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I have finally caved and bought Photoshop. I have seen so many articles on designing cool graphics, logos & signs with the program, but I have not yet seen any "how to's" on using Photoshop with other programs, such as Flexi, that cover how to keep your original vector design together with the "tricked-out' version for printing and contour cutting later. I would like to know the best way to design in Flexi, export to Photoshop, and bring back the design to Flexi for printing and cutting. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
-------------------- Patrick Wedel North Country Signs Barron, Wisconsin Posts: 72 | From: Barron, WI | Registered: Dec 2004
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Isn't that one of those unspoken "Trade Secrets" ?
I have read an article or two at times-but can't remember where-maybe Signcraft?
It wasn't about Flexi, but Corel, and related to using a Photoshop jpg with Corel vectors, to give a big enlarged print with a photo background but razor-shart vector text.
I've done the same thing, but used Indesign - import (Corel) or Place (Indes) a jpg into the vector program, and then do your text in vectors, then export as a PDF. Print from that.
(That's my very inexpereinced $0.02 worth. It worked well for us. I liked using Indes. because you can work with a huge jpg (say 200meg) but the working file has only a low-res screen image and the real one is grabbed and put into place as the printing happens. The files open & save very quickly as a result of being small, mainly vectors, plus a 'linked' image.)
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Thanks, Ian. Actually, I have imported images and superimposed text and printed. That's what you're saying, right? What I am wondering is this: I want to take text or a design from a vector program(Flexi)and export to Photoshop. Then I want to apply bevels, highlights or whatever and possibly export back to Flexi. Somehow I need to keep my vectors so I can apply a cut contour and print/cut. I have searched thru my old SignCrafts and haven't found anything. Plenty of tutorials on using Photoshop tools to add to your design but nothing on the nuts and bolts of actually how to output to print/cut.
-------------------- Patrick Wedel North Country Signs Barron, Wisconsin Posts: 72 | From: Barron, WI | Registered: Dec 2004
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I have no experience with either program. So I may be off base here. But can you not assign a colour to your cut line and superimpose it on top of the photoshop image for print/cut? That is how we do it in Corel, so I assume it is the same principal. You just need your Flexi program to recognize your cut lines right?
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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Thanks, Deri. That did occur to me, and I am thinking that may work. The only thing would be making sure the cut lines are exactly where they are supposed to be. Suppose I export some text to Photoshop and do whatever. Photoshop, and other photo editing programs as well, convert vector images to bitmaps. So when you import your file back you have lost the vector info. When Flexi imports, it doesn't put the image/object back directly where it exported it from, so you would have to manually line up your cut lines. That can be done, and maybe that is how everyone does it, but it just seems a little cumbersome to me. Of course, I may be coming at this the wrong way - feel free to straighten me out. The thing is, you can create vector objects in Photoshop, so why cannot the program KEEP the original vector info and export it along with the image? Seems like a simple thing.
-------------------- Patrick Wedel North Country Signs Barron, Wisconsin Posts: 72 | From: Barron, WI | Registered: Dec 2004
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You can export a (vector) path from P'shop- look under the Help dropdown menu>Export a transparent image. That'll save the object as an EPS with a vector outline which you can use as a clipping path, or do whatever else you wish with it. The file will be big, though.
I don't like the idea of going from one program to another & then back to the first again- you risk degradation with too many flips back & forth between formats; however it may be the only way in your case...
Design it all with the end size & specifications in mind, anyhow.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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I don't like the idea of program switching either. But the only real degradation i have run into is when programs attach their own color profiles and mess the colors up.
Thanks, all.
-------------------- Patrick Wedel North Country Signs Barron, Wisconsin Posts: 72 | From: Barron, WI | Registered: Dec 2004
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-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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The thing is, you can create vector objects in Photoshop, so why cannot the program KEEP the original vector info and export it along with the image? Seems like a simple thing.
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