Vintage linocut effect in Illustrator

Hello everybody.

This is my first post so go easy on me! I have been using Illustrator for quite a few years now, but definitely do not claim to be an expert.

I'm trying to create a vintage linocut/woodcut effect in illustrator similar to the image I've attached, but I'm struggling! I have tried to create my own custom pattern and art brushes for different edge effects or shading but I ended up creating loads of them and I still can't create the effect accurately enough. Added to this it's taking a long time and for the pieces I would like to create - it's going to take me months!

I wondered if I was going about this the wrong way and whether anybody here knows of any techniques, tutorials or plugins etc. to create this. E.g. I'm not sure if I need to be using a combination of Photoshop filters and then live paint in Illustrator for example.

Does anybody have any ideas on how to create this? Any help is much appreciated!

Attachment 87947

whats it for?

does it have to be vector - done in illustrator?

how well can you draw? - I ask this because drawing this from scratch is the best way IMO, from a detailed pencil layout

There no quick methods in Illustrator you have just got to take the bull by the horns and draw or use Live Trace which is not my most favourite tool to use. Made use of the Transform Effect Tool found in Effect Tool set, then use the direct selection tool to give the cut. After that you can use transform tool and scale X number of copies to line the linocut effect. If you are good with the Pen Tool I would just draw. If you have PS there are a few plugins that you can use also to give the effect you want in just about two clicks.

Thanks guys!

It does need to be completed as a Vector. I feel I'm pretty good with the pen tool and having been using it for a few years now to do line drawings etc. That's the route that I started to go down with multiple custom brushes it just seemed to take a huge amount of time to do a certain percentage of what I need. Also, using custom pattern brushes doesn't always give you that random messy/distressed/vintage looks.

I'll continue to play around with it and see what I can discover. I'll post findings! Thanks for your help anyway guys.

On with the Rugby!

well good luck

I agree with albacore that best way is just to draw it [rather than mess around with custom brushes etc] - I'd find it easier I think in a raster app with a simple pressure sensitive brush, but then as he says converting that to vector is not ideal, bound to be some loss... so it's your call ...

You can apply roughen with size at 0.1% and detail at 50%.
This and variable width can add a bit of a hand made feel to the lines.

You can also apply some distress transparency with a clip-mask but this process is rather tedious in illustrator.

Marc

Had a long look at your example think it is a job for both PS & AI if I was doing it. The plants & stems can be done by using symbols. some of the shading can be done with blends and then use Marc's idea to roughen it as there are a few tools that you can use there. Then I would take it in to PS and dirty it up but it is still going to take you for ever to do as you are trying to replicate a hand drawn sketch. The next question is how is your sketching? for that is the easiest way to do it! Just take it into PS give it a clean up and then do a Live Trace into Illy.