Vectorize Any Photo In Seconds! (Illustrator Tutorial)

Charley Pangus
4 Jun 202308:08

TLDRIn this video tutorial, the host, Charlie Pangas, demonstrates a method for vectorizing photos using Adobe Illustrator that offers more control over image colors and a stylistic look. The process begins with removing the background from a photo, which can be done in Photoshop or other photo editing software. The image is then imported into Illustrator, where a grain effect is applied, followed by a stamp effect to create a light and dark balance. Each layer is image-traced with noise set to one pixel for fine detail preservation. The layers are then individually colorized and stacked on top of each other to achieve a three-color separation, resulting in a fully vectorized image that can be scaled without quality loss. The tutorial emphasizes the flexibility and creative control this method provides for applications such as t-shirt design.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 **Vectorization Process**: The video demonstrates how to vectorize a photo using Adobe Illustrator for more control over colors and a stylistic look.
  • 🖼️ **Background Removal**: It's important to remove the background from the photo first, which can be done in Photoshop or other photo editing apps.
  • 📌 **Subject Selection**: Using the 'Select Subject' feature in Photoshop helps to isolate the main subject of the photo for cleaner vectorization.
  • 🖌️ **Stroke Addition**: Adding a black stroke around the image ensures that the white areas are separated from the background for better selection in Illustrator.
  • 🔍 **Detail Enhancement**: Applying a Camera Raw filter can help bring out more details in the image, which aids in the color separation process.
  • 📏 **Image Resizing**: The image is resized to fit the artboard in Illustrator, maintaining the same dimensions and resolution.
  • 🌐 **Raster Effects**: The image is pasted into Illustrator and rasterized to apply further effects for the vectorization process.
  • 🎭 **Texture Effect**: Applying a grain texture effect to the image in Illustrator is the first step in the stylistic approach to vectorization.
  • ⚙️ **Layer Duplication**: Creating duplicate layers allows for multiple color separations, offering flexibility in the final design.
  • 🌈 **Color Separation**: Each duplicated layer is treated with different effects to create a three-color separation suitable for designs like t-shirts.
  • 🔄 **Image Tracing**: Using the Image Trace panel with noise set to one pixel ensures fine details are preserved without artifacts.
  • 🖋️ **Background Deletion**: Deleting the white background from each layer after tracing allows for clean color separations without detail loss.
  • 📈 **Color Application**: After tracing, each layer can be assigned a different color to create a fully color-separated, vectorized image.
  • 🔍 **Quality Scalability**: The final vectorized image can be scaled to any size without losing quality, making it ideal for large format printing.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is how to vectorize any photo using Adobe Illustrator with more control over colors and a stylistic approach.

  • Why might someone want to vectorize a photo?

    -Vectorizing a photo can be useful for purposes such as t-shirt designing or when one needs to scale an image to any size without losing quality.

  • What is the first step in the process outlined in the video?

    -The first step is removing the background from the photo using a photo editing app like Photoshop or Affinity Photo.

  • Why is it important to remove the background noise in the photo before vectorizing?

    -Removing background noise simplifies the image, making the vectorization process in Adobe Illustrator easier and more effective.

  • What is the purpose of adding a black stroke to the image in Photoshop?

    -Adding a black stroke helps to separate the white on the inside from the background, which is necessary for proper selection and detail preservation during vectorization.

  • What is the optional step suggested in the video to enhance the image before vectorizing?

    -The optional step is to apply a Camera Raw filter to bring out more detail in the image, which aids in the color separation process in Adobe Illustrator.

  • What effect is applied to the rasterized image in Illustrator to give it a textured look?

    -The 'Grain' effect is applied to the rasterized image in Illustrator to give it a textured look.

  • How many color separations does the video tutorial aim to achieve by the end?

    -The video tutorial aims to achieve three color separations by the end.

  • What tool in Illustrator is used to trace the vector image?

    -The 'Image Trace' tool in Illustrator is used to trace the vector image.

  • How does setting the noise level to one pixel during image tracing affect the result?

    -Setting the noise level to one pixel ensures that fine details are preserved and not lost during the image tracing process.

  • What is the final step to achieve a fully color-separated and vectorized image?

    -The final step is to delete the backgrounds of all three layers, align them properly, and then stack them with different colors on top of each other.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introduction to Vectorizing Photos in Adobe Illustrator

This paragraph introduces the video's purpose, which is to demonstrate a method for vectorizing photos using Adobe Illustrator that offers more control over colors compared to the standard image trace method. The speaker emphasizes the importance of subscribing for weekly content and begins with the first step of removing the photo's background using Photoshop, although other photo editing apps could be used. The process involves rasterizing the layer, selecting the subject, adding a black stroke for contrast, and optionally enhancing details with a camera raw filter. The image is then copied and pasted into Illustrator, where the standard vectorization process is briefly described before delving into the speaker's preferred method involving the application of grain and stamp effects for more stylistic control.

05:00

🖌️ Advanced Vectorization Technique and Color Separation

The second paragraph details an advanced vectorization technique that involves creating multiple layers with different effects to achieve a three-color separation. This method is beneficial for applications like t-shirt designing. The process includes applying the stamp effect with varying levels to each layer for light and dark balance, followed by image tracing with noise levels set to one pixel to preserve fine details. After tracing, the black strokes are used to separate the image from the background, allowing for the deletion of the white background and the isolation of color layers. Once the layers are prepared, colors can be applied to each, and the layers are stacked to form a fully color-separated and vectorized image that can be scaled without quality loss. The video concludes with a call to like, subscribe, and comment for more content, and an introduction of the speaker, Charlie Pangas.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Vectorize

The process of converting a raster image, which is made up of pixels, into a vector image, composed of paths or lines and curves. In the video, vectorizing a photo allows for greater control over the image's colors and details, and results in a scalable image that doesn't lose quality when enlarged. This is central to the tutorial's theme of achieving a stylistic look in design.

💡Adobe Illustrator

A vector graphics editing software used for creating and editing vector images. In the context of the video, Adobe Illustrator is the primary tool used to vectorize a photo and apply various effects to achieve a stylized look. It's essential for the process described in the tutorial.

💡Image Trace

A feature in Adobe Illustrator that automatically converts raster images into vector format. The video discusses an alternative method to using Image Trace for more control over the final image, suggesting a more nuanced approach to achieve better results.

💡High Fidelity Photo

A preset option in Adobe Illustrator's Image Trace feature that aims to maintain a high level of detail from the original raster image in the vectorized result. The video mentions this option but suggests that it may not provide the desired level of stylistic control.

💡Color Separation

The process of separating an image into its individual color components. In the video, the author demonstrates how to achieve a three-color separation, which is useful for applications like t-shirt design where distinct color layers can be printed separately.

💡T-shirt Designing

The art of creating designs that can be printed on t-shirts. The video's method of vectorizing and color separating an image is particularly beneficial for t-shirt designing because it allows for the creation of designs that can be reproduced in different colors without loss of quality.

💡Photoshop

A raster graphics editing software used for photo manipulation and editing. In the video, Photoshop is used to remove the background from a photo before importing it into Illustrator for vectorization. It's mentioned as an optional step in the process.

💡Camera Raw Filter

A filter in Photoshop that allows for advanced image adjustments, such as altering shadows and highlights to bring out more detail in an image. The video uses this filter to enhance the photo before vectorizing it in Illustrator.

💡Rasterize

The process of converting a vector image into a raster image. In the video, the author uses the 'Rasterize' option in Illustrator to prepare the image for further effects application, which is a step towards achieving the desired stylistic outcome.

💡Grain Effect

An effect in Illustrator's Effect Gallery that adds a textured, grainy appearance to an image. The video uses this effect as part of the process to stylize the vectorized image and add texture before further manipulation.

💡Color Model

A method of representing colors in digital imaging, such as RGB (Red, Green, Blue) or CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black). The video specifies using the RGB color model when rasterizing the image in Illustrator, which is a standard for digital displays.

💡Direct Selection Tool

A tool in Illustrator used to select and manipulate individual anchor points and paths within a vector image. The video instructs viewers to use this tool to remove the black background from the vectorized image, ensuring that the details are preserved.

Highlights

Introduction to vectorizing photos using Adobe Illustrator.

Common mistake: Importing a photo and clicking image trace without further adjustments.

Importance of controlling colors for a more stylistic look.

Step-by-step process starts with removing the background from the photo.

Using Photoshop to remove the background, though other photo editing apps can be used.

Applying a camera raw filter to enhance details for color separation.

Copying the edited image to Illustrator and preparing the document.

Using the 'High Fidelity Photo' option in Image Trace for initial vectorization.

Alternative method for more control: Applying effects like 'grain' and 'stamp' for three different color separations.

Creating three copies of the image for three-color separation.

Detailed steps for applying 'stamp' effect to each layer with different settings.

Using Image Trace on each layer with noise settings adjusted for better detail retention.

Deleting the white background to separate colors effectively.

Final adjustments: Adding and aligning colors to the layers for the desired effect.

Conclusion: Resulting image is fully vectorized and can be scaled without quality loss.

Encouragement to like, subscribe, and leave comments on the video.

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