1. To place a linked (unembedded) image, place it with the Link option turned On: It does not include the image in the document but creates the link to the original image and its "avatar" in the artwork. So you can edit the original in its own source program any time, your doc is not too large, but if you want to move the artwork anywhere you need to move the external image as well. The linked image has some marks: it"s crossed by diagonals and has a link mark ("chain") in the Links panel. If you want to embed the image, you can choose the corresponding point in the Links panel menu: Then you'll get an image that is totally included in the document, link to the original will be broken. You cannot lose it when move anywhere but its size will be added to the doc size and you can't edit and update it. after any editing of original you will need to relink it: To restore the "Linked" status, you need to relink the image with the "Link" option turned On. Now about your doc. This happens when you place the PDF file (it may be Photoshop PDF or Illustrator PDF as well). the embedded PDF receives a clipping mask like some "capsule" for its content. so to avoid this action you can place the file with the Link option or save the original raster images in another format (PSD, TIF, Hi quality JPG etc.) ... View more

As far as I can see here are 2 things: 1. You placed the images without the Link option. In this case Illustrator embed the image into the document and break all links to the original (including its name). 2. The clipping masks may be created by yourself or by the program itself if you place, for example, PDF format. What format have the images?   try to relink any image (click on the "chain" icon on the Links panel) and reselect the image in the folder with the Link option turned On. And then tell please what happens. ... View more

A bit stupid question, but: - what were the artboard dimensions (in pixels)? - what was the export resolution settings? Generally, when we set the artboard dimension pixels and export with 72 PPI, everything goes well.  but if the dimensions are in points, it may work not so good. ... View more

What was the settings of the import? Was it with "Link" option or not? Could you please show the screen with the Layers and Links panels expanded? If content is sensitive, you can zoom it to show just part of the artwork, we need mainly panels to say something helpful. ... View more

The most time-saving way is the one suggested by Joel, but yes, it can create some difficulties in particular cases shown by Peter. So you can use another way. You can change an usual space after the single uppercase letter to nonbreaking space using Find/Change window > GREP option. "Find What" field: (\s\u)(\s) (Space, Any uppercase letter) followed by (Space). "Change To" field: $1~S — keeping the first parenthesis content and changing the last simple space to nonbreaking space. ... View more

looks like some preferences failure. Check Edit > Preferences > User Interface > UI Scaling for UI size (I guess you prefer to set it Small). If after setting it Small the situation does not change, try to reset Preferences. Generally it helps in such weird program behavior ... View more

If you want to add the linear gradient, you can even do it without creating the compound path. You can select all dots, apply the gradient, and then set the gradient line through them (from left to right one) using the Gradient tool. I would suggest to group the dots but it's not necessary. ... View more

Tell us please a bit more about color modes. 1. What is Document Color Mode? 2. What is Color Palette mode? Looks like they are different. ... View more

Hi! Now you have a good layers structure (I just don't see the reason for the top layer duplication, but you see better) As Doug says, each line is not a single layer, Illustrator is not like Photoshop here. Each line is like a book on a shelf, where the shelf is a layer. You can select some objects in a layer and group them, so you will decrease the first-level step of the structural complexity. If you need to get any specific object, you'll see it in the group. If you want to collect all the objects at the top layer, just select them all and group them, they all will move to the top layer. If you want to finally have the one united object, without separating to small details, follow Doug's advice: select all, call the Outline Stroke command and then use Unite option on the Pathfinder panel. But I would suggest doing this at the last step and primarily saving an editable copy for any further tasks with this image. ... View more

I'm not sure about this particular issue but the first thing to try is resetting Preferences. Use the Preferences button, or Edit > Preferences > General, or Ctrl/Cmd+K to open the General option in Preferences, click Reset and Restart Illustrator. If this does not help, well then we'll have to search for something else. ... View more

Hi Viviane, I guess, Monika means, how did you lock your objects. Did you lock any objects separately? And I could miss something but your screenshot shows that your active layer is unlocked, and the line is selected. The screen looks right. Could you please say a bit more about which actions are locked and with what layer are you working at that moment? ... View more

Could you please show the screenshot of the logo in Illustrator, PNG in 1:1 scale, and PNG in size that you look at? Raster images look quite different depending on the scale. ... View more

the way 1 issue — yes, it's what I was talking about, the proper dividing point. Try to move the bottom corners (right and left responsiverly) with Free Transform tool to find that same point. As far as I can see, you need to move them a bit right.   For the Mesh — ok, a little later, let me repeat and record the workflow. ... View more

If I understand your purpose well, I would suggest another way. way 1. Work separately with left and right parts of your yellow composition and use Free Transform tool. Then you can adjust the four-corners shape to the each plane. Here would be very useful to primary define the dividing proportions for the bottom line. But in case of mistake, it's no problem. You can change the Free Transform corners positions at any moment. way 2. Use Envelope Distort made with Mesh. This way is good for the whole yellow composition. Use the mesh with 1 Row and 2 columns, the mesh line then will place at the central gap.The main task is the same as in the previous way: define a good bottom line dividing proportions. The second thing is to straighten the mesh lines. I would recommend to create the guides and snap the mesh handlers to them.   The Envelop Distort with Top Object does not work for this purpose. ... View more

Create the new documents via the "web" section of the "Create New" window for further projects. Select any template and set the needed pixel size (e. g. 1080x1080). Then you will have pre-defined proper Color Mode (RGB) and export resolution (72 PPI), so the final image will have the needed size. ... View more

In addition to Monika's post: if you use 3D And Material, you will get the shadows from the effect. If you use Classic 3D, you will need to create the shadows: draw rounded rectangles  (or copy the original one), fill them gray, transform as needed, apply Blur effect with the desired amount, and set Blending mode as Multiply.  ... View more

check the link above and fill free to ask if you will need any more help 🙂  ... View more

1. What Color Mode does your document have? Colors change automatically if the Document color mode and Color panel mode are different. Check it and set Document Color mode as RGB (File > Document Color MOde > RGB). 2. Do you mean Live Paint Bucket? There is no other Paint Bucket in Illustrator, the simple Color Bucket is a Photoshop tool. If you already have the filled objects, you don't need to use Live paint Bucket, just select the object and choose or set the needed fill color. Make sure that the fill is active (the solid square is on top in the top-left part of the Color or Swatches panel). ... View more

please! this is not a selection by Direct select, it's a simple Select (move) tool, it does not show the anchor points. Show please the lines selected by white arrow. ... View more

the only use of all these grids is to show the client and all his contractors the allowed sizes and proportions. And yes, it can help them to keep consistence. So in explication I would choose the characteristic element (e. g. circle) and use its size to highlight the sizes/distances/proportions/protection zone.  And yes, as you used lines and circles, you can show them as a "sceleton" (grid) of the logo. ... View more

could you please show the segment with different caps selected by Direction Select Tool (white arrow)? The shown appearance is very strange. And the question: what type of caps do you have when start drawing instantly after creating/opening the file? Butt caps is a default option for strokes, but the panel remembers the last selected object appearance. Maybe that's the cause. In any case, it's always worth to reset preferences and check what happens. ... View more

show please the screenshot of the original artwork (in Illustrator) and the PNG set (all sizes). Did you reduce the dimension when exported or changed the full-size PNG? ... View more

Hi, which AI version do you use? If 2021-2022, there is a new 3D filter set there. You can extrude your shape, and give it light and texture. Check Window > 3D and materials or Effect > 3D and materials. ... View more

Try to convert the text to outlines. What happens in this case? and why SVG if you want to print it?   Please, tell us what happens if you convert the text to outlines and save it as AI or PDF (which are better for printing). ... View more