Bitmap in AI, Help Please!

[ChiefBL]

AI is new to me so forgive my ignorance. I've placed
a bitmap sent to me in grayscale and tried to add color.
Is there an easy way to achieve this? Do I need to
save in other than grayscale? I appreciate any info.

 

[threeputt]

If you can obtain the artwork in vector form rather than raster (.bmp) it will make the job easier.

If you can't you'll probably have to "posterize" a color version, then you'll be able to add color to the various shapes.

Alternatively, you can import into a paint program such as PhotoShop and select each color shape (with magic want set to varying tolerances) and "fill" that shape with the desired color.

 

[ChiefBL]

Thanks for the input, the print shop I got it from said they only had it in raster. Must be my day! The image is of a shell with various shades, have
tried to use magic wand, but to many shades. I have been playing around with it in AI but have not done "posterize", any certain route to take to get that done? It sounds like I may have to start from scratch with artwork in vector similar to the shape I need. Thanks much for the info!!!

 

[gnemmas]

You basically are repainting the whole thing. As long as they are paying you for the time.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Adobe Illustrator's primary purpose is for vector drawing and editing. If you are working with a bitmap, it serves no great purpose to bring it into Illustrator except to create a finished layout that also incorporates vectors and is going to be printed or to create vectors from the bitmap ... which would change the appearance of the bitmap and could run into a lot of time.

If the appearance is to be preserved and there are gradients involved, Photoshop is the appropriate program to modify the artwork. It can still run up a huge amount of time though because you would have to select each area and then attempt to apply the color in the same way as in the original.

Based on experiencing these kinds of situations repeatedly, I would go back to the customer and tell them you need the color version unless they have a vector version to supply you. If they claim they don't have it then quote them an estimated price that covers at least 4 hours and watch how quickly they come up with the appropriate file.

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

I'll second Fred's comment: why use Illy at all, with what you are wanting? Why not just use a picture editing program like photoshop?

 

[niksagkram]

If you really want to use Illy, why not trace the bitmap? Illy has excellent tools for this, but I would still let the customer know that it will cost them.

Mark

 

[iSign]

post the picture, & spell out exactly what you need to do... like for example, apply 6 different colors in several places each,

...or is it simply changing from greyscale to.. "tanscale" for example... shades of tan, lighter & darker according to the gradiations of the original? This would be much easier...


..then what will be done with it? Like for example edgeprinting a "tanscale" print... in this case you would do almost nothing to the file, just set it up properly, use tan foil... done! It may be many hours of work as has been indicated above... but if we got a better look at the project, it could also turn out to be extremely easy.

If you show us the shell it may turn out that a similar, perhaps superior, version of that image may be available in a popular clipart collection someone here might be able to direct you to.

 

[ChiefBL]

Thank's all for your input and thank you Mr. Weiss for a better understanding of AI, since I am a little ignorant in with that certain program, I appreciate it. I am going to try something with Flexi 8 using bitmap filters to tone it down since it is being used as a shadow background (altough, preferably with color). I appologize for not posting the shell, since I did not want something similar or more superior (the customer already had it printed on their pamplets), I did not feel the need to put anyone through unnecessary work. I was simply asking if anyone new a process to change the color without going bit by bit.

If Flexi doesn't work, then I will notify the customer. But if this has quirked anyones curiosity, I will post the shell if they insist.

Thanks again for your help, I can finally move on with this job.

 

[ChiefBL]

Thanks isign,

I checked out all the clipart I have available...just didn't want to put anyone else thru any extra work....thanks for the thought.

 

[iSign]

if it is just to be tinted in one single color on a background, is the entire sign or flyer or whatever you're making also going to be that color? Is it a rectangle? If you draw a rectangle the size of the background, fill with a color, & assign transparency in illustrator... you could have a greyscale bitmap behind it & now it would maintain the contrasting halftone darks & lights that give it definition, but it would be part of a wash of background color that might be what you're looking for without any change to the bitmap.

If you have photoshop, you can adjust the contrast to make it more subtle & you can create nice effects like a duotone or adjusting color through channels.

 

[jbq7448]

Bitmap in ai

What version of AI are you using. If it is CS2, then the live trace works pretty well.

Open the bitmap in Illustrator, select it. Go to Object - Live Trace - and then make. You will have about 10 different options you can use. Probably Grayscale or Photo High Fidelity will give you your best results for the image that you describe. After the Live trace is completed, select the object again and go to Object - Live Paint - Make and then Object - Live Paint - Expand.
You should then have a vector image that you can select different areas of and recolor.

If you do not have CS2, then Flexi's tracing works pretty well.