Images to Layers, converting help needed

[Ali G]

Hello,

Question:
Is it possible to covert images from JPG, GIF or BMP to AI format so that each colour is on its own layer

Background:
I've just been given CorelDRAW 9 to learn on and decided to make a set of decals for a scale model.
I assembled images and created the entire set of decals before I discovered that making the decals (screenprinting via AI) requires each colour to be on an individual layer.
hopefull there is an easy way but i'll take the hard way too, if it means I don't have to draw every single logo.

Here's hoping,
Ali G.

[steve.ledger]

Welcome to TG

Is it possible to covert images from JPG, GIF or BMP to AI format so that each colour is on its own layer

No..

Raster types (JPG/Gif/PNG/TIFF/BMP) are not convertable to Vector types quite so easily.
Depending on your graphic, it is possible to use the 'trace' function of CD, but often better to hand trace a graphic. Then you can arrange the separate objects to different layers if you wish.
Of course, if your bitmaps have shadows or graduations, you will have some problems creating this as vector and saving to .ai
Not being familiar with the screen printing software, I couldn't suggest an alternative method.

Though for printing purposes, I think you might be talking Colour Separation rather than layers.

1. Click File Print.

2. Click the Separations tab.

3. Enable the Print separations check box.

If you want to print specific color separations, enable the corresponding check box in the list of color separations.

[Ali G]

Thankyou for your wisdom,
I shall play a bit and see how I get on.
In the mean time, I have asked a screenprinting company to quote me for the 'conversion' job.
I've heard it's expensive but don't know what that means yet.

thanks again.

[screentec.co.uk]

Hi Ali....aaah the old raster to vector conversion problem.

I am design & IT manager for a screen print company, so this is a problem I run into daily.

There are 2 ways you can tackle this:

1. Redraw the bitmap yourself (can be very time consuming depending on the complexity of the bitmap).
2. Use a rester to vector converter such as Corel Trace (which is part of Corel DRAW), or use the online service vectormagic: www.vectormagic.com

the vectors can then be split to separate layers / pages and bleed applied to each section as required.

Hope this helps...

Stu.

[Zupdude]

Question:
Is it possible to covert images from JPG, GIF or BMP to AI format so that each colour is on its own layer?

I don't work in Illustrator that much, so I can't tell you how to go about placing the various colours/objects on their own layer, but I can tell you how to get teriffic raster-to-vector conversion:

Go here (vectormagic.com) and look around the site for info and directions. I stumbled upon this site about a year ago. I have another program that I use for most my coversions (that program does a good job for the, usually simple, file conversions I require), but when I have something intricate or graphically complicated, I rely on vectormagic and get phenomenal results.

More that likely, you're going to want to choose to output your bitmap/raster file to .eps and then open that in Illustrator.