Photoshop-Illustrator Eps Question

[jkirch]

Pretty new to the whole printing seen and just been getting more into vehicle wraps and decals.

Might be a dumb question, but does anyone know a quick and easy way to create text in photoshop and have illustrator recognize it as an eps so versaworks will cut it out quickly.

We have a graphtec cutter but i would love to know a simple way to print and cut lettering on our new roland.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[iSign]

Both your post and your profile seem to indicate that you have Illustrator, so I would have to say that using Illustrator for typesetting your cut files is the quick easy way.

Photoshop & Illustrator play well together, so you can move things around to line them up, but set up print files in Photoshop, and cuts in Illustrator. That's what I do anyway.

 

[Fred Weiss]

What iSign said and keep in mind that anything you do in Photoshop must remain within the boundries of the vectors you setup in Illustrator. Also avoid any size changes until you have the assembled Illustrator vectors and the Photoshop bitmaps back in Illustrator.

 

[Siguy]

Also avoid any size changes until you have the assembled Illustrator vectors and the Photoshop bitmaps back in Illustrator.


Why Fred?

 

[iSign]

If you build a print and cut file to register to each other, but you do work on the 2 separate files in 2 separate programs, it stands to reason that resizing either one of them independently, creates the need to adjust the other one. If you resize to an exact percentage that you remember, it's less of an issue... but it's probably easier to just resize them together.

 

[Siguy]

So you construct a second file for your cut lines?

I just use a vector mask in PS and apply the cutcontour color to the mask in Illy. Works for me.

 

[iSign]

how is a PS file and an Illy file not "a second file"?

 

[Siguy]

Its the same file, 1st saved as a PS EPS then opened in Illy, cut lines added, then saved as a Illy EPS. Just one file resaved.

Maybe I'm just confused?

It's no big deal I was just interested in the resize thing as I do my resize in PS and have never had any problems.

cheers

Simon

 

[Fred Weiss]

Its the same file, 1st saved as a PS EPS then opened in Illy, cut lines added, then saved as a Illy EPS. Just one file resaved.

Maybe I'm just confused?

It's no big deal I was just interested in the resize thing as I do my resize in PS and have never had any problems.

cheers

Simon

My approach is to start in Illustrator and bring the vector file into Photoshop. When done in Photoshop I then bring the saved file from Photoshop back into the original job in Illustrator where the cutpaths are awaiting the fill.

I don't change any sizes or use any effects that extend beyond the original vectors because that is the best possible way to insure a perfect fit between the two images. As near perfect as a size change may seem, and the later matching of it ... it may not always be the case. If you wait until the vectors and the bitmaps are joined before resizing, you have the least chance of any defects appearing in the finished work.

If you carry my thinking to the next level of employing others to do this kind of work, creating procedures that minimize opportunities for errors pays huge dividends. You may feel comfortable resizing in Photoshop and later resizing in Illustrator for matching the vectors to the bitmaps ... but how do you feel about an employee doing it?

 

[Siguy]

Ahhh thanks for that Fred.

Lot of ways to skin a cat with Adobe products. That's why I like them.


The way I do it you create the vector outline ( you just want to use it to apply a cutline right?) in PS using a vector mask. That seems the only way to fool PS into making a vector (even thought its not a true vector its just the shape a vector would be you can use it to all intents like a vector ) The only use for Illy when using my process is applying the cutcontour color and saving in AI EPS format for ripping by Versaworks.

I'm fairly sure (read TOTALLY) that you guys know a lot more than me about how these things work. This is just the way that I found around the problem of having to go back and forwards between the two programs. For the type of output I'm doing it works perfectly. As long as your selection skills in PS are up to scratch it works like a dream. I am not doing large format prints more lots of small prints assembled on large sheets but they are each individuals files copied onto one large sheet.

These are original art works so there is no customer before they're sold. That makes things a lot easier.

Once I have employees to do it for me I'll probaly set it all up as actions as it is pretty well the same process over and over with just the size and shape changing. I understand what you're saying about employees, thankfully I've got a wee way to go before I get any in this particular business venture. I'm just coming off 2 businesses where I had multiple employees so I'm quite enjoying having none yet in this business. The way employment laws are going in my country I'll be thinking long and hard before taking anyone else on. Governments can be really dumb sometimes.

cheers

Simon

 

[Fred Weiss]

We published two print and cut clipart collections where we are delivering print files with separate matching cutpaths. Keeping them separate allows the user to use the images for print and cut decals or without the cutpaths for adding to a larger image. The only way we did this accurately and are able to have our customers enjoy trouble free use was to develop a work routine in handling each file which included a no resizing until combined rule.

These instruction pages illustrate the benefit of being able to simply justify the two images on both axes to have them perfectly align.

Voodoo Graphix Extreme

Print-N-Cut Color Collection

 

[Siguy]

Good idea Fred.

Yes, I can see why you have to make them idiot proof/easy to use.

Do you make all the art yourself or are they compilations of brought work?

I'm just getting into patterns and tiles and the possibilities are really exciting.

I've been experimenting with using photographs to make them. Some really nice effects.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Good idea Fred.

Yes, I can see why you have to make them idiot proof/easy to use.

Do you make all the art yourself or are they compilations of brought work?

I'm just getting into patterns and tiles and the possibilities are really exciting.

I've been experimenting with using photographs to make them. Some really nice effects.

Of the links I supplied everything is licensed from others on a royalty bearing basis. Other collections have more of our own work in it.

Yes, we're meeting with a lot of success with our seamless tiles.

Yes we are as well and have developed a number of ways to create seamless tiles from photographic originals. I've attached an example.

If you are seeking to license images, we are always looking for new artists and we are nearing completion of a new website largely devoted to seamless tiles.

 

[Siguy]

Very nice.

I've mostly been playing with nature. I've got some great ideas just need a little more time

Its a matter of crawling for a while before I walk.

cheers

Simon