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SergeantCojones
Inspiring
August 2, 2022
Answered

How can I add filling background to images like that in Illustrator?

  • August 2, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 6852 views

Hello

 

As you can see in the image there is grey or black, in between that cat, which is empty space. 

I would like to fill that in with black how can I do this so it adds up to shape?

 

I was thinking filling it  black but also outline the complete cat with a dark line so it matches.

Or some sort of automation shape recognition to add a background fast?

I have a lot of images like that left over from a designer of my past, where I need to do this.

 

If you have video links, can explain or else

please let me know

 

thanks in advance

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer SergeantCojones

Sorry for just replying now. I was longer off than expected with vacation and other...

 

What you describe is exactly what I want to do.

 

My Problem is step 2 and 3 - How do I add a black fill to the copy cat and how do I create a compound path out of it.

It does not work!

 

I should mention: the cat and the rest of work I have, was made by a designer I paid and he used photoshop to create it. 

Because the full adobe package is so expensive, I deleted all the backgrounds from all the work he did, saved the files as PSD and I am now editing with Illustrator only.

 

If I select the cat, I always have a rectangle around it. I think it is an image. I tried Image tracing but for some reason it is deleting / ignoring the white parts.

 

Will I need photoshop to do what I want to do, or is there a way in Illustrator?

 

Coloring it with the buckettool also doesnt work for same reasons.

The original work files from him also do not contain his full "steps".

4 replies

Met1
Met1
Legend
August 29, 2022

I'd use image trace.

Whit.Bee
Whit.Bee
Inspiring
August 3, 2022

Another option would be to group the cat together and add a stroke behind the group. Have the appearance palette open so you can click and drag the stroke below the word "Content" after adding the stroke. Increase the size of the stroke until spaces until it appears like you want. This is an easy fast way to get fill in the spaces if you are also wanting the stroke around the whole thing. The screenshot attached shows what I mean by clicking and draging the stroke line to be below the Content, when you first add the stroke, it appears above it. 

    Jacob Bugge
    Community Expert
    Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 2, 2022

    Sergeant,

     

    As I (mis)understand it, you can obtain the black filling and outlining so the cat appears the same on top of any background as follows (two alternative ways described):

     

    You can either:

     

    0) Create a pale/contrasting background and lock it if not already;

    1) Select all the cat parts and Ctrl/Cmd+G to Group, then Ctrl/Cmd+C+F to copy to the front and lock the copy cat (which hides the original Group);

    2) Click on the copy cat to select the original Group and apply a black fill and no stroke to it, then Ctrl/Cmd to turn it into a Compound Path;

    3) Object>Path>Offset Path with a positive offset value that is sufficient to close all the gaps between the (locked) cat parts of the Compound Path, this will create a single larger path beneath the Offset Path;

    4) Click on the copy cat to select the Compound Path and delete it so you just have the larger path, showing beyween and round the copy cat;

    5) Object>Path>Offset Path with a smaller negative offset value that gives you the desired thickness of the outline round the copy cat which is the difference between the positive and negative offset values (for an outline of 2pt, the negative value needs to be 2pt less than the positive value), this will give you a smaller black path on top of the larger one;

    6) Click the the larger black path (near the edge) and delete it;

    7) Delete the pale/contrasting backgroundfrom 0).

     

    You may need to try 3) and 5) a few times using Undo in between until you are satisfied.

     

    Or as an alternative way, in order to more clearly work with the black shapes without the copy cat in 2) - 5), you can (without the pale/contrasting background:

     

    1) Select all the cat parts and Ctrl/Cmd+G to Group, then Ctrl/Cmd+C+F to copy to the front and hide the copy cat;

    2) Select the original Group and apply a black fill and no stroke to it, then Ctrl/Cmd to turn it into a Compound Path;

    3) Object>Path>Offset Path with a positive offset value that is sufficient to close all the gaps between the cat parts of the Compound Path, this will create a single larger path beneath the Offset Path;

    4) Click on the Compound Path and delete it so you just have the larger path, then show the copy cat;

    5) Object>Path>Offset Path with a smaller negative offset value that gives you the desired thickness of the outline round the copy cat which is the difference between the positive and negative offset values (for an outline of 2pt, the negative value needs to be 2pt less than the positive value), this will give you a smaller black path on top of the larger one;

    6) Click the the larger black path (near the edge) and delete it;

     

     

      S
      SergeantCojonesAuthorCorrect answer
      Inspiring
      August 28, 2022

      Sorry for just replying now. I was longer off than expected with vacation and other...

       

      What you describe is exactly what I want to do.

       

      My Problem is step 2 and 3 - How do I add a black fill to the copy cat and how do I create a compound path out of it.

      It does not work!

       

      I should mention: the cat and the rest of work I have, was made by a designer I paid and he used photoshop to create it. 

      Because the full adobe package is so expensive, I deleted all the backgrounds from all the work he did, saved the files as PSD and I am now editing with Illustrator only.

       

      If I select the cat, I always have a rectangle around it. I think it is an image. I tried Image tracing but for some reason it is deleting / ignoring the white parts.

       

      Will I need photoshop to do what I want to do, or is there a way in Illustrator?

       

      Coloring it with the buckettool also doesnt work for same reasons.

      The original work files from him also do not contain his full "steps".

      Jacob Bugge
      Community Expert
      Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 5, 2022

      I now bought all applications, since I cannot buy subscription for Illustrator + photoshop seperately for around 48€/$. I hate this subscription model adobe gives. Instead I gotta go for the 60$/€+ option and get all of them instead. Alternative would be to switch the subscriptions, but they would loose me money. 

       

      Asked in the photoshop community and will see what comes around there.

       

      Just would be nice if u can check my pictures here, maybe some settings off and Illustrator is a option. Be short on your answer unless u see the real mistake.

       

      I appreciate all your time, help and energy ! 


      Sergeant,

       

      It is possible to have two subscriptions, one for PS and one for AI.

       

      But you may be able to cancel the extended subscription and stay with AI:

       

      I may have come up with a new approach, only using AI based on Image Trace with the setting(s) Black and White and start with a Threshhold 128 (it can be different values for different images, but it seems to work for the cat with 128);

      https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/image-trace.html

       

      1) Place the cat image, with or without a black background, within whole pixel values, in other words having the top left corner at whole pixel values, such as X = Y = 0 (as in the corner of the Artboard which must also start there);

      2) Ctrl/Cmd+C+F to create a copy on top of it, then lock the original;

      3) Create a rectangle with the same size as the image and align the two, then select the rectangle alone and Ctrl/Cmd+X+B to bring it to the back, then give it a black fill if there is no background, then lock it;

       

      This is the initial setting;

       

      4) Ctrl/Cmd+A to select the copy image, then run Image Trace and Expand;

       

      Now you ought to have white cat parts on black;

       

      5) If you have the black background, Click somewhere on a black part, then Select>Same>Fill Color to select all background parts, then delete;

      6) Click somewhere on a white cat part, then Select>Same>Fill Color to select all cat parts, then Ctrl/Cmd+G to Group them, then give the cat Group a colour such as red;

       

      Now you ought to see red cat parts on a black background, time to fill the gaps and create the contour:

       

      7) With the red cat Group selected, Object>Path>Offset with a poistive offset equalling the desired contour width;

       

      If this has filled all the inner parts that formed the gaps within the cat, you can jump to 10), otherwise Ctrl/Cmd+Z to Undo and:

       

      😎 Object>Path>Offset Path with a positive offset value that is sufficient to fill the inner parts that formed all the gaps within the cat; lock and hide the original cat Group (it is on top of the offset path);

      9) Object>Path>Offset Path with a smaller negative offset value that gives you a gap equalling the desired outer stroke round the cat (subtract the desired outer stroke thickness from the value in 8));

       

      Now for the final part:

       

      10) Unlock and show the original image from 1) which will be (partially) hidden beneath the red cat parts (which will become invisible in the next step), then unlock the rectangle from 3);

       

      11) Ctrl/Cmd+A, then Ctrl/Cmd+7.

       

      Now you ought to have a Group forming a Clipping Mask with the right appearance, the black background formed by (part of) the original background if any, or by (part of) the rectangle in the back.

       

      Monika Gause
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      August 2, 2022

      Can you please show the outline view? Also I don't think I fully understand what you want to do.

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