Help working with hand drawn logo.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I have a hand drawn logo that I have scanned.
I want to work with it in illustrator by making any circles actual perfect circles and all curves smother.

I've tried the live trace but can't get to where I make the shapes what they should be.

The design is done. I just need to get the shapes smooth and perfect.

Thanks.

[S***@adobeforums.com]

If you want a perfect circle, draw a perfect circle. There are tools for regular polygons, circles, ovals, rectangles, and stars. Other shapes are best drawn with the Pen tool.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Yes I understand that but what I want is to work with a scanned hand drawn image and make it right. I don't know if I can post pics here otherwise I would post a pic to better show what I mean.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Here is a link to the image I'm trying to work with. Thank you.

<Loading Image...>

[S***@adobeforums.com]

If you want to work on the scan, use Photoshop.

[Bert Philippus]

David:

I would say there's only one way to get vectors "perfect", and that would be to draw the curves in Illustrator, using the pen tool and some skill. Anything else will be less than "perfect".

My advice in this particular case, however, would be to leave it exactly as is, it looks perfect with its hand-drawn feel. Forget geometry, it is just fine. Use the live trace tool at a high level of accuracy to turn it into vectors if you wish.

Bert

[D***@adobeforums.com]

OK thank you very much Bert. I think I might just do that. I'll watch some tutorials on using the live trace tool better.

I'm familiar with CS but not Illustrator.

Thanks everyone.

[S***@adobeforums.com]

I'm familiar with CS but not Illustrator.




Wha? That sentence is missing a program.

CS is just a (stupid) version number for several programs. There's an Illustrator CS, a Photoshop CS, and some others. There's also a Create Suite, which includes Illustrator.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

LOL.. it sure is. I meant photoshop. :)

[Phos....]

I'm pretty much with Bert on this one.

I like the hand-drawn look. If this were my logo, I'd scan it at a super-high resolution, using that image as a template to then recreate it with Illustrator as accurately as possible, retaining all the little "imperfect" qualities that make it look like a human-generated piece of artwork. It's always good to have an infinitely resizeable version of a logo.

This is not to say that you couldn't experiment with creating a razor-sharp and perfectly symmetrical version of your logo, though. I'd probably do that as well, just because.

AND! I really like ambigrams, so that's a plus in my book. And it's gotta be one of the most well-integrated and non-gratuitous uses of the often clichéd "planet-with-a-ring" motif that I've seen in a long time.

[K***@adobeforums.com]

I like the hand-drawn look, but if you really want to try using vectors in Illustrator, have a look at the JPG here. (Make sure your browser enlarges JPG to full size in order to view it.)
<Loading Image...>

In Illustrator create a new file.
STEPS
1 and 2. Place scan on bottom layer and rotate so that image is horizontal.
On new layer create circles without fills.
3.Select each duo of circles and use Align to centre exactly.
Then fill with a color.
4. Using Pathfinder: select all circles together and click
Pathfinder first icon (the one that looks like separate pieces).
Remove unwanted shapes.
5. Using pen tool, select shapes with open arrow and roughly redraw end to change shape ends
6. Select the shapes with open arrow tool that you want to be one piece and combine in Pathfinder Shape Mode (top icon).
I filled with different colors just to see the shapes.
7. Step 7 - select all and click Object/Expand appearnce
(this will make each shape whole)
Delete color (as there are both outlines and colour) so you are left with outline shapes.
8. Choose top shape only. Select nodes and push/pull shapes into exact position required.
Copy and paste and rotate 180 degrees and place into position
(removing second bottom shape).

[Phos....]

With David's logo, that's a good way to get the basic shapes to start with...breaking them down into their rudimentary components and use the pathfinder tools to break and combine them. That's how I'd start.

The problem is, Karen, is that you missed the return stroke overlaps, and they're an important part of the logo because they form stylized initials. And the strokes are all too consistent (and I'm curious about why you saved such jaggedy shapes in your image?)

[K***@adobeforums.com]

Phos: I was just showing the rudimentary basics - David is just learning to use Illustrator. He can then look up the Help files to go further with the tools.

Re the shapes - they are NOT jaggedy shapes - they are smooth vectors. It's the low JPG quality I saved for the example only. Will try and upload a higher res version.

[Phos....]

Hmm...I've never seen JPEG output defeat antialiasing like that.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thank you so much... I've been trying different things but hadn't gotten anything concrete yet.

I'll start here and with the help files.

You're right Karen. It's my first time ever using illustrator so thanks again. Thanks Everyone.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Here's an update to what has been done. Please let me know if I'm going off and in the wrong direction.

<Loading Image...>

[Bert Philippus]

David:

Looks very nice. There are a couple of things I'd fix. See image. By and large you're cooking with gas!



Bert

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks. Nice catch on that Bert. I actually got so far with illustrator and then had to cut and clone so I went to photoshop and did a quick and dirty fix there. Just used the brush tool and didn't do a good job. :)

As for the bottom it's back to illustrator. Thanks for all the help.

[K***@adobeforums.com]

You might like to look at the HELP file for 3D tool. You can make a 3D image using the basic design and make different variations till you get what you want. Good to experiement.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Karen... that's what I used to get that effect. :)