photo to vector

[macneilslt]

I found this pretty cool tutorial, wich is more like an overview of how to get a vector effect from a photo in photoshop. It's poorly written, the author talks mostly about the technique, failing to mention the actual steps, or even an outline of the steps. I was wondering if anyone had time, if they could explain in a little more detail how to achieve this affect, here is the link to the tutorial. I know my way around photoshop, so i don't need it to be extremely basic, i just need a little more info... I find it ironic that i found it on 'good-tutorial'.com..

here is the link:
http://www.idigitalemotion.com/tutorials/guest/vector/vector.html

Thanks, any insight into this is welcome, and greatly appriciated :)

[Desire]

thats a greys tut? from TM and DA *realises the note at the bottom of the page* DOH!

lol seems like a gud tut one day i will try it.

[bet444]

This isn`t an "effect". Conforming to that tutorial, you should draw (by hand) all the shapes with the pen tool. This way you`ll have real vectors.
But, just for a vector effect you could try "cutout filter". With the right setting this will look like vector.

[Timage]

check out this cool Trace funtion in Macromedia Freehand MX.
http://timage.50free.net/Trace-Function.jpg
(only 50kb)

[iLikePie]

vectors are just that... using the pen tool to draw an image. I don't think there's much else that can be taught about them, because it just comes down to learning what the important details are and how to simplify the image best.

maybe looking at lots of examples could give you ideas of styles, but eventually you're just gonna have to get into them and practice!

also, search "vector" on the forum and you'll find other threads... :)

[macneilslt]

i thought so, i just wasn't sure if there was more to it or not, i guess i'll just keep practicing.. :)

[Kitiara]

Yeah, that's what it amounts to. :) Whenever I do vector work, it's just a matter of creating shapes with the Pen, and layering them to get the right look.

[Jeff Wheeler]

What about the illustrator mesh tool? Does that help or is that used after the pen tool?

[.soulty]

the mesh tool is used more for releastic shading, or you could say colour blending. most of the time you need to draw the outline of the shape then use the mesh tool. so its more of a rendering utility than it is for creating shapes.

[=guinness=]

Illustrator also offers a trace feature however, I have found that a great combination is using the cutout filter in photoshop and then taking the filtered image into Illustrator. You can then use the trace feature on the image and it will be easier to get the vectors you want. Otherwise when you use the trace in Illustrator you get many small incomplete vectors :pleased:

[.soulty]

never had good luck with that trace tool, if used might need to simply the point in the shapes because usually it creates heaps of them for even a simple shape.