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Michael from Boston
Michael from Boston
Participant
May 28, 2023
Answered

Help with .svg/jpeg

  • May 28, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 694 views

Good Morning!

 

Let me preface this by saying I've been using Photoshop in it's various incarnations for 30+ years so am not new to that...

...Illustrator though...yeah.  That's a different ballgame.  I am willing to learn and appreciate constructive ideas.  So any help for this Illustrator newb is appreciated.

 

The goal:  To use Illustrator to convert files (.png, .jpg, et al) to vector and then to .svg to use with my CriCut to make T-shirts.  These are for family memebrs so there's not a whole lot at stake here but I do want to learn to do it correctly

The issue I'm having: As you can see by the photos (the orinal image was .png) I'm experiencing issues.  The first photo is from Illustrator, the second from the cutting machine's design space.  As you can see from both, there are many abberations.  I need to get rid of these.

 

 

Is there some way I can take these original .png's and .jpeg's and clean them up in Illustrator.  Is it designed to do that?  Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

Again, many thanks for the help in advance.

 

Mike

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Mylenium

Sure you can "clean them up" with manually editing the paths, merging, cleaning, deleiting anchor points. There's just no magic button for it and you need to invest the time. In case of such a graphical design in fact simply re-drawing the lines with a bunch of clicks may in fact be more efficient than relying on auto-trrace. Similalrly, converting PS selections to paths over there and then exporting/ copy & pasting may be more efficient. and at the end of the day I'm sure if you scour the depths of the Internet you can find enough converted artwork for Lower Decks that other enthusiasts already have converted. Discord, Reddit and Deviant Art are probably full of Trek fan art. It may just be buried deeply.

 

Mylenium

2 replies

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 28, 2023

THese look like cartoon images. How will you plot them? Print them in color and then cut around them? Or print all the single colors and then iron them on?

 

If the former, all you need is a cutcontour. The image doesn't need to be vectorized. 

If the latter, you should count the number of colors. Then trace with reduced number of colors, so that you get clean edges.

 

 

Michael from Boston
Michael from BostonAuthor
Participant
May 28, 2023

Ideally, each color will be a layer (which is why I am trying to limit the colors....I believe I'm at 6 or 7 with the image) I did try to trace with the limit feature but the result was nearly the same.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 28, 2023

Please post that template you are tracing and also your settings.

Mylenium
MyleniumCorrect answer
Legend
May 28, 2023

Sure you can "clean them up" with manually editing the paths, merging, cleaning, deleiting anchor points. There's just no magic button for it and you need to invest the time. In case of such a graphical design in fact simply re-drawing the lines with a bunch of clicks may in fact be more efficient than relying on auto-trrace. Similalrly, converting PS selections to paths over there and then exporting/ copy & pasting may be more efficient. and at the end of the day I'm sure if you scour the depths of the Internet you can find enough converted artwork for Lower Decks that other enthusiasts already have converted. Discord, Reddit and Deviant Art are probably full of Trek fan art. It may just be buried deeply.

 

Mylenium

Michael from Boston
Michael from BostonAuthor
Participant
May 28, 2023

Thanks, I appreciate that.  I actually started to do some of the things you mentioned.  Editing paths, merging, recoloring to get uniformity etc.  It was far worse before I posted it.  I am not opposed to putting the time in by any means, I just wanted to make sure I was on the right course WITHOUT me overlooking the "magic button" (which I've found over the years creates more problems than it solves.)

Honestly, I'd rather be able to do my own images without grabbing someone else's work.  Give a man a fish and he will eat, teach a man to fish and he'll never starve sort of thing...I appreciate the suggestions.  Thank you.

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