Red "transform" box around image

[rebeccal11099218]

Hi there I am very new to illustrator and used to using photoshop. I have created a simple black background then added a layer I have then dragged and dropped an image of a flower into my first layer but a red "transform style" grid appears around the image. I can press cmd 2 to remove the red grid but that means my image is then locked and  I cannot move it?

Does anyone know how I can simply drop an image into a layer rezise it then get rid of the red transform style grid surrounding my image and then be able to freely move my image around?

Thank you

[Monika Gause]

Please show.

[rebeccal11099218]

[Doug A Roberts]

you'll always see that if your image is selected unless you hide edges. (View > Hide Edges).

[rebeccal11099218]

Really, that is very irritating! Although even when I press VIEW > HIDE EDGES the red grid only goes away when I move the mouse off the actual layer but when I go to work on the actual layer itself the red grid comes back. So the red annoying grid will basically always be there?

[Doug A Roberts]

if you turn off the bounding box too (in the same menu), you'll see nothing. but really, don't you want to see the boundaries of the object your working on? it's a visual aid.

[rebeccal11099218]

Oh ok thank you so much for taking the time to reply!

I guess I'm just not used to seeing them as I usually work in photoshop and there the image has no box and you can just manipulate it as you please.

Although when I go to VIEW > HIDE BOUNDING BOX it still shows the red grid when I move my mouse onto the layer :s oh well.

Even the resizing of the image seems really difficult in illustrator? In photoshop I just click free transform and I can resize the image to whatever I please, here on illustrator it doesn't seem as simple.

Lastly to turn the flower image I've posted above here into a colour vector do I just click on the layer then go

OBJECT > LIVE TRACE > TRACING OPTIONS > MODE - COLOUR > TRACE

?

Thank you so much for all your help!

Bex

[Doug A Roberts]

rebeccal11099218  wrote

Even the resizing of the image seems really difficult in illustrator? In photoshop I just click free transform and I can resize the image to whatever I please, here on illustrator it doesn't seem as simple.

that's (partly) what the bounding box is for. grab it by the handles at the corners with the Selection tool (black arrow) to resize. it's less steps than in PhotoShop.

[rebeccal11099218]

Thank you!

[Ton Frederiks]

Turn off View Smart Guides to hide the box when you hover over it with your mouse. No need to Hide Edges or Bounding Box.

But turning off the Smart Guides turns of a really helpful tool.

[rebeccal11099218]

Thank you!

[edgrimley]

When you place an image in to Illustrator it is linked, if you want the box to go away permanently, click Embed on the menu bar on top.

[rebeccal11099218]

Thank you!