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Guest Finishing Touch

Tracing In AI and sending to SB

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Guest Finishing Touch

is there a tutorial for tracing and importing thru AI

the original image is a jpeg not good quality, when i trace the swooshes in Inkscape lines look good not jaggy, when i trace in AI a little jaggy but when i import into SB as an EPS it looks horrible jagged to beat all hell, i feel like i am missing something, is there a better program out there to trace and clean up with?

what would someone charge to help me clean this up and how can i pay you I do have a paypal account.

swoosh.eps

swoosh.svg

post-7099-0-26082700-1337172352.png

post-7099-0-37391300-1337186173.jpg

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Personally I would just recreate that. Wouldn't take a ton of time and its going to most likely be the best way. I will take a swing at it and see.

Actually you have a really good start with the .SVG just open it back into inkscape add a few nodes in the really straight point move a couple around and I think you will have it. I don't have a ton of time right now to monkey with it otherwise I would

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Guest Finishing Touch

Thank You for your help :)

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Guest Finishing Touch

I am going to try some more thank you for your help

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Guest Finishing Touch

is that the problem with the jagginess needs more nodes to smooth it out?

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Guest Finishing Touch

Thank You Jay I really appreciate your help

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is that the problem with the jagginess needs more nodes to smooth it out?

There is a really good inkscape video here. when you click on the node it gives you a line through it with circles at the end. that is like the plain that runs through the node you can swing that back and forth and see what it does.

I haven't watched Jays video but I would guess that what he did in SB is the way to go He's a genius with that program.

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Guest Finishing Touch

I have been working with both programs i even sent it to Vector Magic and it came back the same way around the curve of the swoosh it is jaggy, when i get it into SB i love that program, I am going to try and get Flexi you can cut from that program right???

i am starting to think that mayby the way the curve is that it is going to be jaggy, and then i think no way there is way to smooth these lines out. I really appreciate ya'lls help with this. :)

Jay's video is awesome

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is that the problem with the jagginess needs more nodes to smooth it out?

Usually less is better. As few as possible to define the curves you want.

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This is what I created in SignBlazer using PolyLine:

Doesn't get much cleaner and sharper then that!!! LOL Great Job Jay!

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Guest Finishing Touch

Jay your awesome thank you I did as you did in the video and I dunno if i am being to anal about the jagginess It is only noticeable in SB you know what i mean because they look great in AI and INK do you think it will even it self out it is going on a 4' x 8' sign

i feel like i am beating a dead dog with this

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For something as simple as that, I'd re-draw it in AI. You should be able to knock that out in <5 minutes. I'm not being snobby by saying this... just giving you my most honest opinion.... I don't even consider tracing 99% of the stuff I need to redo. I want the lines perfect, and I don't want to waste time fiddling with other software. It only takes you a few times to get the process down very well and you will be much better off for mastering it.

Just copy the image into your AI doc.

Put it on it's own layer and set it's opacity to something lower... I use anywhere from 25% to 60% depending on whatever feels better on my eyes.

Lock that layer.

Create a new layer.

Select the pen tool, pick a color that is bright and obvious... for redraws I use HOT PINK. It sticks out.

Make sure you are drawing as a stroke, not a fill.

When using the pen tool... make sure you know the 'alt' trick. It is the best 'command' in AI that I use.

alt trick, as best as I can describe it...... take the pen and make two points and on the second point drag it a bit to make a curved line. THEN go to that second point (it will be three points). Hold down the 'alt' key and click on the middle point. It will delete the last point. This makes all the difference when drawing with pen in AI.

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For something as simple as that, I'd re-draw it in AI. You should be able to knock that out in <5 minutes. I'm not being snobby by saying this... just giving you my most honest opinion.... I don't even consider tracing 99% of the stuff I need to redo. I want the lines perfect, and I don't want to waste time fiddling with other software. It only takes you a few times to get the process down very well and you will be much better off for mastering it.

Just copy the image into your AI doc.

Put it on it's own layer and set it's opacity to something lower... I use anywhere from 25% to 60% depending on whatever feels better on my eyes.

Lock that layer.

Create a new layer.

Select the pen tool, pick a color that is bright and obvious... for redraws I use HOT PINK. It sticks out.

Make sure you are drawing as a stroke, not a fill.

When using the pen tool... make sure you know the 'alt' trick. It is the best 'command' in AI that I use.

alt trick, as best as I can describe it...... take the pen and make two points and on the second point drag it a bit to make a curved line. THEN go to that second point (it will be three points). Hold down the 'alt' key and click on the middle point. It will delete the last point. This makes all the difference when drawing with pen in AI.

I agree except I use SignBlazer instead of AI.

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Guest Finishing Touch

Thank You so very much for all your help and insight i really appreciate it. :) ya'll are AWESOME ....

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All this stress and fret i printed it out on paper to show the proof to client and wouldn't you know it prints out perfect no jagged lines alas I cut a small one out of the swoosh and wouldn't you know it no jagged lines so it leads me to believe the jagged lines are only on the screen in this case

Jay

Dr12volt

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP.....

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All this stress and fret i printed it out on paper to show the proof to client and wouldn't you know it prints out perfect no jagged lines alas I cut a small one out of the swoosh and wouldn't you know it no jagged lines so it leads me to believe the jagged lines are only on the screen in this case

Jay

Dr12volt

Show

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP.....

To be completely honest that is why I first got away from using SignBlazer and went to LXi. I hated how for some reason in the program the resolution just wasn't right or something because as you said most of what is on the screen in SB just does not look clean and crisp. I changed the settings on my monitor trying to help with it and it just didn't work. I posted about it last spring sometime and I don't really recall anyone else having the same issues. I will have to dig through my archive and see if I can find my original post... But now I feel better seeing someone else had the same issues with their copy.

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It does have crappy resolution but everything else works so well I just can't drag myself away from it. Especially when anything that comes close to the same features is well over $1000. I guess I don't even notice anymore.

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Guest Finishing Touch

Glad to hear someone thinks the resolution sucks. You guys are my Heros

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Guest Finishing Touch

Ph by the way the client loved it and I got the Job.

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Guest Finishing Touch

This topic has been resolved Thanks to those who helped me I appreciate everyone on this forum without i would not have the business i do today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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my 0.02. I use .ai and some inkscape. live trace is a nice concept and is ok on small stuff from a clean highres pic but if your going to go big with it after you're done all the little nasties that you don't see on an 8.5x11 become really noticeable on a 4ft signboard.On simple designs I ususally hand trace with the pen tool to get nice curves and smooth transitions. You can interpret the image better than the computer can in every instance. some objects are so complex it is time prohibitive and I just go the easy button but and then maybe clean it up some.

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