Rant about Illustrator

[CES020]

I'm using the selection tool. I'm using that because in the first example, that little goldish flower is 30 different objects. Let's say I was trying to select that, so I could group it, so I could easily click on 1 item when I want to manipulate it. So I'd want to do this with all the little bits and pieces, essentially cleaning up a graphic that came in an eps file, a flat file, and I'm trying to make it so I can work with it and objects within it.

So I'd typically go through a logo like this and spend time doing that so I could work with it more easily.

Does that make sense? Since the little flower is 30 different objects, if I use the direct selection, I'd have to make sure I picked every single little piece of every object to make sure that I got it all, and then do it a dozen times on just for the flowers in this one graphic.

Did I explain that right? (I'm not well versed in all the terms, so I might be saying it incorrectly) Does that make sense?

 

[Rick]

The bounding box wont change the way things are selected...

It won't, but careless or wandering mouse pulls can jack up a graphic... more than a few times I have gotten files where the test was 101.234% wider because of careless bounding boxers...

Here is how I would select it in Illustrator....

 

[CES020]

Here's the file if you want to see what I'm talking about.

 

[Mason]

It makes sense. Unfortunately whoever created the artwork, should have grouped things just as a means to expedite the workflow. clearly that didnt happen.

if you select just one of the little object and then go to Menu/Select/Same/Appearance,
it may select ALL of the little pieces not just the group your focused on, that may help you. Other than that it seems like you got one of those pieces thats going to suck up some time.

 

[Rick]

This would have been my selection path... open this file and try it....

 

[CES020]

Select how Rick, with the edge select on, dragging a box, clicking on each object? If you don't have the background locked, doesn't it include that too if you draw a box? If it's one by one clicking, I'll be clicking those flowers for hours. I think I don't understand how you're doing that successfully. I'm not trying to be difficult, and as I said at the start of this, I think it's user error (me!), and I just don't understand it.

How would you select the 30 or so pieces of each flower, being there are about 20 flowers all over this graphic?

I know what I'd do in real life, I'd lock the backgrounds and drag the box, and deselect the things I didn't want. That's how I have been doing it, but I just get the feeling I'm missing something far more simple.

 

[Rick]

That coat of arms is all jacked up with odd masks and masked gradients... probably from the .pdf process.

 

[ForgeInc]

CES020 - try using the direct selection tool, and switching to "outline mode" when you want to make a selection like you illustrated in the dragon drawing. Sometimes it makes it easier. With the direct selection tool, you can either click directly on a shape to select it, and then "shift" and click on more as you need them...OR you can also Lasso multiple objects with direct selection tool. To make it more confusing, you can also lasso objects with the LASSO tool (in CS4 and later) if you have very intricate things you need to work around.

Sounds confusing I know, but it comes to ya if you use it daily. Then once you get the shortcuts down, it gets really fast....

 

[CES020]

Okay, I'm getting it now.....

See, told you it was a loose nut behind the keyboard!

Here's the issue I need to overcome now. If I use the direct selection tool for the flower, it grabs the outline of the wing. I have to them hit the selection tool (black arrow) and click on the wing to deselect it. Correct? Or is there another way?

 

[Rick]

Select how Rick, with the edge select on, dragging a box, clicking on each object?

Edge select on, stay INSIDE the box and make sure you touch each object inside the box... do not touch the background box

If you don't have the background locked, doesn't it include that too if you draw a box?

no, try the file I gave you...

If it's one by one clicking, I'll be clicking those flowers for hours. I think I don't understand how you're doing that successfully.

That coat of arms file is jacked up, but it can be done by selecting by color or other ways....

 

[CES020]

That coat of arms is all jacked up with odd masks and masked gradients... probably from the .pdf process.

Yeah, I know, I can't upload ai files or even eps files here.

I think it needs ungrouping and releasing the compound mask and you'll be there on this one.

Sorry about that, I wanted to do the ai file

 

[Mason]

The gold gradients are all bitmaps covered with clipping masks... yuk...

 

[CES020]

Got to call it a day guys (have to go make sure a relative makes it to her car safely at college), thanks very much for the help. That lasso tool to select did pretty well. I didn't know you could do that! I really appreciate all the help, I did learn some really good things and I'll be back some time tomorrow to try anything else that's been suggested.

Round of drinks on me!

See, that's teach those others for not helping out, they'll have to get their own drinks tonight.

-Thanks again-
Steve

 

[mikey-Oh]

for the record, i love illustrator and am completely confused by corel.

threads like this give me warm fuzzies, it's great to see(read) people helping each other.

dragons with arrow tounges' are also pretty sweet.

 

[CES020]

I WANT to love Illustrator. I really do. It's so powerful. If I could just understand how to do some simple things I'm used to in Corel, it would make the transition much smoother from all of us crossing over.

I saw some plug-in's recently that did some awesome things, and I thought to myself "Why don't they just pony up, buy out the company, and make those standard features, because they really should be standard.

I've been drawing on CADD, CADD/CAM systems for a long long time. Drawing in the graphics world seems quite the transition. Things like putting a radius on one corner of something. CADD's been doing that for more than 25 years, but if I want a radius on 1 corner of something, it's not available without a 3rd party plug-in. That's the part that's frustrating. Not that gradient mesh does this or that, but that I need a radius on 1 corner and I can't get it by clicking the 2 lines, and specifying the radius. Super basic stuff.

 

[ontsigngirl]

Not sure if I'm helping or hurting here but, try the hollow selection tool with the cross beside it click double click on that object. Depending on the way they've drawn it that might select it.

I have years of fighting with customers supplied files and here are some of the things I do.

Select common elements (say all the same colour or all the same stroke) hide or move the objects - I always use increments of 10. Continue that process (I know it's a long one) but it gives you the opportunity to group things they way they need to be. Also to seperate and colour correct if necessary - hope it makes sense.

 

[John Butto]

artwork by others

If it was your own artwork you set it up the way you feel is good for you as others have noted in their tips and tricks. But when dealing with artwork conceived by others they have their quirks so when you select something it does not always go the way you are use to. That is why in the one selection by taking it off preview you see the skeleton which helps. Also changing to .pdf or importing will throw it off. Illustrator is a great program and you are always learning new things by others which I think even the developers did not realize were there.

 

[Bigdawg]

That artwork is a pain...

layers... just start putting some of the crap on layers yourself. Easy to do... select what you want (by whatever method) ctrl-x to cut it. Add a new layer then crtl-f to paste on the new layer exactly in position.

The art is set up pretty crappy - but it is fairly easy for you to fix.

And those masked gradients are probably because they had a new version of Illy than you did...

Listen to Mason - the man knows his stuff when it comes to Illustrator!

 

[GVP]

I WANT to love Illustrator. I really do. It's so powerful. If I could just understand how to do some simple things I'm used to in Corel, it would make the transition much smoother from all of us crossing over

Exactly! That's how I feel! Also, I am completely underwhelmed by the majority of Illy files that we receive from "designers" - in wire frame, they seem to be a carcophony of clipping masks, hidden layers, etc. I know this isn't the software's fault, but it doesn't help!

 

[signmeup]

I started a thread like this one about a year ago. I got some good tips you could probably use. I'll see if I can find it.

Found it! (Guess I didn't start it after all) It has some really good stuff in it on selecting in both Corel and Illustrator.
http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62099 Check it out!