Illustrator HELP

[Jeremy Scott]

I created an image of a US map in photoshop. It is an outline of the USA with a single blue color. The background is transparent. I want the map to have a 3D effect which will be done in illustrator using the 3D extrude and bevel from the EFFECT menu. When I place my file into illustrator and try to make it 3d it has a grey box around it and the box is the only thing that is 3d. Can anyone help me with this?

[longboy]

If you have the drawing in Photoshop on its own layer, do your layer effects in Photoshop. Otherwise, do your vector drawing work in Illustrator and you can apply effects to the drawing in Illustrator.

[Audentia]

Yep like longboy said your best bet is to redraw this as a vector graphic in Illustrator and do the effects in there.
All maps should be made as vector anyways in order to easily change them later.

[eugenetyson]

What they say.

Problem here is you brought it in from photoshop which is a raster image.

The illustrator 3D extrude is for use on Vector images.

So all it sees is a raster "box" and attempts to make a 3d box.

The 3D extrude needs vector paths.

If it's just an outline of USA then you can use Live Trace on it and it should do an ok job.

You can then colour the image in and apply the 3d effect when you have it as a vector.

[Jeremy Scott]

i appreciate your help on this. i am a noobie! I will try the live trace and see if it works for me.

[longboy]

Honestly, if it is just a standard US map, clip-art isn't a horrible choice for a start. Not all clipart is created equally, but I have had decent luck with some vector maps over the years for my projects.

[Jeremy Scott]

where can I find the clipart?

[designadventure]

If you did draw the original map in as a vector path in photoshop you can use the export function to save it as an ai file, and then open it in illustrator.

[longboy]

iStock is a decent source, or even one of those mega-clip-art CD bundles if you or your company has one already. I have some set of 250,000 images (most are crap, some are good...but the thing is cheap and has been used hundreds of times).

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/illustrations-vectors/734147-united-states-of-america.php?id=734147

[Jeremy Scott]

thanks longboy

[Jeremy Scott]

longboy, I am having trouble with the live trace. When click the live trace button it traces the map and and when I go to make it 3d does the map in 3d but it still has the white box around it.

[doctorsax13]

try checking the box on the live trace prompt that says "ignore white" -- that'll usually do the trick

[eugenetyson]

You have to hit the Expand button to turn it into vector.