Any idea of what's going on?
Thanks,
GS

Are you mistakenly saving to an older version of Illustrator?
If you set up multiple Artboard in CS4, then save the file as a CS3 file, the additional artboards will be removed because CS3 doesn't support multiple artboards.
When you open old files, they retain their version number when saving.

Exporting Illustrator Symbols to a New Art Board

Anyone know of any scripts that will:
Take Adobe Illustrator Symbols in your current document's symbol library and...
Place them on an art board in either the same document or a new one?
The symbols should retain their original sizes, with an option to resize if needed
The symbols should be placed with adequate spacing on the new art board
The symbols should be put in their own layers when placed on the new art board
Would be great if the symbol names could be placed beneath each symbol for reference
I've seen something very, very close here, which already does 1, 3, and 4: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3613498. If you can modify it to do some of the following above, that would be splendid.
But the script requires the user to place in a value for sizing the symbols before exporting them to the artboard. I like this as an option, but would be better if it would allow you to retain orginal sizes.
Basically, this is something that could help to create a starter UI Kit from symbols.
Thanks - Jux

Jux, did you find a solution to your question, I'm trying to achieve the same result
I have a graphic moch-up of an app design I have working on in illustrator. All the graphic elements I have created have been captured as symbols. I would like to export all those symbols out to PNG format if posable, without resizing.
Just like you I also found the script http://forums.adobe.com/message/3613498 but i find this option is not completely suitable as the script is asking me to nominate a size.
After extracting all the symbols to layers, then i would use another script Export Illustrator Layers and/or Artboards as PNGs and PDFs | Matthew Ericson - ericson.net output layer or art board to PNG.
Im also looking around for a script that would export all symbols to layers retaining the names of the symbols to layers or art board.
Thanks, Pete

Saving art boards to a PDF - huge file size

I have a file with multiple art boards with a lot of high res imagery on each one. I need to save these files to PDF individually (or two, three at a time) for my purposes, but when I do, the PDF size seems to encompass the entire file, rather than just the art boards I've chosen to export. For instance, I have 10 Art Boards, but I only export Artboard 1 and 5 to a PDF - my resulting PDF is huge. But, if I were to create a new, separate file with just the two art boards and saved as a PDF from there, my PDF size is about 20% the size. Obviously, I don't want to have to recreate these files every time I want to save as a PDF, which is why I wanted them all in one file to begin with.
Any ideas on how to manage this?

Just export those pages as PDF and make sure you don't check "Preserve Illustrator editing capabilities" in PDF options

How to rotate a art board in a illustrator using adobe extended javascript

How to rotate a art board in a illustrator using adobe extended javascript
how to create mirror image of each textframe content of artboard

1. there's no "Rotate" function, you have to rotate all your objects and then "resize" your artboard to simulate rotation.
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Reflect whole objects

Multiple Art board Bug...

If I have more than one art board, and i select a color and then do "Select Same Fill Color", it also grabs the same colors on other art boards. Any fix for this? I looked through all the preferences and didn't see anything. I'm on Windows XP using CS4.

I don't have CS4 so my comments are qualified by that.
It's been my understanding that all the artboards are on the same pasteboard, that it isn't set up like, say, Indesign or a layout program. Since everything's on the same pasteboard, select same fill color doing so on all artboards wouldn't necessarily be a bug.
A way to 'correct' that would be to have the ability to turn on or off selecting active artboards, assuming that function isn't already there.

Artwork on a Transparent Art Board

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