Illustration

Illustration

Techniques and processes: Placing images in Adobe Illustrator from Photoshop and creating a Clipping Mask

16/03/15

As part of Unit 12, we had to create our own story board set up using adobe Illustrator. After creating cells that we were happy with, we had to export photographs and scanned images from Photoshop into Illustrator.

Before doing this, however, there were a few steps I had to take in Photoshop before I could export the images into Illustrator.

Exporting images from Photoshop into Illustrator

After editing my scanned image, I had to use the magic wand tool so that I had selected the image and only the image so that I didn't get any of the backgrounds as well. To do this, I used the Inverse tool. This tool allows you to make sure that you have everything selected that you want selected.

After doing this, you then go into the Paths tool. This next step allows you to export the image into Illustrator.

First you click on the right most furthest option within the Paths box. This brings up a menu. You click on New Path and Ok it.

After doing this, you then go onto the same menu and click on Make Work Path and Ok it.

Once again you go into the same menu, this time you click on the Clipping Path option and Ok it.

After doing this you then save the image to where you want it.

After saving it, that is the work done in Photoshop. Now you go into Illustrator.

In Illustrator, go into File and click on Place.

Clicking on Place bring up a box in which you then find your image and Ok it. 

NOTE: Make sure the image is flattened if you used layers to colour it up.

Following these steps you can then import an image from Photoshop into Illustrator.

Clipping Mask

Since we had already planned out the shape of our cells, it was important to make sure that any images we wanted in our comic were to fir precisely to give it a professional look. To do this, we used a tool called Clipping Mask in Illustrator.

Clipping mask allows you to neatly put images into cells and also allows you to move and reshape the image within the cell without moving or reshaping the cell.

To do this, you first need to go into File and Place and find the image that you wish to use within your storyboard.

once you have done this, you then need to make sure that the cell you wish to place the image in is above the image using Object, Arrange and Bring to Front. After this, make sure both the image and the cell is selected. Then go into Object and Clipping mask. Once you do this, you'll notice that the image then fits perfectly into the cell, and using the select and direct select tools, you can then move and resize the image within the cell if you wish to.