Stretching a Photo in Illustrator
Submitted by deke on 20 August 2008 - 12:57am.
Episode 004: Photoshop, Photoshop, Photoshop. Don't you sometimes get sick of Photoshop? Me neither, but still, it's time for a change. In this episode, we stop obsessing about Photoshop (uh, kinda) and start obsessing about Illustrator. Why Illustrator? Well, first, the program rocks. Second, it provides something Photoshop doesn't: An expertly rendered envelope-style distortion function that lets you--get this--transform a horizontal photograph into a vertical one without harming the foreground image. Here's the official marketing description:
Have you ever wanted to stretch a photo's background but leave the foreground unchanged? Or turn a horizontal photo into a vertical one without making a mess of it? You can't do it in Photoshop CS3, but you can in its companion program, Adobe Illustrator. Deke shows you how in a way that'll make you so happy, you'll think you're on drugs. And wait till you see the new look! Deke is dreamy.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the new look. In this latest dekePod, I could pass for a real human being. (Just effects, of course. I'm still a wooden puppet.) If you're interested in downloading this delightful humanizing, pro-happy video, try one of these links:
- For a high-quality QuickTime movie, right-click here and choose Save Target or Download Link or the equivalent.
- For an M4V file that you can play on an iPod, right-click here and choose one of those same commands.
- Or you can subscribe to dekePod via RSS or iTunes.
You can also check out the page at my book publisher O'Reilly Media.
This is a fairly elaborate technique. Which is why I promise to share more in my weekly dekeStuff column, coming at you next Monday, every Mondays, and sometimes more frequently than that. (Or less.) Take care, and don't let the vectors stretch you!
Comments
Horizontal vertical rotation
Hello Deke,
Do you prefer to turn the horizontal image into vertical with
Illustrator or do you rather use use picture award scale. I've seen
you use both on same picture and as you said Adobe paid good money for
it but for you as a pro, is it really what does the job???
Yes, but no, but yes
Here's the story:
I and Colleen (who runs teleprompter) and a few others finished recording this episode of dekePod on Monday, June 9. That's how long ago some of these movies happened. On Tuesday, June 10, we took off for Adobe offices in San Jose, where John Nack and Bryan O'Neil Hughes proceeded to show us content-aware scaling.
Which is when I started to beat my head against the table. B/c they were showing me that feature that made obsolete the dekePod I had recorded less than 24 hours earlier.
But in the clear light of day, not so much. CS4's content-aware scaling function does a great job of automating the stretching process. But its controls are scarce and you are ultimately at its disposal. Which means, when it works its works well. And when it doesn't it fails miserably.
By comparison, Illustrator's envelope distortion gives you all the controls you could possibly want. But it takes some effort to pull off.
So I ask you, which would you prefer? Automation with unexpected results? Or control with laborious process?
Me, I'll always say "both!"
Transform Selection
excuse me if I missed something, but why couldn't I just transform a selection inside of photoshop instead of sending the photo to illustrator?
I want to be like Deke
Deke,
I just posted my first video on my website: http://www.photographyandthemac.com It's from the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk last week. I tried to think, what would Deke do? OK, I don't really have the budget for a high class movie.
I think my next one will be, "Finding Deke in Vegas." Sounds better than finding Deke at Photoshop World.
Thanks for the great work.
Robert
Nice work!
These are the first images I've seen from any of the walks. (Been kinda in a bubble here.)
We don't have the budget for high class movies, either. My guys are just magicians.
;-)
Love it!
I started out with Illustrator, and am only really getting into photoshop now, so it's good to see some illustrator stuff that PS can't do. I've attempted to mess with some text in PS using the warp text function, and I longed for a little envelope filter. It's good to see that there isn't one, because I just assumed I didn't know where the heck it was. Love the podcast, definitely lots of stuff going on there. I'm guessing your not a right-winger ha ha.
Keep 'em coming!
-Stuart
Who needs drugs?
Honestly, Deke, who needs drugs when I've got you?
Your videos are whacked-out, entertaining, and educational. And your command of language is impressive.
Thanks for all the great info you have provided me through the years. Your Sharpening in Photoshop CS3 video techniques have made my pictures immeasurably better.
So, do you really talk like that in your daily life? Must be interesting for the wife and kids. Kinda reminds me of Robin Williams back in the coked-up, early days of his career. LOL
Gotta go take a Xanax now—I just finished watching your latest DekePOD.
Cheers,
Karl-Franz
http://karlfranz.com
Sadly, that dekePod guy
Is nothing like me. In real life, I sport a pencil-thin mustache, I have tape on my glasses (even tho they're not broken), my thorax is emerald in color and engorged with larvae, and I have a pumpkin for a head.
But you'll recognize me b/c I'm the one pushing a grocery cart full of Adobe products down Sunset Blvd.
Look for me. I have a cup. (This deke.com thing is a money pit.)
Fun..
Need little trick.... great podcast.. thanks for the laugh.
Thnx for the Integration Goodness
Now that is cool. I appreciate the integration stuff.... lookin forward to all the gory details on Monday.
If I may add to the " Illustrator can do what Photoshop can't " list, I like to use Illustrator to process and unlock the power of Open Type font text used in Photoshop (because of the marvelous Open Type pallettes/panels found within Illustrator). I wonder how much can be added to such a list.
Keep on keeping on :-)
Thomas
Thomas Benner
Austin, Texas
http://www.masteradobe.com
p.s. I found no discussion of Open Type in your terrific Photoshop CS3 1 on 1 book (checked the Index and Lesson 10 and, yes, I see you used Adobe Caslon Pro). I am curious as to whether it appears in the new Illustrator 1 on 1 book similar to what you did in lesson 3 of your InDesign CS3 1 on 1... there's lotsa Open Type goodness there..... guess I'll have to wait and see.