How do I convert this font to "two" colors?

[Gilligan]

I want to print this with the black being black and then the inside white bits being white (amazing I know).

How would I do this via Illustrator (unless there is a better way to do this?)  I've tried expanding and releasing the compound path but things just get ugly at that point.

FYI the font is "Woodcut".

[Croft]

convert to path then release from compound path.

[inkman996]

In Corel there is several ways I would think one could be applied to Illy as well./

1. is to use the smart fill tool time consuming but it works
2. Is to use the boundary tool which then would need to be trimmed by the black part of the text leaving only the white areas as objects.
Another pain staking way is to break it apart and then dig out all the pieces that were the white areas weld them into one object and color but that way sucks trust me.

The boundry tool is my fav way to do this but a nasty font like that tends to cause node issues up the ying yang in Corel, the program is weak in that area I know Illy is much better at things like that.

[Sbrem]

Hey Gilligan, I'm guessing you have the font, so here's how I would do it: Set the type, "Create Outlines" under the Type menu to convert to vectors. Now, put a rectangle of any color behind the text, select all, and on your Pathfinder pallet, use Divide, then with all still selected, selected, Ungroup. Now take your direct selection tool, the hollow arrow, and select the parts you don't want and throw them away; all done, easy peasy.

Steve

The problem you may be having is that when you Create Outlines, the white is actually empty, fill is None, so there's nothing to grab and color...

[prozyan]

The easiest way I know of is in Corel (not sure if that helps you), but just convert it to bitmap and trace it.

[Frog]

The easiest way I know of is in Corel (not sure if that helps you), but just convert it to bitmap and trace it.

Interestingly, the white shapes already have that "traced" look, probably from the creation of the font in the first place.

[Sbrem]

that's why you don't want to turn to bitmap and trace, because trace simply isn't good enough, it looks like a trace, and it really shouldn't. Follow my instructions Gilligan, their in Illustrator, takes less than a minute, all shapes are sharp. If you need some help, call me or email me.

Steve

[Gilligan]

Hey Gilligan, I'm guessing you have the font, so here's how I would do it: Set the type, "Create Outlines" under the Type menu to convert to vectors. Now, put a rectangle of any color behind the text, select all, and on your Pathfinder pallet, use Divide, then with all still selected, selected, Ungroup. Now take your direct selection tool, the hollow arrow, and select the parts you don't want and throw them away; all done, easy peasy.

Steve

The problem you may be having is that when you Create Outlines, the white is actually empty, fill is None, so there's nothing to grab and color...

Not sure if this is what Mike was describing to do in corel, but it made me think about the path finder tools.  Thanks for laying it out though, I always have a hell of a time picking the right tool for the job.

[blue moon]

Hey Gilligan, I'm guessing you have the font, so here's how I would do it: Set the type, "Create Outlines" under the Type menu to convert to vectors. Now, put a rectangle of any color behind the text, select all, and on your Pathfinder pallet, use Divide, then with all still selected, selected, Ungroup. Now take your direct selection tool, the hollow arrow, and select the parts you don't want and throw them away; all done, easy peasy.

Steve

The problem you may be having is that when you Create Outlines, the white is actually empty, fill is None, so there's nothing to grab and color...

this is the way I would do it or pretty close to it. Make sure the block of color is behind the text after you convert to outlines and then just click on the merge in pathfinder. Grab the big block around the text and delete it. . .

pierre

[inkman996]

I dont know what the path finder tool is but it sounds like its similar to smart fill?

[Dottonedan]

Drop that puppy in Photoshop. 600 ppi. Clean edges make good selections. Fill on to a new channel and POP! You're done.

[Gilligan]

Drop that puppy in Photoshop. 600 ppi. Clean edges make good selections. Fill on to a new channel and POP! You're done.

Thought about that as well.

[3Deep]

Hey thanks Steve I forgot how to do that and I,ve been doing it the hard way in photoshop, very easy just hope when I need to do it again I still remember how LOL.

Darryl

[broadway]

In Illustrator, take your type and create outlines, then click on live paint bucket, then click on the "type", next it will ask you if you want to convert the image to live paint image, click image. Use spot colors and you can have your separations.

[Sbrem]

I dont know what the path finder tool is but it sounds like its similar to smart fill?

In Illy, Pathfinder is a collection of vector tools that cut shapes out of each other, so to speak. Most sign programs have them as well. One of them is union, which is weld, like when you set type with Brush Script and want to connect the letters... I'm pretty Corel has them too, it would make sense. One of my favorites is when you get a vector graphic with a hundred shapes overlapping, use the Merge tool to cut into simpler shapes with no overlaps, and no change visually.

Steve