How do I make jpeg image background transparent?

[handrawn]

In this Forum (as was the case in the Adobe Tutorial I visited before it) everyone seems to be responding to a question NOT ASKED. Everyone (trying to be helpful) gives instructions on how to do this process in Photoshop... when the original author [and I] would like to know how to do it in ILLUSTRATOR :-). If anyone can help with a simple step 1, step 2, step 3, that would be greatly appreciated.

it may have escaped your eagle eye, but this thread is in the photoshop forum not the illustrator forum - no wonder then that many of the answers were photoshop oriented - but of course most photodshop filters for background removal such as the free ones suggested by Gary and earlier, and masking principles, also work in illustrator - no problem

[YourPCGuruJim]

Fantastic, SPEEDY reply, THANX! However...

I am a raw beginner with Illustrator (as many visiting this forum may be), so when you reply :

"Using Illustrator's drawing tools, create a vector mask and mask the image." I am already lost :-(

You assume I already have those skills [I DON'T :-)]

My goal was to get an answer like this:

Step 1 - Select This tool =
Step 2 - Click here
Step 3 - Now select this tool =
Step 4 - Do this to change the white to a transparent background =

Now that you have the image separated from the background (or the color white replaced by "transparency"), and now that it is residing on a TRANSPARENT background (workspace canvas),

Step 5 - Do this to select only the image (Not the full canvas) =
Step 6 - Do File - Export - Select .PNG and make sure the TRANSPARENCY option is set.

If you can fill-in the missing pieces of information in the Step By Step format above, it would GREATLY help me and hopefully, many others!

Using Illustrator's drawing tools, create a vector mask and mask the image.

Or if you need to drop out a single color or variations of that color, use the Mehdi Eraser Genuine filter. You can download it for free.
And JPEG images do not support transparency. So even if you drop out part of the image, the transparency cannot be saved in a JPEG image.
You can create a TIFF or PNG with Alpha channel transparency of your edited image.

[handrawn]

you don't have photoshop then? - if not this question belongs in the illustrator forum not here...

[YourPCGuruJim]

Thank you, Handrawn. I know it is a Photoshop forum.
HOWEVER:

1) My Google search "Remove white background and make it transparent in Illustrator" brought me here :-)
2) I downloaded and tried to install the eraser genuine tool (as recommended on this forum).... only to find after I unzipped it - that it has a .8bf extension and therefore will not install when I double click it. I have written to the author to determine how to get this installed as a Photoshop filter and also asked if it will work as a filter/tool in Illustrator.
3) The suggestions all intend to be helpful and I appreciate the time/effort of those responding.
4) HOWEVER, the simple, step by step solution requested at the beginning of this thread (30+ replies ago) still seems to remain allusive :-)

[handrawn]

nothing is simple when you don't know how to use the program by definition

which version illy do you have?

[YourPCGuruJim]

CS4

[handrawn]

ok I have taken the time to read this thread through again

firstly - this is quote from the original poster [nutmeg]:

Anyone know how I could do that either with Photoshop or Illustrator?

[http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...75#post166475] post #4

note, as I thought, he/she was asking for a solution in either program, unlike your assertion to the contrary in your first post in this thread.....



secondly: despite what has been said, I could not get the mehdi to work in CS5 Illustrator, [does work fine in CS5 Photoshop of course], but I am no illustrator expert

it's possible that Gary may come back to explain masking in illustrator, but this is an old thread - you should, and you are likely to have more success if, you ask in an illustrator forum

EDIT: ok I see you have done that:
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...nd-transparent
thanks

[gwpriester]

Jim

I wrote a long message and then decided it was senseless.

I also tried copying some of my Photopshop compatible filters into Illustrator's Plug-ins > Photoshop filters folder. But I cannot access them in Illustrator and their Help files were no help.

Sorry if I confused you. I'm confused enough myself.

I could tell you how to do this in Xara Designer Pro, which is my drawing application of choice, but that would mean nothing to you.

Unless you get a copy of Xara Designer Pro 7

[piercedsphynx]

ok I have taken the time to read this thread through again

firstly - this is quote from the original poster [nutmeg]:



[http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...75#post166475] post #4

note, as I thought, he/she was asking for a solution in either program, unlike your assertion to the contrary in your first post in this thread.....

Unfortunately, not everyone takes the time to READ like you do. They also don't realize that just because you search for something on Google and click a link, doesn't mean it took you to a relevant result or the right place. If you walked in a room with a door labeled "WOMEN" and saw a bunch of men standing around, would you still assume you were in the women's restroom?

I like how people stop posting when they have nothing useful left to contribute or their own needs were met, or in the original poster's case, never answer a question on how they sorted out their problem which could potentially help out hundreds if not thousands of other users. I just wanted to thank you and Remi personally for being so helpful.

[handrawn]