Tracing a Photo in Illustrator? Read This!

If you are working on practices and have not read the handout "Trace an Object," read this important information now!

Tracing an Image in Adobe Illustrator

1 PART ONE: Set up

Open a “New” document in Adobe Illustrator. For Document Profile, choose, PRINT. (The default size will be 8.5x11)

PLACE the photo you intend to trace by going to FILE>PLACE and browsing your computer. When the image first shows it should have a blue wire frame around it. If you grab and pull the anchor points you can resize it on your page (to constrain its proportions while rescaling, hold the shift key down as you drag). When positioned how you want it, hit return/enter to complete the placement.

Open your layers palette (WINDOW). Double click on the layer in the palette that holds the image you are tracing and a dialogue box will appear. Click the TEMPLATE selection/Name it FOTO TEMPLATE and click “Dim Image to 50%.”

Create a new layer for tracing on by clicking the icon at the bottom of the layers panel next to the delete icon: “create new layer” icon

2 PART TWO: When Roughing-out the shape (TIPS)

To understand how your paths will interact with fill, you can draw with the fill on or, just occasionally turn it on and adjust paths accordingly. Your fill and stroke are controlled from the bottom of the TOOL BOX. 

To see your path without the stroke or fill, hit command Y. (Hit command Y again to revert back)

To change stroke size, choose your point size in the top command menu or the STROKE or APPEARANCE palettes

(found under WINDOWS)

When you fill, you can send some objects forward/some backward with the OBJECT>ARRANGE

command.

INTERIOR SHAPES: Try thinking in terms of geometric shapes. For instance, the numbers on a clock face might become squares. 

3 PART THREE: Cleaning up your paths. 

Fix any noticeably jerky lines or miscreant paths using the automatic cleaning function: From the menu choose OBJECT>PATH>SIMPLIFY. 

To lengthen/shorten lines between anchor points:

Select and use the Direct Selection tool (white arrow) on an anchor point and drag the

line in or out to the desired position. Shift-drag to constrain the adjustment to multiples of 45°.

To adjust curves:

Select and use the direct select tool (white arrow) on the anchor points and/or handlebars to drag or

reposition the curved line where you want it.

To add to a path already on the page:

• Position the pen tool over an anchor, you should see a slash under the cursor icon (/)

• Click (or click and drag, for curves) then continue to draw.

To remove anchors

• Select the Delete Anchor Point tool from the pop-out set of pen tools (-).

• Click with the tool on any point you want to remove.

To change a smooth-point to a corner-point, or vice versa, use the Convert Anchor tool (<)

To delete parts of a path (line segment)

• Click on the segment of line you want to remove. You should see the endpoint handles for a curve, or if you click on a straight line segment, the anchors will be white.

• Press the DELETE key. The segment will be dropped and you now have two paths.

To split paths

• Click on a line segment with the Scissors Tool.

• Get the Select tool and click on ant part of the shape, you’ll see that it is now two objects.

To eliminate line segments

• To delete only part of a line segment you can “rub” with the Erase Tool.

• Once segments are removed, the remaining sections become separate objects.

To Connect 2 open paths Using the Pen tool, position the pointer over the endpoint of the open path that you want to connect to another path. The pointer changes when it’s precisely positioned over the endpoint...

• Click the endpoint then do one of the following:

To connect the path to another open path, click an endpoint on the other path. When you precisely position the Pen tool over the other path’s endpoint, a small merge symbolappears next to the pointer.

To connect a new path to an existing path, draw the new path near the existing path, and then move the Pen tool to the existing path’s (unselected) endpoint. Click that endpoint when you see the small merge symbol that appears next to the pointer.

To join two endpoints

• Select the endpoints.

• If the endpoints are coincident (on top of each other), drag a marquee through or around both endpoints to select them and lick the Connect Selected End Points button in the Control panel.

• If the endpoints are coincident, a dialog box appears to let you specify the type of join you want.

Select the Corner option (the default) or the Smooth option, and click OK.

4 PART FOUR: ADD FILL & VARY STROKES

The currently indicated fill and stroke colors are displayed at the bottom of the Tools panel.

You can use any of the following controls 
in the Tools panel to specify color:

• Fill button: Double-click to select a fill color using the Color Picker.
• Stroke button: Double-click to select a stroke color using the Color Picker.
• Color button: Click to apply the last-selected solid color to an object with a gradient fill or no stroke or fill.

You can also specify color and stroke for a selected object by using the following controls in the Control panel:

Fill or Stroke color: Click to open the Swatches panel and choose a color.
Stroke panel: Click the word Stroke to open the Stroke panel and specify options.