SOS on Illustrator

[maigne]

First of all I want to say sorry if ever there was already a thread posted like mine. but i seem don't know where to find it so i just made one. Sorry if that would be the case.


I am a total newbie on illustrator I would like to ask a simple procedures that will be of big help for me... I would someone be kind enough.

These are the first things I want to know:

- what is the preferrable/proper file extension when saving an illustrator file?
- what is really a "place" used for?

I'm planning to use illustrator for greeting cards, posters, calendars, etc. Though just for layouts or designs not for actual printing/presentation/outputs yet. I hope someine will help me.

[stiney51]

Originally Posted by maigne

- what is the preferrable/proper file extension when saving an illustrator file?

It depends on what you want to use the file for afterwords. the native .AI is what I save most of my Illustrator work and logos in, but .EPS can be a bit more universal if working outside the Adobe family of products.

- what is really a "place" used for?

Place inserts an entire copy of the file (image or whatever) into the Illustrator document. If you are creating items in Photoshop and need them in the document you are building in Illustrator, this is the best way to do it. If you are adding other vector based artwork (logos etc.) copy and paste them into Illustrator instead.

[maigne]

is .ai same as .psd in photoshop where you can always go back from your raw images/layers and edit them? or is is a final output like extensions .gif of .jpeg or .png???

[maigne]

I am a total noob working with illustrator. I hope someone could help me. I was doing a project/document as a start.

First I played around with text and tried making a path for my text to follow. But as i click on my working area to start making the path, a message pops out saying to "unmask" my document/working area. how can i do this? or am i forgetting something as a newbie when creating a new document??

[unleash]

Originally Posted by maigne

Is .ai same as .psd in photoshop where you can always go back from your raw images/layers and edit them? or is is a final output like extensions .gif of .jpeg or .png???

I don't know much about illustrastor but I think that .ai is an extension from illustrator......and that if you want it "finished" you should save or export it as jpg/ gif or png.....or alike offcourse hope it helps

[Jacorre]

.ai in Illustrator is the same as .psd in Photoshop. This will allow you to open the file again in Illustrator and make changes to your original design and all layers are in tact. If you export or save as another type that's when you lose your layers and the design becomes flattened.

If you want to vectorize or trace an image, the Place option is good for that. You can "place" your original image and then use that as a guide to trace.

If you're looking to type text along a path, draw your path first. For example draw a path with the Pen tool. Then with the Text tool, click right on your path and when you type it will follow your path.

[stiney51]

.eps works pretty much the same way as well. Both are vector formats (or at least potentially vector formats). And both will save the levels