...if possible can you post a web link URL of a screen shot so we can see the source image you are dealing with, even better would be the actual source image you have live traced...

...that way it can be easier to problem solve...

...generally speaking, once you live trace and expand an image the structure should remain, once in a live paint group the structure should also be that of the source...

...will help to see the image you are dealing with...
 

andrew

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Thanks apepp, I have uploaded source file.
Is this normal?
 

• http://www.mediafire.com/?zdzzdy3mzma

...no easy answer to tracing unfortunately, it is normal if the trace to begin with was actually making fills instead of strokes...

...i have retraced your source artwork into strokes and made a live paint group, you can release that if you wish and edit the paths, the old trace is on another layer for reference, you can download here, it's CS4:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3753740/Uniform%20Pic5_fixed.ai
 

andrew

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...you may have to right click the link above and save the file as opposed to just clicking it...

 

andrew

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Andrew, thank you very much for your time to fix this picture up and so quickly.

I have a few follow on questions about the same issue, but they have multiplied and I'd really rather you were out scaling a mountain or ripping up a dance floor, but in case you are at a loose end, I've included them here.

The double path happened with the Live Paint after a good trace (which of course I had amended before going to Live Paint) - I just wanted to know if there is anything I should watch out for when converting to Live Paint generally?

And if it does happen, can I fix it up by retracing as you did?

Now, how about if I accidentally started editing this fixed up pic before I released from the Live Paint - it seems to be OK. Do you know if this will present problems in the future or should I go back to your original and release and edit first?

Also, a book I have talks about using Expand rather than Release - which would you recommend is more useful with this type of picture?

Thanks again
Helen

Quote:

The double path happened with the Live Paint after a good trace (which of course I had amended before going to Live Paint) - I just wanted to know if there is anything I should watch out for when converting to Live Paint generally?

...in my experience you need to ensure the trace is using strokes before you live paint, in some cases areas will have to be made of fills, a lot depends on the image you are tracing. Right now, i have no idea how strokes can be converted to fills just by using live paint, unless they weren't strokes to begin with...

Quote:

And if it does happen, can I fix it up by retracing as you did?

Yes, this can be done, it does mean (as I had to do) that the vector needs to be converted to bitmap and retraced...

Quote:

Now, how about if I accidentally started editing this fixed up pic before I released from the Live Paint - it seems to be OK. Do you know if this will present problems in the future or should I go back to your original and release and edit first?

...in my experience you are perfectly entitled to edit paths inside live paint groups using the direct select tool, pen tools, group selection tool etc...

Quote:

Also, a book I have talks about using Expand rather than Release - which would you recommend is more useful with this type of picture?

...in most cases "expand" is the better choice, refer to illustrator help for the differences:

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Illustrator/14.0/WS714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-6501a.html
 

andrew

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Thanks so much apepp, for this helpful information, it clears a lot of things up that I could not find answers for elsewhere!