Removing the transparent checkerboard pattern from a vector image.

[Dravecky Tina]

Removing the transparent checkerboard pattern from a purchased stock image. Ideally it should be a layer, although it has hundreds of checkerboard layers and I tried to delete them without success. The image is a snow globe and I want to place another image behind the snow globe with flares as if they were in the snow globe. I purchased from Shutterstock and they just said they will credit the image cost, which does not fix this issue.

[Monika Gause]

Please try this video: The Vector Clip Art Missing Manual: Glow - YouTube

[Dravecky Tina]

I reviewed the video clip and in theory it should work, but not on this image.

[Monika Gause]

Please show a screenshot of the layers panel. The layers need to be opened.

[Dravecky Tina]

Sent you the actual image as well. Although, here is the screenshot.

[Monika Gause]

To upload images to the forum, please use the web interface.

[Dravecky Tina]

Sorry for the delayed response. Even if i scale down the image to 1 inch, its still 9.5 MB in size and too big to attach. Is there another way to reduce the vector image size?

[John Mensinger]

Tina,

Just take a screenshot of Illustrator with the file open and the Layers panel (all layers expanded) in view.

[Dravecky Tina]

[Monika Gause]

Kind of difficult to see what is what in this screenshot. Please scroll down in the layers panel and show. The checkerboard must be at the bottom.

Maybe you would like to read about how to handle the layers panel.

Organize content with layers |

How to use layers in Illustrator

[Dravecky Tina]

Monika, you have been very helpful, thank you. I know how to use layers, or at least I believe i do. Scrolled up and down the countless layers, even tried to deleted the ones that resemble the color square and nothing, it will not delete. Their not grouped either. The image is 10 MB and too large for this platform, even it I reduced the size to 1 inch, its still 9.3 MB and still too large to send. I've added it to a Dropbox folder, would be happy to send the link if you feel you can delete the background. Here is another screen shot with the layer panel shown at the bottom of the panel.

[Ar_Vue]

Usually with stock images, you might need to select the entire grouped object and just keep ungrouping it and reselecting it until you have just the object you want.

Another trick you can try is use the direct selection tool shortcut keyboard "A" and select one of the checkerbox object. Then go to Select / Same / Fill Color and Illustrator will select all the same objects that use the same fill. Then you can delete it. And then repeat the process. It's tedious.

[Dravecky Tina]

Tried your suggestion, it removed more of the main object as well. It's so frustrating.

[meganchi]

Are you able to share your image for us to help troubleshoot? Otherwise, can you take a screen shot of your file with your layer palette open next to the image?

[Dravecky Tina]

here is the screen shot...

[Ar_Vue]

That doesn't look too difficult to remove. If I was working on this, what I would do is select the snow globe (it may select other grouped components as well) and ungroup it. Then click somewhere else on the canvas to deselect. Then click on the snow globe. Now some components should be ungrouped. Then move the snow globe (along with whatever other components still grouped to it) to the right pressing down shift. Repeat the process until you've broke down all the grouped components into just the individual components that you need and just reassemble it. This would be like a >2 minute process for me. Cheers and good luck!

[Dravecky Tina]

In theory it should work, this image is not grouped. May I send you a Dropbox link with the image? Its 10 MB and too large to attach.

[meganchi]

Post your link and one of us on the forum here can try to get that deleted for you or at least help figure out the issue.

[Dravecky Tina]

Dropbox - Adobe Illustrator - Simplify your life

Hope the link works

[Monika Gause]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Dravecky+Tina  schrieb

Dropbox - Adobe Illustrator - Simplify your life

Hope the link works

You're doomed.

Transparency has been flattened in this one. Did you spend any money on it? Demand a refund. It's unusable.

[meganchi]

I agree with @Monka Gause. This image appears to be watermarked. Are you sure you didn't mistakenly download the free composite file?

If you are logged into shutterstock account, you should be able to re-download the correct vector file at no charge.

[Dravecky Tina]

No, I have a subscription with Shutterstock. I even called Shutterstock and they credited my account for the image and also said, their graphic tech removed tge background with no issue, but didn’t say how they did it.

I am am so frustrated with Shutterstock, because a lot of their images are this way. I even asked them, don’t they test the image first or have restrictions for their artist to group the background layer. They said, they go test them. I am skeptical, there is no way they can test all the images they receive from around the world. At the very least, they should contact tge artist to fix it.

[meganchi]

The file you shared is a .pdf. Can you share the .eps file? That would be the file type you should have downloaded.

Maybe you could bring up the image in shutterstock and do a screenshot of the download window so we can see the available file types to download?

[Monika Gause]

The only reason I can think of is that this is an EPS file (saved with AI file embedded) and you opened it in a lower version than it was created in.

Which version of Illustrator do you have?

How did you open the file?

[Dravecky Tina]

I am using CS5. When downloading from Shutterstock it automatically downloads a PDF. I will try changing it to EPS and see what happens.