Author Topic: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.  (Read 8999 times)

Offline Dottonedan

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Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator. I know, I speak slow, I'm new to this, so bare with me. ;)
If you are experienced at color separation, this video may not be for you, but I have also met many of experienced separators that were not aware of a few things mentioned in this video, so it might have some worth to you after all.

https://youtu.be/ZGGff_HKF2c
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com


Offline Rockers

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2016, 03:36:28 AM »
i was really looking forward to watching your video but unfortunately it`s all out of focus. :(

Offline Dottonedan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2016, 03:40:19 AM »
Out of focus?   It's a screen capture vid. No camera work. I reviewed it and was fine. Might be something in your settings ?  Not sure on that one.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2018, 05:21:14 PM by Dottonedan »
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline Rockers

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2016, 05:05:41 AM »
Our of focus?   It's a screen capture vid. No camera work. I reviewed it and was fine. Might be something in your settings ?  Not sure on that one.
So strange, it`s all fine now. If I could just blame it on a night of heavy drinking. But I don`t touch any alcohol.
Anyway sorry for the confusion.

Offline Dottonedan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2016, 01:14:54 PM »
I'm going to re do this one to talk faster, make it shorter and eliminate the echo in my head set.
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline Rockers

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2016, 06:48:20 PM »
Do you work with any scripts in Illustrator? For tasks that repeat itself over and over again. For example I`m looking for an  way to automatically place custom regi marks at a certain distance around the artwork. Not even sure if that is possible?

Offline Dottonedan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2016, 09:06:31 PM »
yes, you can create an action script in Illustrator, but you do get some limitations. An action has to do the same thing all the time, so since the art may be a different size each time, you can't repeat the exact steps each time.

What you can do, is create a resource (saved in the same location all the time) like on your desktop. That file contains reggies spaced where you want them apart, and maybe with some generic line of type to start your job info. You can create an action that opens that template pulling from your desktop, and will paste the reggies into the new art file, and move them to the top of the page.  You then, at this point, need to move the reggies to the outside of your unique art image.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2016, 12:23:20 AM by Dottonedan »
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2016, 11:42:29 PM »
Do you work with any scripts in Illustrator? For tasks that repeat itself over and over again. For example I`m looking for an  way to automatically place custom regi marks at a certain distance around the artwork. Not even sure if that is possible?

Are you looking to change the placement of these registration marks based on the design? So a 3x3 design would have them at corners that would be like a 4x4 square around it?  Or ALWAYS the same place... we use a template for that (new from template is best as it prompts you to save like new).

If you are looking to do custom sized reg marks then you could probably do some coding that could take an element and make it your registration marks.  You would select your object and then it would replace it based on the coordinates of that.  I have played with a few scripts that did similar things... but at the same time different.  I could probably help you work through that if you needed.

Offline 3Deep

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2016, 12:14:51 AM »
I've just about stop using reg marks on my art file's, but I will but reg marks on my basewhite or the black plate only, saves time not taping the rest of my screens off.... plus it helps me save film
Life is like Kool-Aid, gotta add sugar/hardwork to make it sweet!!

Offline Dottonedan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2016, 12:29:11 AM »
The part of setting the reggies a specific space away from the art is what is not doable via an action.
It would be have to be a more complex method to know the size of each new art and space the reggies at x distance.

If you did some generic assignments like (select all) then place the reggies, and then record the move, but that's where it gets lost. Once you paste the reggies, the selected art gets deselected, then you can't tell it to move x distance away.
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2016, 12:37:13 AM »
Yes, can't be done via actions but CAN be done via scripting.  Two different balls of wax.

Offline Rockers

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2016, 05:24:54 AM »
Do you work with any scripts in Illustrator? For tasks that repeat itself over and over again. For example I`m looking for an  way to automatically place custom regi marks at a certain distance around the artwork. Not even sure if that is possible?

Are you looking to change the placement of these registration marks based on the design? So a 3x3 design would have them at corners that would be like a 4x4 square around it?  Or ALWAYS the same place... we use a template for that (new from template is best as it prompts you to save like new).

If you are looking to do custom sized reg marks then you could probably do some coding that could take an element and make it your registration marks.  You would select your object and then it would replace it based on the coordinates of that.  I have played with a few scripts that did similar things... but at the same time different.  I could probably help you work through that if you needed.
That would be cool to get some help with that. Generally I want my custom regi marks placed an inch away around the artwork. So generally they will fall always in a different place depending how big the art is.

Offline Frog

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2016, 09:31:29 AM »
In CorelDRAW, rather than use the standard marks in their standard positions, I have always merely imported the three "rifle sight" type marks that I created.
Two easy steps: Import my "3RegMarks" file, and then position them as I need.
Can't be any tougher in Illy.

btw, years ago, a buddy who was teaching me Photoshop did them as custom brushes.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline Sbrem

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2016, 12:05:35 PM »
Do you work with any scripts in Illustrator? For tasks that repeat itself over and over again. For example I`m looking for an  way to automatically place custom regi marks at a certain distance around the artwork. Not even sure if that is possible?

For that, we have it set up as a Template (.ait), and all we usually have to do after placing the image is to move the lower marks upward until they are just outside the image...

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline Gilligan

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Re: Tutorial on three basic vector separation methods in Adobe Illustrator.
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2016, 03:54:18 PM »
In CorelDRAW, rather than use the standard marks in their standard positions, I have always merely imported the three "rifle sight" type marks that I created.
Two easy steps: Import my "3RegMarks" file, and then position them as I need.
Can't be any tougher in Illy.

btw, years ago, a buddy who was teaching me Photoshop did them as custom brushes.

Sure it could.

Draw a box, hit a button and those marks are placed automatically based on the box you just drew. :)