Outlining a shape

I am trying to outline a shape (and a few more things while creating a logo). To try to keep it simple, I'll restrict this discussion to this. First some background: I scanned an object (my shape) sucessfully changed the color. I have the shape plus the background (the white from the paper behind the object) What I have done so far: I have done the following with the help of an Adobe representative who hung up on me before completing the instructions to do this. His instuctions were: Double click to open blending option, click Window, control click, click lock on layer & drag to trash, Change to layers ) Double click on layer (to trace the shape) control c, Select shape, use Quick Select tool, increase brush size. Click around the shape until the running ants selects the whole shapeThen go to Layer: New Layer Via Copy. Now we have the new layer with just the shapDouble click on layer 1to open the Blending option. choose outer glow. (choose color) Now there was no way to choose the color but there was a drop down menu to where I could Blend if blue (which was the color of the shape) At this point I was excited and thought maybe we could get this to work, when he hung up. Where do I go from here? I have a Mac computer. Thanks for any help anyone can give.

First a question how do you want to use your logo. If you want to resize it up and down to place or different size image consider using vector graphics like text and Pen tool. Save as a custom Shape, PSD or PNG they support transparency. GIF can also be used for the web but GIF only supports 255 mapped colors and one level of transparency a pixel is either Transparent or its opaque. A GIF can also be automated for Browsers support animated gif format. As pointed out GIF only supports 1 level of transparency make things like drop shadows feathered multiply blending not Posible. However you can somewhat do it by creating your logo large and scaling it down with HTML. Also layer mask and animation palette twend options help.
TutorialsLinked Letters [Logo or Monogram ]
The above gray background was added using HTML background-color: #808080; and the logo centered using align=center"
Link to full size animated gif http://www.mouseprints.net/JJMackAniShadow.gif open link in new window or Tab to view...
My crafting actions packages contains an action that show you how to create and action the can watermark ant size image and scale the watermarks for their size.
Crafting Actions Package Contains
Action Actions Palette Tips.txt
Action Creation Guidelines.txt
Action Dealing with Image Size.txt
Action Enhanced via Scripted Photoshop Functions.txt
CraftedActions.atn Sample Action set includes an example Watermarking action
Sample Actions.txt Photoshop CraftedActions set saved as a text file.
12 Scripts for actions
Download

Similar Messages

Photoshop CS6 Beta doesn't remove vector outlines on shapes

In CS5 you were able to click on a selected vector layer to remove a vector outline from a vector shape. This is important when adding strokes, dropshadows or generally doing any type of design on a vector shape. However, in CS6 Beta you can no longer click a selected vector shape again to remove the vector outline. You must swap over to the paths palette and deselect the currently selected path and then swap back to the layers palette making it a very tedious process.
Reproduce:
1. Create a new 500x500px document and fill with black
2. Create a grey rounded rectangle with the rounded rectangle tool
3. Make sure the grey rounded rectangle is selected.
4. Click the rounded rectangle layer in the layers palette.
Expected Results:
Clicking the layer after it has been selected should remove the vector outline from the shape so it can be styled/filled/etc without an artifical outline.
Actual Results:
The vector outline remains on the shape. The only way to remove the outline is to swap over to the paths palette and deselect the currently selected path.
I'm running Mac OSX 10.7.3

Noel: I described that in my issue. It works, but requires you to swap to the paths palette and then back to the layers palette.
M Shaw: That works also, but it requires you to swap to a tool that isn't normally used for navigating around in a document. With the move tool you can select vector layers and pixel layers and it was always a simple "select + click again" with the move tool to remove the vector outline and begin styling a vector layer.

How to remove 'Outlines' default text when creating shapes from vector layers?

Hello everyone!
You know the text it adds to the name layer when you create shapes from a vector layer that says Outlines? Well, anyone know if it's possible to change it or remove it?
It sucks to have to remove it manually, especially when it's a lot of layers and you've taken the time to do the prepping in illustrator.
Thankss,
Oliver

if I have an illustrator layer that is named icon and I convert it to outlines I get a layer that is named icon Outlines. Are you trying to remove the word Outlines or are you getting just a layer that says Outlines? Personally I would not remove the word Outlines from shape layer because this would differentiate it from the original and let me know at a glance what's going on with the layer and the project. This would be valuable information if I were to return to the project a year later for modifications.

Strange shape outlines in some vector files

Hello,
I'm trying to figure out why in CS6 some vector files have this odd outline around shapes. It's visible when editing the file, exporting the file & placing it within Photoshop as a smart object. Please view the image below to see what I mean...

Here I've pasted the image from Illustrator into Photoshop Cs6 & Photoshop Cs5 for comparison.

Pathfinder Tool - Minus Front (Front shape outline not included)

I'm having some difficulty applying the Minus Front option of the Pathfinder tool with a front shape that contains an outline with rounded points.
Question: Is there a way to preserve the rounded outline + front shape as part of the final shape when applying the Minus Front Pathfinder option?
To recreate:
1. Create background shape (Orange box)
2. Add front shape with outline containing rounded points (Star shape)
3. Select background and front shape and apply the Minus Front Pathfinder tool option.
4. Rounded outline from front shape not transferred to final shape after pathfinder action is applied.

You might find this thread helpful:
outlining text
The Pathfinder functions don't take into account "appearances" applied to the underlying object, so you would have to convert the object to a single outermost path. Usually this can be done with one or two invocations of Object > Expand.
Allen

I would like to create a wavy line (the zig zag feature is not exactly what I need here) to outline

I would like to create a wavy line (the zig zag feature is not exactly what I need here) to outline a shape and then fill it with a solid color. Any ideas?
This is approx what I want; however the undulation needs to be more round and less peaked

Barbara,
If you wish to create a gap between the wavy line and the underlying object, you may:
1) Select the wavy line and Object>Expand Appearance;
2) In the Appearance palette flyout tick New Stroke, drag it beneath the original stroke and increase the Stroke Weight as desired and change the colour to white.
If you wish to make the gap transparent, you may:
3) Select the wavy line and Object>Expand Appearance and Ungroup;
4) Select the white path and the underlying object and in the Transparency palette flyout tick Make Opacity Mask with Clip unticked and Invert Mask ticked.
It may be done in other ways, too.

Trying to create an outline from a marquee

Hi, there has to be a way to use the marquee tool in
Fireworks to outline a shape (not just cut a shape out of a
bitmap), apply a fill and move on. Am I using the right tool for
this?
thank you

Make your marquee selection, then > Select > Convert
Marquee to Path > Fill
with a color of choice.
Peter
"AdobeMe123" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:g3tl99$p7j$[email protected]..
| Hi, there has to be a way to use the marquee tool in
Fireworks to outline
a shape (not just cut a shape out of a bitmap), apply a fill
and move on.
Am I using the right tool for this?
|
| thank you

Screen Flicker and Glitch on 24" iMac, Early 2009

For a while now, my iMac has been having somewhat random display glitches, flickers, freezes, and kernel panics that can only be fixed by shutting down the computer.
Most of these screen glitches go like this: The display flickers black quickly, letting me know that an issue is going to arise. The issues that could happen are as follows:
A blue line glitch (very common)
a random artifact glitch (somewhat uncommon)
a freeze-up (very common)
a kernel panic
Let me describe these:
There are several types of "display glitches" I've been experiencing. Some of them involve random artifacts that are randomly displayed and seem to be hovering over whatever is going on on the screen–for example, once I was browsing Facebook and the glitch occurred, so a square of my browser screen was sort of cut out and stuck on the screen above everything else going on. The issue wasn't fixed until I restarted the computer. This glitch, however, wouldn't show up in screenshots. These are somewhat less common because it seems if this one happens then it either gets worse very fast and there are random pieces of my active windows all over the screen or it freezes the computer up entirely, or even results in a kernel panic.
Another "display glitch" that is far more common is a sort of line glitch. It's very strange: blue lines will outline random shapes and things all over the screen. Pictures on my browser appear distorted and videos look VERY weird. The dock has the lines and random blue pixels as well. The desktop background appears distorted. This glitch often starts with the screen flickering black and the various blue lines appearing. The lines change shape as the objects on the screen move around.The issue doesn't appear in screenshots but I documented it by taking crude videos and pictures on my phone that give examples.
Here's a link to my video of a video about a nonrelated screen glitch. I was actually searching Google for a solution but it turned out to be unhelpful, but since the screen glitch happened to be going on I decided to record it as an example. Notice how the blue lines move with the video...
Here are some pictures:
This next screenshot looks a little creepy with the armored polar bear–it's a LoL build on Mobafire. CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE:
---NOTE: My computer actually JUST screen glitched and froze up completely, at which point I had to shut it down and reboot. Luckily the post was saved! Just in case you were wondering how often these things occur.
This issue is getting worse and worse. I'm not sure what triggers it, but it seems like graphics-intensive programs like 3D games can trigger it–especially, it seems, when I toggle on and off fullscreen. It looks like it could be a graphics card issue, because if it was a software problem it would seem like it should show up in the screenshots. It's sort of an underwhelming graphics card, but meh. My mom is having a panic attack and backing up everything on the computer and we're thinking about just reinstalling OS X altogether.
Here's some general info about the computer:
General info:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac9,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.93 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Graphics and Displays:
Chipset Model:          NVIDIA GeForce GT 120
Type:          GPU
Bus:          PCIe
PCIe Lane Width:          x16
VRAM (Total):          256 MB
Vendor:          NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID:          0x0655
Revision ID:          0x00a1
ROM Revision:          3370
Displays:
iMac:
Resolution:          1920 x 1200
Pixel Depth:          32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display:          Yes
Mirror:          Off
Online:          Yes
Built-In:          Yes
Any help would be appreciated. I've looked for solutions for quite some time, but none of the problems people seem to be experiencing match my issue. Thanks!

Lion causes your system to use more resources so it will run hotter. If you haven't cleaned you iMac's dust out:
As old as your iMac is, have you cleaned out the dust? Dust buildup can lead to over heating issues. Remove any and all things plugged into it including the power cord, Remove the RAM access grille. Vacuum all openings starting with the RAM access area (air intake). Vacuum all ports and plugs, DVD slot and the opening across the top of the rear of the body. Blow compressed air through all your openings and vacuum again to remove any dust you loosend. Reinstall the RAM grille. Plug in the keyboard and mouse if not blue tooth. Insert power cord...
You are now in a perfect position to do a
SMC RESET
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord and ALL peripherals.
Wait 15 seconds.
Attach the computers power cable.
Wait another 5 seconds and press the power button to turn on the computer.
Here is a Widget to monitor your temps and other operations:
http://islayer.com/apps/istatpro/

Non-rectangular Border?

Hello,
Is it possible to use a Border, for example a javax.swing.border.EtchedBorder, to outline a Shape?
I'm developing some non-rectangular Buttons and would like to be able to use some of the standard Borders with them.
Thanks,
Ted Hill

Hi,
Were you able to find a solution to your problem?
I am trying the same on a round JPanel.
Thanks
Ashish

How can I put a pattern inside a word?

Hi peeps!! I need a lil help. What I have here is the word "WILD" with outlines created and a jpg of zebra stripes that I live traced and expanded. How can I get the zebra pattern to show up just inside the letters? I've tried a clipping mask but perhaps I'm not doing it correctly. I tried masking with each element on top and that didnt seem to change anything. I believe there is a way to make a vector element a pattern and put it in your swatches but I can't seem to figure out how to do that either. This is for a print job on a clear mug so it must be able to produce that.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!!!

gurl,
If you just want the zebra pattern to appear in the WILD (inside the bounding strokes, but not in the counter of the D and not between the letters, you may, based on the outlined letter shapes:
If you want the strokes visible:
0) Select the letter shapes and Ctrl/Cmd+C+B to make a copy beneath the stroked letter shapes, leave the original(s) and work with the copy.
1) With the letter shape (copy from 1)) selected, Object Compound Path>Make,
2) Also select the zebra pattern and Object>Clipping Mask>Make.
If no stroke is needed, you may use Live Type as the Clipping Path.

Having trouble with content-aware

I am trying to use content-aware, but am having trouble finding out how to do it, even though I have watched the videos.
When I outline the object that I want to remove and go to Edit>Content-aware, I can't find out how to finish the procedure.
Also, I don't have the same little boxes on the tool bar on the top for that application.
Can anyone help?
Thanks.

Hmmmm, tried that. Clicked the marquee tool, outlined the shape that I wanted to remove, Clicked Edit>fill>Content-aware>ok and it worked a little magic, but then took half the image of the person alongside the portion that I wanted to fill and duplicated it.
I tried using the eraser tool, highlighted the image, fill, but it has a greyed-out content-aware. Can't do it that way.
Drum roll please.................
If you use the magic wand and fill the part you want to get rid of, click Edit>fill>content-aware.ok, it works.
Thank you very much Michael.

Weave through text as vector?

I need some help with a strategy. I am using CS2 and need to create an effect as vector. I am trying to get a ribbon-like object to appear to weave between letters. I know that if I rasterize the layers and make dups, I can create the effect by erasing portions, but I need it to be vector. Any suggestions?

(((You'll have to forgive my caveman-edness...I'm still using AI 8, and some of the features in AI CS3 may obviate some of the steps below, or they may be slightly or very different. And Duuuude!!...take the time to get friendly with Illustrator. I GUARANTEE you won't regret it...the options for path manipulation are so much more comprehensive! :) )))
I apologize for the length of the directions, but it's easier than it reads. As a beginning exercise, do this:
→ "D" reverts Fill & Stroke to White & Black.
→ Text tool("T")...Choose a reasonably fat font. Click in your document and type a capital "O" It'll be black by default.
→ Go to Type Menu⇒Create Outlines... Group the shapes that are created (CTRL + A, CTRL + G)
→ Click on the "Fill" swatch in the Toolbox, and select a contrasting color---say orange. Click on the "Stroke" swatch, and tap the "/" key to creat a condition of "no stroke."
→ Rectangle Tool("M")...drag out a horizontal skinny rectangle, positioned so it bisects the outlined "O", and expends to the left and right of the "O" shape.
→ Select all, go to the Pathfinder Palette and click on the "Divide" button.
→ Now with the Group Selection Tool ("A", white arrow with a little plus sign next to it) you can select the now sub-divided parts of the combine rectangle plus "O" shapes.
→ With one of the overlapped sub-sections selected, you can change the color to match the color of the object underneath. it not looks like it's on top.
Hopefully, that gets you through the basic process, and you see how it works. Apologies for leaving anything out, or for not understanding the differences between AI8 and AI CS3.
Now, to the main feature. Go get a pop and a snack.
Create your text. Track/Kern/Size as needed. Doing this later will be possible, but more difficult, since you'll be manipulating objects and not text, per se.
Duplicate this layer, and lock & hide the original text layer in case you want to return to it and start over.
Go to Type Menu⇒Create Outlines... of the text. If you have any compound paths (letters with "holes," like an "O" or "A") Use the Group Selection Tool ("A"--it's a white arrow with a little plus sign next to it) to select just the components of that letter, and group them (CTRL + G) individually, one letter per group.
Select all outlined text objects and lock (CTRL + 2) (or just lock that outlined text layer).
Create a new Layer, set opacity to 50% or so, so you can see the text underneath.
Brush Tool--Select a calligraphic (oval, angled) brush tip. You'll have to experiment with the size and angle in order to get the desired ribbon width and the appearance of wide/narrow width where the ribbon changes direction.
Wacom tablet may work best here--Create a nice flowing ribbon, over top of the text. Tap the "A" key, then tap "P" to bring up the Pen Tool. Using the Pen Tool (hold CTRL to access the "Direct Selection Tool"), tweak the ribbon's path as needed.
When you have the ribbon reasonably positioned, Go to Object Menu⇒Expand...brush stroke. You can select the original stroke and delete it (it appears as a "center line" in the expanded stroke). Or, you can keep it by hiding/locking it or moving it to its own layer and hiding it. (I'd think about keeping it, so you can back up and start again, if you want to)
Unlock the outlined text (CTRL + ALT + 2) or the layer it's on.
Select the outlined ribbon, and move it onto the same layer as the outlined text.
On this layerwhich now holds the outlined text shapes AND the outlined ribbon shape, select all.
In the Pathfinder Palette, click on the "Divide" button.
Use Group Selection Tool to select the individual sub-shapes as we did in the exercise. Recolor them to give the illusion of overlap/underlap.
There are finer points to all of this, but that should get you started.
(You can email me if you'd like to contract it out to meet your deadline, or ask me any questions that are specific to the project you're doing this for.)

Pen Tool on New Layer Keeps Bouncing to Original Layer

I'm on a Win 7 machine using Illustrator CC, using a mouse with the pen tool.
I created some shapes on one layer, and now want totrace just the outside of those shapes on a different layer. It worked well enough on the first two shapes I did this with (both comprised of ellipses layered to create a particular shape) but on this third one, it keeps bouncing me back to the original layer. This is the only shape that includes straight lines but I can't think of a reason that would keep me from being able to trace the outline of shapes on a different layer. Any idea of what I might be doing wrong?

I recreated the file this morning so that you could see. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't be able to reproduce the problem either, but it's still happening. I don't see a way to attach the .ai so I'm including a screen shot, but will happily attach the file if someone tells me how. The screen shot doesn't seem as if it would be of much assistance.
I made the shapes on a single layer (named "Shapes) in red. I then created 3 layers, one for each outline. I outline them using the pen tool and black. The plan is to delete the "Shapes" layer when I'm done since the red shapes are only there to make tracing the heads easy.
The top image was traced with the pen tool on the layer "Outline 1." I didn't trace the middle one this time but if I had, there would be black tracing around the outside of it on "Outline 2". I began the tracing with the pen tool for the bottom image on "Outline 3" but as soon as I continue the line from the circle to the straight line, I'm immediately shifted to the "Shapes" layer and everything I've just traced in black is brought there with me and turned red.

EPS files wont save? Ai files, no problem!

I am using CS6 and have had this problem for while. The strange thing is it is now happening on TWO computers? Different specs, but my computer is:
Model Name:          iMac
Model Identifier:          iMac13,2
Processor Name:          Intel Core i7
Processor Speed:          3.4 GHz
Number of Processors:          1
Total Number of Cores:          4
L2 Cache (per Core):          256 KB
L3 Cache:          8 MB
Memory:          16 GB
Boot ROM Version:          IM131.010A.B05
so it is not a spec issue.
I have tried saving basic EPS files with NO content at all to the desktop (I am not working to/from server). They work fine. But if I add 3, 4, 5 basic outline rectangle shapes, it struggles to save the EPS. It spins for about 10 seconds and then comes good. If I add objects to the files, it takes longer.
BUT!!! On very rare occasions it will save basic files quickly. WHY OH WHY WOULD IT DO THAT!!!
I have: updated all software and IOS is upto date. I have had a clean install of the OS, and recently unistalled one version of Illustrator CS6 and installed another version (original version was 16.7 the new version is 16).
I have searched forums and come up blanks. The other CS6 apps are fine. Speedy and top draw. No problems.
Can anyone help? I am really struggling with this and it is affecting my work load.
Please note, I have taken the other computer back to the Apple dealer, they have checked it and said there is no problem? Run all the software ETC... and nothing is showing up as a culprit. I keep thinking it is software rather than computer because EVERYTHING else is perfect.

Do you face the same problem, when you print those file to "Adobe Postscript File" printer?
Please try deleting all the printers in your system, try save EPS, install back all the printers and try once again saving EPS.

Trouble selecting and moving objects near text in Adobe Illustrator? Try this.

It's been 4 years since I left Corel DRAW for Adobe Illustrator. One thing I could never get used to is the crazy way text has an impenetrable invisible sheet over it making it hard to select objects near or behind it.
With Corel DRAW I was used to be able to select text by simply clicking on the visible area of the text. Selecting stuff behind the text by clicking between letters or right next to a decender was never a problem. But Illustrator is a different story.
Tonight I finally found a way to make selecting text in Illustrator behave more like Corel DRAW.
I wrote it up here: http://www.johnstanowski.com/blog/trouble-selecting-and-moving-objects-near-text-in-adobe- illustrator-try-this/
Just thought I'd share!

It's not spam, but thanks for assuming.
I was up really late writing that blog post. Posting a link was the quickest way to share and be able to go to bed.
Plus it's rather lengthy. I thought that would be rude to use an Adobe forum for my articles.
If you saw my blog you will have seen there's not much going on there at all, and no calls to action to hire me. I don't have anything to gain by getting traffic.
And, yeah, layers work for selecting, but that slows you down. Who would want to look away from their work to find and select a layer when they're trying to tweak positions of objects? Layers suck for selecting quickly.
And there must be something wrong with me but I find using Type Object Selection by Path Only by itself hard to use. I'd really just like to click on the text itself rather than an invisible hairline you have to probe to find.
Here's the post. I hope people who had trouble like me find it helpful.
Do you have trouble selecting objects near Point Type in Adobe Illustrator? You’ve been there. You want to select an object. Problem is, it’s really close to piece of Point Type. All too often we try to select objects that wind up being unreachable because they lie too close to a piece of Point Type, which we wind up selecting instead. Luckily, after years of angst, I discovered a solution.
Point Type in Adobe Illustrator is funny. There’s this invisible “shield” around it. This shield is much larger (at least it seems that way) than the text itself. It prevents you from selecting objects behind text by clicking between letter and words. This shield is particularly meddlesome with lowercase letters and decenders because we think surely we can click on that blue box (or whatever) because it seems far enough away from that Point Type. But the lowercase “g” in the Point Type’s territory.
Okay, now that we know we’re talking about the same thing, let’s move on to the solutions.
Step 1. Check ‘Type Object Selection by Path Only’ in Preferences
You’ll find this option in Preferences/Type. Click it and that nasty text shield goes away. But there’s a price to pay. With this option activated, the only way you can select your text is by clicking on the text path, a super, tiny, thin baseline thingy under all the letters, but above decenders. It’s really hard to grab. To do it right you need to slowly approach the text path with your cursor. When you’re right over it, Illustrator will let you know by adding a small black square to your cursor. Now, you can click, hold and move your text. But this workflow can really slow you down and break your rhythm, maybe even more so with it turned off.
Step 2. Add the ‘Outline Object’ Effect
Select your Point Type and, from under the Effects Menu/Path/, select Outline Object. This effect does something really sweet to text in Illustrator: it lets your Point Type objects be treated as if their were converted to Outlines. You can still edit the text, but as far as selecting it, Illustrator now considers it outlines and shapes instead of a text object. Basically, it now considers the Path of the text to be the text itself! Now, since we’ve already checked ‘Type Object Selection by Path Only’ we can now click on the text to select it. Just the text. Not the baseline, not the wacky invisible shield surrounding it.
And now… you can select things behind the text by clicking between words and letters. And the ONLY way to select Point Type is to click on the visible parts of the text itself! Problem solved.
Potential Problem:
Too much of a good thing could be a bad thing. Let’s say you have some Point Type set in a very light face and it’s pretty small or you’re zoomed way out. Selecting that text could be a problem since you have to actually click on the text itself. Actually it isn’t that hard, it may just require an extra click to grab it. If you have a set of smaller, light-faced bits of text, you can elect to just not apply the Outline Object effect to these. They’ll get their ‘shield’ back and be easier to click on. And since they’re so small, they don’t pose a problem with selecting things behind them anyway.
Applying this technique to your old files
Now that you’ve learned this awesome new way to work around type in Illustrator, you may be anxious to open yesterday’s project and get back to work. But you may be not be looking forward to applying the Outline Object effect to each and every piece of type. For this you can use Illustrator’s “Select Same” feature. Select one piece of text. Then from the Select Menu click on Object/Text Objects. Now ALL of your text objects will be selected, and you can apply the Outline Object effect to all of them at once!
That’s it. If you build ads or work with a lot of type in Illustrator, you’re about to be able to work a lot faster… and happier.

Outlining a shape

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