"Hand-drawn" pictures & Vector <-?-> Raster

[Brewer7]

I guess I have a few questions, but I am unsure of the best way to phrase them. Please bare with me.

Quick background: I've been 'shopping for years and just recently learned the value of vector graphics. So, I picked up a copy of Illustrator and have begun cutting my teeth and learning the ropes. One of my first projects is to create an image in the style of the WWII propaganda posters. I've got two or three photographs (a person and a dog are the subjects) that I want to combine along with some modified typefaces over a simple-ish background.

Question 1: I'd like the photographs to have sort of a hand-drawn quality, much like this example here: http://www.happydeathinc.com/propaganda/American/Pages/goodnews.htm
I've tried the various pre-made PS-CS2 filters, but am dissatisfied with most of them. Is there anything else I could use to achieve this effect?

Question 2: I am wondering what workflow you might suggest when using PS in conjunction with Illy on the same project. I like the idea of the final product being all vector, but I understand that that is not always possible. Should I do most of it in Illy and place the photos in, either after or before the answer to question 1, or should I do all the type and background in Illy and bring it over to PS and add the photos? Does it even matter?

Question 3: I'm sure the answer to number 2 might vary depending on the type of image you might be creating, so I am wondering what sort of criteria you rely on to decide what path to take?

I hope these make sense and aren't too vague and pointless. I value any input and suggestions you might have.

Thanks,

Ian

[tZ]

Brewer7 wrote:

I've tried the various pre-made PS-CS2 filters, but am dissatisfied with most of them. Is there anything else I could use to achieve this effect?


time, effort and a lot of patience.

Brewer7 wrote:

Question 2: I am wondering what workflow you might suggest when using PS in conjunction with Illy on the same project. I like the idea of the final product being all vector, but I understand that that is not always possible. Should I do most of it in Illy and place the photos in, either after or before the answer to question 1, or should I do all the type and background in Illy and bring it over to PS and add the photos? Does it even matter?


Depends on how your printing and whether you want this to be scalable. besides for scalability that is really the only thing that technically distinguishes vector from raster(photoshop)- pixels. So if you need this scale then you should do it all in vector otherwise photoshop would be fine as long as you set the dpi to correspond to the print process- 150+ dpi- digital, 300dpi+ offset. This is assuming your using process colors not spots. If your using spots then illustrator is much easier to work with then the photoshop dcs option. However, you can do some pretty snazzy stuff with dcs that would take hours to trace with a vector/bezier tool. However, I won't get into that assuming your just starting out.

brewer7 wrote:

Question 3: I'm sure the answer to number 2 might vary depending on the type of image you might be creating, so I am wondering what sort of criteria you rely on to decide what path to take?


Generally, I leave my photo correction and manipulation to photoshop. Illustrator is more for logos and small projects such as poster. Usually. I like to lay out type in illustrator over photoshop. However, indesign is best suited for heavy typographical work and page intensive designs. I'm starting to stray farther and farther from illustrator unless I'm creating a vecot intensive illustration. generally, I work with indesign for type because its so much easier to use- for me anyway.

[Brewer7]

time, effort and a lot of patience.

Well, I assumed that it would take time and patience, but it is the effort where I am unsure. "Effort" could mean a lot of things. It takes effort to stitch together 50 6MP images into a single mosaic; that kind of effort I know. In the context in question, I don't know what kind of effort to put in. Even if it is a vague reference to some tools and settings, it is better than nothing...


This is assuming your using process colors not spots.
This part I had to go look up. I had never heard the terms "spot" or "process" colors. Thanks.


If anyone else has any input, I'd love to hear it.

[John G]

Try using diffent selections and image->adjustments->posterize.
Though you'd probably get better results by using the photo as a reference and paint it yourself. Or draw them out as paths in illustrator, not exactly sure what look you're going for. A pure vector is going to be a much different look than what you've posted as an example. Too many small variations.

*edit: ack, i'm thinking photoshop first here, I don't think posterize is in Illy. Really now raster has it's uses. If you're set on vector you might load your image in PS.. do the posterize thing or paint for rough work, what have you and use that to trace out your paths from that. Lotta time.

It's just without the texture and subtle variations that you typically lose with going to vector I think you'll lose that hand drawn aspect if that is what you've set out to do.

[Brewer7]

Try using diffent selections and image->adjustments->posterize.

That's something I never really considered, I usually just applied the posterization or the filters to the whole image, and found that at least one part would be unacceptable, while other parts may not. If I could treat them all uniquely then I might get a usable result.

I imagine that a posterized photograph might translate to vector a little better since you are cutting out a lot of those finer gradations in color and shading... oui? non?

Thanks again. Much Appreciated. I'll post whatever I come up with somewhere here...

[urstwile]

Question 1: I'd like the photographs to have sort of a hand-drawn quality, much like this example here: http://www.happydeathinc.com/propaganda/American/Pages/goodnews.htm
I've tried the various pre-made PS-CS2 filters, but am dissatisfied with most of them. Is there anything else I could use to achieve this effect?
Unfortunately, getting the effect of the link you referenced, while I won't say impossible, will take lots of experimentation and trial and error. Too many people make the mistake in thinking that if they have Photoshop, there must be a way. I'm not saying there's no way, but it's probably going to be one that you're going to have to do a lot of experimentation with. If you have any drawing skill, probably the least time consuming would be to use your photos as reference and paint them yourself, either with a tablet or on actual media. There's not going to be an easy button on this one. This is not intended as a slam at you by the way, I'm just being pragmatic here.


Question 2: I am wondering what workflow you might suggest when using PS in conjunction with Illy on the same project. I like the idea of the final product being all vector, but I understand that that is not always possible. Should I do most of it in Illy and place the photos in, either after or before the answer to question 1, or should I do all the type and background in Illy and bring it over to PS and add the photos? Does it even matter?
It can be kind of a pain importing photos into Illustrator, because you have to add clipping masks if you want cropping. However, it can be done, once you get used to it. The advantage being that your vector stuff (like type) wouldn't suffer. InDesign is much more suited to this kind of thing, in my opinion.


Question 3: I'm sure the answer to number 2 might vary depending on the type of image you might be creating, so I am wondering what sort of criteria you rely on to decide what path to take?

The criteria is based on the final output method. A discussion with the printer who will be outputting these at the final stage is a must here, as they can guide you in terms of resolution issues, etc.

[Brewer7]

There's not going to be an easy button on this one. This is not intended as a slam at you by the way, I'm just being pragmatic here.

Not to worry, your comments seem rational and based on experience so I don't take things like that as a "slam".

Thanks for the input.