Need some help vectoring something

OK,

I am working with a client to vectorize the mountain scape shown in the two photos attached.. I have the entire cs3 suite, though I really only use PS. I do have illustrator.. Question is this, I seem to have no problem outlining the mountains with the pen tool and then stroking the path. The problem is that it looks like a child did it.. I am trying to make it look like the logos attached. Can someone let me know how to vectro this so it turns out web 2.0ish?

Image 1 is here.. I can trace the mountain top no prolem.. But when I stroke the path.. either pencil or brush.. I have tried to simulate pressure and not.. Still looks clunky.. See attached.. Also

Image 1 Mountain...http://i262.photobuc...d345/ripsaw.jpg

Image 2 with the outline.. this is a very rough draft... http://i262.photobuc...leuntouched.jpg

Image 3 Mountain: http://i262.photobuc..._wide_large.jpg

I want them to look this way.. Not these exact things... but the way it is crisp and tight... http://i262.photobuc...angemockup1.jpg



Any Help is appreciated!!!


Talk Soon,

Steve

Want to help, but not really sure what you mean by 'stroking the path'. What exactly do you do after using the pen tool? Is this Illustrator or Photoshop?

I use the pen tool to outline the path.. Basically just trace the outline.. The I right click the path and it has an option in PS that says strok.. So you are essentially drawing a line that follows the path you created with the pen tool.. Problem is that it looks like heck.. See image two above.. It looks like something created in MSPaint!!

Ah, I see now. Well, with that method you're not really vectorizing anything other than the path. Using a raster (non-vector) brush to outline a vector shape produces a raster outline of a vector shape, not a vector outline of a vector shape. And you want the second of those two, so this method won't work.

To create a (sort of) vector drawing, you can use the pen tool directly in the Layers tab. That will produce a shape, and shapes are sort of almost vectors...in a way. Certainly more of a vector than simply outlining a path with a regular raster brush.

As for the jagged edges, I think you're using the pencil. It shouldn't do that if you're using the brush, unless you have some really weird brush.

Hope that helps

Hi Red Rum,

Yes, I tried that. The problem I am running into is two fold.. One..I can create the entire mountain scene, no problem.. I just close in the lines on the bottom and then just fill.. That does create, in the layers palette a fully "vectored" design.. I can resize to infinity with no problem. I can also do this with the line.. I have used both the "pencil option and the "brush" option.. Doing it on the layers palette so that it creates the scape independent of the image. I can then close out the BG or original image, and work with the scape or line.. But the problem is that I can't get it to look decent. It looks choppy. If you notice in the image, I can't get it to look 2.0. It simply looks like someone traced a line and it is WAY Amateurish. I have to figure out how to make that line look tight.. I am not sur eif I am conveying myself correctly here.. But basically I want it to look like a cartoon, almost, if you know what I mean. Like a real design.. I can create in in any of the adobe products, but I use PS almost exclusively.. It is what I learned on and I am not very good with Illustrator.. Very little experience with it..

I am not sure how you outline your mountain but it seems to me that you have too many anchor points - this could be one reason to get such a jagged line. If this is right, try to simplify the line, this could solve the jagged line problem.

Other than that, you may be using some odd brush for your stroke... In the method you describe (stroking your path with the brush as a chosen tool and simulating pressure) probably a simple solid round brush would be a good choice.

Anyways, PS is not for vector images and Illustrator is not that complex to use for this particular task, so my advice would be: use Illustrator.
If you are good with PS, I don't see a problem to handle the pen tool in Illustrator. Do it there - outline your mountains with the pen tool, then use the stroke palette to manipulate the thickness of the stroke. From the same palette you can also choose round cap for your stroked line in order to completely remove any corners of the line.

sprague, those two methods are entirely different. The second one doesn't produce a scalable image. If you want something that is even close to vector, you'll have to draw a shape directly onto the layer and forget all of this "stroking" business, because you don't need it at all.

Now that I look closer, it does seem (as DreamSky mentioned) that you have way too many anchor points. Try clicking the mouse less when you trace; instead, click/hold/drag the mouse to create curves. But whatever you do, don't stroke the path, it's just like drawing with a regular raster-based brush.

This is not completely clean but I did the lazy way to it. I cleared out the sky and then with the magic wand I clicked on the empty space above the mountains and then inverted the selection. Filled with black. Deselected and selected the black filled area and contracted by 1 or 2 or however thick for the outline and then cleared out the center. And this is what I came up with on the first step and the second step.
You can go and clean up after and put in more lines and such after its cleaner.

(black fill) http://i13.photobuck...n/mountains.jpg

(after contract and clear) http://i13.photobuck...mountainsOL.jpg


Like I said the lazy way out.

That's a passable way to do it, you've got the outline, though it doesn't have the smooth look you were looking for.
However, didn't you say that your client wanted to vectorize the mountain scape? You need to achieve a vector look or a real vector image? Because these two things are different and this mountain outline is still far from vector.

I am not sure how appropriate this would be for the final result you are aiming at but if you are looking for just a vector look have you considered using the photoshop cutout filter? With the right settings (probably some lower edge fidelity and medium edge simplicity and number of levels) you could achieve a nice vector look for the whole mountain. If this (and not just an outline) suits you, you could also easily create a real vector image going from there.

Hiya,

I would prefer to create the image as a vector so that the client can up and down size as appropriate. I am going to try the cutout filter and play with it a bit... Will get back to you!!

Ok, I am back with a concept.. Took me a few... I worked on the edges by applying the refine edges option and not allowing any feathering and only allowing a.5 pixel contraction.. It cleaned up the edges perfectly.. I converted it to a smart object and it seems to blow up and down with zero loss of fidelty.. THANK you so much for the input.. Trying that cutout filter was the way to go.. I now know, forever, how to convert those things properly.. From there it is just tweaking.. Here is the concept.. My client like dark... Though I think it is too dark.. He is the one paying me.. I have tried to sway it so that it is a little less forboding. I think he will agree.. It is just a tad too dark right now! But, coloring aside.. It came out really well. I am happy with the result!!

Here is the work still in progress..

same client.. different logos... logo concept 1...



Concept 2





Both are raw and untouched with any finishing touches.. They are just concepts at this point. the client has picked out their fonts and colors.. I just need to play and finalize one.. I think he is leaning more towards the cleaner guitar look of the perspective one.

Just to let you know sprague, I really don't think you've vectorized anything in your mountains design. I think you need to research a bit the true difference between what is and is not vector. If you're saying that the mountain design is a logo, it's completely unacceptable to provide a raster image to the client. Even from the size you have it in now I can already see the pixels. If you zoom in with the magnifying glass and see pixels, then it's not vector.

Redrum has a point, sprague.
The cutout filter does help you achieve vector look but it does not provide you with real vectorization of your image. Your converting of the mountain image into a smart object does help you scale up and down the image without loss but this doesn't make your graphic a vector one.
Search the web to learn about the difference between vector and raster graphics.

Here is an easy trick you can use. Now that you are pleased with your final (vector looking raster) mountain image, go to Illustrator, paste your image and use the LiveTrace option (Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options) to vectorize it. Play with the settings to find the optimal result and after you are ready you can still do some tweaking of the paths if such is needed.
There you go - with this (relatively) easy option you can have a real vector graphic.
Here is an extended LiveTrace manual if you need guides on the settings: http://www.adobe.com...tor_content.pdf

Vectorizing something usually involves tracing the image with the pen tool, and it usually involves simplification of the shapes, in your case, where the mountains have jagged edges, the profiles are simplified. That way the image has better chances of looking good as a logo. Hope that helped...