Help - switching to illustrator - canvas size and image output size

[maybe, maybe not]

Hi

I've been using photoshop for around 12 years, despite having illustrator as every time I open it, it whips me. But I need to learn how to use illustrator. Till now, we have been using photoshop for doing things like text logo's which I think must be crazy and rubbish. So I'm going to learn Illustrator, but goodness it is hard (for me at least). I haven't found anything in the docs or support that addresses this, but I have looked.

My current dilemma is really basic. In photoshop, we need to create a logo 1200 x 200 - simple - set canvas size, and all good. Resulting image is 1200 x 200.

In illustrator I can't work it out. I've tried setting artboard size, but when it comes to save for web and devices it just crops 'canvas' to tight around the content - so no correct size and no white space.

At a conceptual level, what workflow should I use to create an output that is 2000px wide x 1200px high, in high res, in a web usable format. Do I have to draw a background rectangle 2000px x 1200px before adding actual image to it?

Any help gratefully received.

[Doug A Roberts · Accepted solution]

In the Save for Web settings, there is an option to use the artboard size:

[maybe, maybe not]

Hi Doug,

Thank you - that's awesome. Perfect. I saw that but never in a million years would I have derived that meaning from the 'clip to artboard'. So thank you.

To get the best 'vector' quality output for text logo, what is the best format? Shopify who we reluctantly use, make .svg deeply painful to use, so we default to png-24 as next best but widely accepted. Any thoughts on this?

Thank you once again! It's simple when you know how. 

[Doug A Roberts]

PNG is not a vector format. Maybe that's fine for your needs, but just be aware of that.

What are you using this output for?

[maybe, maybe not]

Hi Doug,

We are using it for branding. So print logo, and web logo as well as embedding in word templates and powerpoint templates.

But also for some text based landing page images say 900px x 500px that need to work in a responsive website. Shopify doesn't work well with .svg so we can't use that format as that is 70% of our websites - the rest being wordpress.

If you can help, I'll be very grateful. We have been doing this for years, probably all wrong. 

[Jacob Bugge]

maybe,

In addition to the exquisite answers by Doug, whenever you need anything for print and screen/web use, the normal way is to create a CMYK version for print (unless you only wish to print on non PostScript office printers that inherently convert from RGB to CMYK) and also an RGB version for screen/web use (which also works for Word/Powerpoint templates).

Concerning the best possible quality of raster images for screen/web, the folowing may sound unforgivably outdated and boring, sorry.

If you wish to have PNGs (PNG24 (also (little) known as PNG32, it holds 24 bit colour and 8 bit Alpha channel (transparency)), of course) look crisp and clean, it is important to have the images in the exact desired final pixel x pixel size, forget about resolution which may actually lead to wrong sizes and hence blurriness. It is easiest and safest to work at the desired size.

A very common unsuitable way is to Export to PNG (remember to use PNG24 and use Transparency for artwork to be in front of different backgrounds) with a medium or high resolution, such as 300PPI.

And a common misunderstanding: (almost) 11 out of 10 times, a statement like "I created the document at 300 PPI" means that the value is chosen in Effect>Document Raster Effects Settings; however that only means that the (current) resolution of any raster effects applied to the vector artwork, such as (any kind of) Blur, is set to that value (and only unless/until the value is changed to something else); when zooming in, this resolution can be seen in contrast to and on the background of the vector artwork. So this setting has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual resolution of a raster image created from the (vector) artwork.

To retain the clean and crisp artwork, a PNG must be created at exactly the pixel x pixel size that it is to be used for, or at sizes that are powers of 2 times as large (2, 4, 8, and so on).

For clean and crisp artwork avoid JPEG.

It is also important to have the artwork and also the Artboard placed fully within integer/whole pixel X and Y values in the Workspace, which means that the X and Y values at the corners must be integer; this can be ensured by using one of the corner Reference Points in the Transform palette, and then checking that all the values X, Y, W, and H, are integer (the centre Reference Point can only be used if both W and H are even numbers).

Otherwise the resulting image will become a bit wider/taller and the extension(s) will be empty and therefore be (partially) transparent/white.

Therefore, the safest way is to create the artwork at the final pixel x pixel size and use a corresponding Artboard, then either use the Legacity Save for Web (where you can look in the Image Size window for size confirmation) or Export at 72PPI. In either case, use the relevant optimization (available with both ways); it is also convenient to have 72PPI in the Effect>Document Raster Effect Settings.

If you have pure vector artwork, you can relax a bit and have the artwork/Artboard at any size (the Artboard must have the same proportions as the final image), then use the Legacity Save for Web and set either Width or Height in the Image Size and Apply (make sure the other value is also correct).

The Legacy Save for Web may be an old carthorse, but it knows its way home, even if the driver is drunk and sleeping it off in the hay in the back.

I can assure you that however hard Illy (job description Adobe Illustrator) may have whipped you, it has been completely unintentional: she is always very friendly and eager to help. Some think that she sometimes, or always, moves in mystrerious ways, but once you really get to know her, your only regret will be that it took so long.

[maybe, maybe not]

Hi Jacob,

That's a great answer. Thank you. I understand most of it, but far from all. I'll read it through a few times and hopefully make sense of it. 

First takeaway is that actually trying to use vector images on a website I'll give up on. Raster is the way to go. Shopify technically can take .svg up to a point but it's a nightmare. So I'll stick to raster. 

So much of what you have said I didn't know. You may feel it's outdated and boring but actually its all new news to me. Things like artboard and artwork sizes isnt immediately transferrable from photoshop. The 'whole integer pixel x / y' thing has gone straight over my head but I'll work it out now I have some concepts to explore. 

That's given me a great starting point to get on the right path. Thank you!

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, maybe.

One of the crucial differences from what you are used to is that here you work with Artboards within a Workspace rather than a Canvas (the word Canvas has somehow found a mousehole into Illy terms and is sometimes used for either Artboard or Workspace to muddle things up completely): the Workspace is the total area where you can draw and do, and the Artboard is the area for printing/PDF creation and can be used as limiting area of what is exported; you can have multiple Artboards with their own internal measuring.

The suggestions of integer values can be used when you set up an Artboard, and when you place artwork; one of your friends is the Transform palette where you can use the Reference point at one of the corners.

Smart Guides are also your friends, especially because they can tell you when you are within snapping distance of whatever you wish to snap to in order to get accurate alignments; and then of course your Align palette.

These are only a few things to start reading up on. What was once known as (what you should Read) The Fine Manual is in the documentation, which you may find is overwhelmingly written for those with a (good deal of) knowledge, but a good Adobe source of general/specific information is formed by the helpx pages.

Here is a blank helpx search page (to Bookmark) where you can just start typing in:

https://helpx.adobe.com/search-results.html?q=&scope=%5B%22helpx%22%5D&subscope=%5B%5D&limit=10&star...