Help with new client artwork

[jerry_13 0]

Hi everybody.  I'm brand new to graphics and vinyl cutting.  I'm just getting started and I was wondering if somebody can help me out with manipulating my clients artwork so that the art is kind of one "united" piece instead of many entities.  For example, my clients artwork has some olive branches on the sides of his logo.  The problem is that every leaf and every piece of the artwork is seperate, so  when I try to cut it out, it overlaps and cuts every single little piece.  I have illustrator 10 and I'm just learning how to use it.  Can anybody help me out?

Thank you.

Jerry_13

[kenimes 42]

Welcome to our forums!!

I am sure one of our many users might be able to shed some light on this, unfortunately I do not even have a copy of Illy, so I am not sure. Just wanted to give you a warm welcome.

[jerry_13 0]

Thanks Kenimes!

I'm so glad that these forums are available.  I'm sure I'll have tons of questions since I'm just starting out.

[Guest fivestar]

Jerry you need to weld them together.  I don't know what Illy calls it, but most programs call it the "weld" button.

[jerry_13 0]

I'll play with the program and see if I can find a weld function.  Thank you!

[Guest Terry]

make sure you select solid colors, go to object, group,outline stroke.

[jerry_13 0]

Thank you!  I still haven't had any luck, but I'll keep trying.

[UpNorthPromo 3]

You'll have to play around with all the  pathfinder options in illlustrator. Open the pathfinder window and click on the differnt options to get the results you want. You will probably need to use merge (weld) or add to shape area. Hope this helps.

[Biker Scout 0]

Jerry, you need to select the items that you want to "weld" together and open your pathfinder pallet. It's the very first button on the top row, left hand side. But you need to hold the option button down when you click it. That makes the weld permanent. If you don't use the option key there's a little button on the right that's usually grayed out, and it says "Expand" You will need to hit that button to fully "lock in" your pieces. It's kind of a mini-undo that I know many people use, and can later go back and unlock those pieces later on for editing. I never bother with leaving the pieces only "half welded" because I just can't make myself do it. If I'm going to click the button, I'm going all the way through with it!  Besides I can always recreate anything later on.

Main reason why I insist on using the "Expand" function (with option key first time) is that I cut right out of Illustrator using MagiSign. So having unwelded pieces isn't really an option.

Hope that helps.

[UpNorthPromo 3]

If you can send me the file I will try to get the results you want