Image Trace / But creating outlines for text equivalent confusion!

[adam281572717o34]

When I create Illustrator coloring book pages in black and white with text quotes over background patterns, I'm having a weird problem. Letters like "O" or "B" with "holes" in them print with wierd white circles that block out the patterns that should show behind them. Sometimes I don't see those white holes onscreen. But I see them in the printouts or in the saved PDF.
While I - kind of- understand the "Ignore White" command in the Image Trace Window, I can't figure out what to do when I CREATE OUTLINES under the Type dropdown. So confused! Many thanks for any help with a solution!

[Ton Frederiks]

Create Outlines only works with live editable type and should give you transparent holes in letters like O and B.

When tracing an image Ignore White (or in the latest version Ignore Color) should help.

[adam281572717o34]

Apologies for my confusion. I have some live editable type. but image trace is grayed out. The only way I can "expand it" is by going> Type > Create Outlines. Is this what you were saying? Again, thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

Yes, live type cannot be traced (because only images can be traced), but it can be expanded to vector outlines.

[adam281572717o34]

Thanks so much! In some (?) YT video - someone mentioned how to not get the weird white holes in the center of some outlined / expanded type images that are laid over patterns and they block out the patterns and stop them from showing through. Darn! I can't remember which YT video! Would you have any idea what they were talking about?

[Ton Frederiks]

Compound paths are used to create "see through shapes".

So Object > Compound Path > Make is used to do that.

Sometimes it is useful to check the Expanded Attributes panel to change the rules that determine what becomes transparent an what remains filled.

[adam281572717o34]

After I get my neurosurgery degree, I guess I'll understand what you just said! LOL! And using the Image Trace advanced window - it's long & there's no scroll bar - so . .  how was Adobe thinking those of us with smaller screens could hit "expand"? Or - do they even care?  Here's a link to a very detailed explanation on YT. Tough for a mere mortal like me to understand, but there's much info here. Best of luck to Adobe users who would like to understand this complex new version of Image Trace!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnkYKgRTGPQ&t=184s 

And Ton - as always - thank you so much for your wonderful help!

[Ton Frederiks]

The complex new vercion is changed in the new 27.8 update to the previous less complex version (that needs no scrollbars), but there are some problems with this update for those who made custom presets in previous versions.

And success with your neurosurgery study 🙂