Saving as Vector in CS5

[sarahb15975966]

I have CS5 and have created an ai file but I need to save it as a vector file and the person I am sending this file to tells me it is in bitmap.

How do I change it to vector?

[SJRiegel]

Please provide more detail about the artwork. Was it created by placing images into Illustrator, or by natively drawing in the program. Also, what format was the file you sent?

[Monika Gause]

Why do they think it is a bitmap file?

[sarahb15975966]

I imported tiff file into Illustrator thinking that just by saving it as an ai it would be vector.

They are a graphics company working with files all the time so I assume they know what they are talking about, whereas I don't know enough and have no idea how to tell if an image is bitmap or vector.

They say they can trace it to make it vector but it might lose some detail.

[Bill Silbert]

If the original image is a tiff then it is a raster file and not a vector. Saving it as an Illustrator file will not make it a vector file. The person that you are sending it to is referring to using Illustrator's Image Trace function which will actually trace the image with vector lines and make it into line art. There are several available presets which may or may not make it possible to produce a decent representation of the image as vector. The results usually vary from decent to awful. If they know what they are doing in making the image trace then you are probably better off letting them make the attempt and keeping your fingers crossed as to the results.

[sarahb15975966]

Thank you Bill, for future reference what file type can I use that can be saved as a vector?  These are usually hand drawn images that I scan in to Photoshop.

[Bill Silbert]

The only way to make true vector art is to actually draw it in Illustrator. Any kind of scan that you do will automatically create raster art which, at best, can be traced in Illustrator using image trace with, as I said before, results that may or may not be acceptable.

[@mj]

Hi Sarah,

Bringing a TIFF file into Ai does not make it vector.

They are correct, you will have to trace or redraw it.

You can read about Image Trace here: How to edit artwork in Illustrator using Image Trace

You may find this tutorial handy: Re-create a Logo from a Poor Quality Scan with Illustrator

HTH

[sarahb15975966]

Thank you.