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When using the Illustrator image crop tool for background images, when I would initially hit the "Crop Image" button, the crop area would be exactly the the artboard size and area. Now, it chooses a random shape, which I then have to drag out to the size and area of the artboard.
Why this change, and how can I adjust the settings to be able to crop to artboard size by default?
The Crop tool tries to suggest how to crop your image, based on Artificial Intelligence.
You can turn of these suggestions in the Preferences > Enable Content Aware Defaults
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The Crop tool tries to suggest how to crop your image, based on Artificial Intelligence.
You can turn of these suggestions in the Preferences > Enable Content Aware Defaults
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I'm having this issue using version 29.2.1. Unchecked Enable Content Aware Defaults. Tried re-starting. Still doing the same thing. If I try to resize the cropped image it is some weird shape not what I tried to crop at all. Any suggestions?
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Can you please describe in more detail and post a screenshot?
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Hi Monika,
I am trying to follow a set of instructions in order to create a seamless, repeat pattern. I have created a swatch with this pattern that seems to work fine but is not cropped so the elements overlap the edge as seen in the first image on the left. The instructor suggests making a cropped version to remove all the visible parts of the elements that overlap the edges of the bounding box. As instructed, I re-order my layers to bring the invisible layer (which apparently tells Illustrator to create a repeating pattern 🙂 above the grouped layer in this first image. Then I go to Pathfinder and Crop. I have followed it through half a dozen times. The first time it worked perfectly. So I know I must be doing something wrong but I can't figure out what. Thanks for taking the time to try and assist me. Much appreciated.
When I crop this happens...
When I scale that selection up it looks nothing like my original design.
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ALthough Ton is correct with the advice of using Pathfinders, which would give you the result as in the tutorial, generally that tutorial teaches you a workflow that is outdated since about 2012.
All you need to do is put an invisible rectangle in the bottom of the pattern and then drag all of that into the swatches panel.
Or even better: use the pattern editing mode for pattern creation. https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/create-edit-patterns.html
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Thanks Monika - I wondered if something had changed. If it's that old no wonder 🙂 So what I had already done was sufficient then. Think I'll spend my time learning the new pattern editing mode. Thanks for the link!
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It's really weird, but currently the old workflows from 20 years back are surfacing and it's sending me shivers down my back. You might even see newly published tutorials with that ages old workflow.
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Chris, the Crop Tool combined with Content Aware Defaults is meant for images, not for vectors.
Putting a rectangle above Artwork, selecting both the rectangle and the artwork below it and using Pathfinder Crop, should work for vectors (although it could give unwanted effects with stroked objects).
The rectangle is probably not the top object in your selection, but that cannot be seen in your layers panel screendump.
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Thanks for the information Ton. Wish I actually understood it but it's over my head 🙂 As Monika suggested think I'll get familiar with the much newer options instead!
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What you are using is not the Crop tool (Object > Crop Image), but the Pathfinder Crop.
Two different things, so you are actually reacting in the wrong post.
Monika's suggestion to use the newer Object > Pattern > Make method for making patterns is a good one, but I understood that you already had made a pattern with the 1988 method of having an invisible rectangle in the back.
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I did not know there was a difference Ton. Only downloaded AI about a week ago - so totally new at all this. I had indeed already managed to create the pattern using the invisible rectangle and the Pathfinder Crop. My apologies for posting in the wrong thread.
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No problem Chris, hope you enjoy this powerfull app. It is not easy to start with, but Adobe (and Monika) have some good tutorials, there are books like Classroom in a Book and LinkedIn Learning has good courses.
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Tanks Ton - so far I'm liking it a lot. Appreciate the advice and the information.