Uploaded May 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
As an illustrator who works in Photoshop, I still have to provide vector files to my clients sometimes, such as with T-shirt graphics. The problem is that my style has a lot of subtle textures and details. I've had very little success using the Image Trace function in Adobe Illustrator — it always takes away too much detail and renders the artwork unusable. Luckily, I've found another way to create perfect vector files that preserve my analogue textures and details that result in perfect prints. In this video, I share how I use Photoshop itself to vectorize my artwork and export it to an Adobe Illustrator (EPS or AI) file.
TIME STAMPS
0:00 - INTRO
1:42 - Why not use Image Trace in Illustrator?
3:07 - Step 1: Save a copy of the file
3:24 - Step 2: Save all layers as Smart Object
3:46 - Step 3: Create a Threshold Adjustment Layer
4:01 - Step 4: Apply Gaussian Blur to Smart Object
4:44 - Step 5: Refine Threshold Adjustment (if necessary)
5:20 - Step 6: Copy All Artwork to the Clipboard
5:35 - Step 7: Create a New Alpha Channel
5:46 - Step 8: Paste to Alpha Channel
5:54 - Step 9: Invert the Alpha Channel
6:03 - Step 10: CMD + Click to Load Selection from Alpha Channel
6:34 - Step 11: Create Paths from the Selection
6:52 - Optional: Rename the Path
7:06 - Step 12 : Export Paths to Illustrator
7:38 - Step 13: (Now in Illustrator) Apply a Colour to the Paths
7:56 - Final Step: Use Exclude in Pathfinder Tool to Separate Negative and Positive Shapes
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Illustration - tomfroese.com
Skillshare Classes - tomfroese.com/teaching
1 on 1 Illustration Coaching - tomfroese.com/coaching
Thoughts on Illustration Podcast - tomfroese.com/podcast
Patreon - patreon.com/tomfroese
Substack - mrtomfroese.substack.com
Instagram - instagram.com/mrtomfroese
As an illustrator who works in Photoshop, I still have to provide vector files to my clients sometimes, such as with T-shirt graphics. The problem is that my style has a lot of subtle textures and details. I've had very little success using the Image Trace function in Adobe Illustrator — it always takes away too much detail and renders the artwork unusable. Luckily, I've found another way to create perfect vector files that preserve my analogue textures and details that result in perfect prints. In this video, I share how I use Photoshop itself to vectorize my artwork and export it to an Adobe Illustrator (EPS or AI) file.
TIME STAMPS
0:00 - INTRO
1:42 - Why not use Image Trace in Illustrator?
3:07 - Step 1: Save a copy of the file
3:24 - Step 2: Save all layers as Smart Object
3:46 - Step 3: Create a Threshold Adjustment Layer
4:01 - Step 4: Apply Gaussian Blur to Smart Object
4:44 - Step 5: Refine Threshold Adjustment (if necessary)
5:20 - Step 6: Copy All Artwork to the Clipboard
5:35 - Step 7: Create a New Alpha Channel
5:46 - Step 8: Paste to Alpha Channel
5:54 - Step 9: Invert the Alpha Channel
6:03 - Step 10: CMD + Click to Load Selection from Alpha Channel
6:34 - Step 11: Create Paths from the Selection
6:52 - Optional: Rename the Path
7:06 - Step 12 : Export Paths to Illustrator
7:38 - Step 13: (Now in Illustrator) Apply a Colour to the Paths
7:56 - Final Step: Use Exclude in Pathfinder Tool to Separate Negative and Positive Shapes
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Illustration - tomfroese.com
Skillshare Classes - tomfroese.com/teaching
1 on 1 Illustration Coaching - tomfroese.com/coaching
Thoughts on Illustration Podcast - tomfroese.com/podcast
Patreon - patreon.com/tomfroese
Substack - mrtomfroese.substack.com
Instagram - instagram.com/mrtomfroese
