Adjusting the anchor points

You can't really tell on my blog because of the scale of the image, but I have spent a while neatening up any unwanted jagged edges on the image on the left. I did this by adjusting the "anchor points"-an adjustment you can achieve after you "live trace" an image. The image on the right is an exaggerated version to give and example of what I mean.

Process Notes

Adjusting the Colour using Adobe Photoshop/ Illustrator

Skill

Learning how to add colour and tone to one of my illustrations using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Approach to Learning

First of all Matt showed everyone in a group tutorial how he added colour to his illustrations. I forgot to take notes so I watched tutorials on line, borrowed an Adobe manual and asked Kate (who is Vis. Com Yr 1), for help as she has been using the Adobe suit for years.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. The pencil lines of the original image were too faint so they did not scan. I went around all the drawings with a black fine liner.
2. Shading can make an image look more "alive". Kate told me that if I change the opacity on the paintbrush tool you can gradually build up the shading instead of persistently changing she shade from the palette.
3. It is quicker to scan the image into Adobe Illustrator, live trace it, then place it into a new Adobe document. This also means you can adjust the size of the image while "placing".

The original image, just scanned in-

The image "live traced" in Illustrator-

The image without shading-

Overall...

I took me a while to grasp the process but found it a very useful exercise. I still think I have more to learn about Photoshop, but generally feel more confident and have realised that if I am struggling there are many ways I can find help. The only thing that would have made the process easier is if I had used a graphics tablet as it would have made the shading more accurate.

Mini Adobe Photoshop/ Illustrator project

I then changed the colour using the paint bucket tool:

"Live Trace" on Adobe Illustrator

Skill

Scanning in one of my illustrations, adjusting the levels and putting it into Illustrator to be 'traced'

Approach to Learning

In one of his critiques, Matt showed us how he "live traced' one of his illustrations to make it look crisp and shaper around the edges.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. If I am 'tracing' the image, I can scan it straight into illustrator. I do not need to adjust the levels first. This will save time.

Before "tracing" After "tracing"

Overall...

I didn't take any notes when Matt showed us the technique so I had to rely on memory. Although this was risky I found that I can remember how to carry out the process better due to this- because I had to remember it seems to have stuck. The only thing which would have made the process easier would be to use a graphics tablet.