fill color in wrong locations

[v***@adobeforums.com]

[v***@adobeforums.com]

I am using mac 0s x and illustrator cs3. I am trying to fill in objects and illustrator does not see my objects. The fill is going in the wrong places.

I tried live paint and releasing live paint, ungrouping, grouping, combining shapes. Also, I connected my shapes that fall behind other shapes to complete closed paths.

This was something I scanned in, expanded, and I'm trying to make it into objects.

thanks for any help.

[K***@adobeforums.com]

I assume you are selecting the relevant object before you apply a fill to it

[v***@adobeforums.com]

I am trying to select the object.
It won't let me. It will only let me select paths and when I try to select the correct paths, it doesn't see the closed shape.
It makes straight lines outside of the shape to make it's own closed shapes and fills it with color.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Post by v***@adobeforums.com
This was something I scanned in, expanded, and I'm trying to make it

into objects. <<




Maybe this is a silly question but from the process you listed above you didn't mention that you drew the shapes you wanted to fill in Illustrator.
Just to confirm you did do this right? If so can you post the file so that we can get a better idea of th problem.

[v***@adobeforums.com]

Let me know how I can post the image, I'm not sure how to do that.

the image was expanded into a vector image. I did not draw the paths.

thanks,

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Volley,

It sounds like you have placed a raster image, autotraced it with LiveTrace, and are now trying to fill areas of the arwork with color. (You have not described how you are trying to do this.)

You need to describe very clearly, step-by-step, command-by-command, tool-by-tool what you are doing and what you are trying to accomplish. Try to use the terminology of the program to avoid ambiguity in your description. (For example, use the actual names of commands you select from menus. The names of tools are displayed in tooltips when you mouse over them.) Then others here can help you.

JET

[v***@adobeforums.com]

You are correct, I placed the raster image, I used Live Trace and I tried to fill it with color. First I used the selection tool and ALL paths in the image were selected. Then I used the direct selection tool and parts of paths were selected. I shift clicked other paths to select what would make a closed object and selected a fill color and that's when I got the fill color in different places.

[J***@adobeforums.com]

I placed the raster image, I used Live Trace...




LiveTrace provides a plethora of tracing options. What presets or custom options did you use for the trace?

Did you Expand the LiveTrace results? Did you Ungroup the LiveTrace results?

...and I tried to fill it with color.




Exactly how did you try to fill it with color? Below, you describe the selection tools you are using, but not the clicks, commands, or tools you are trying to use to fill the selection.

First I used the selection tool and ALL paths in the image were selected.
Then I used the direct selection tool and parts of paths were selected.




Using the DirectSelection tool (the white pointer), select one of the paths you want to fill. Now look at the Appearance Palette and see what is selected. Does it say Path? Compound Path?

Open the Document Info Palette. From its flyout menu, turn on Objects and Selection Only. The palette info will then tell you if you have an open or a closed path selected.

I shift clicked other paths to select what would make a closed object
and selected a fill color and that's when I got the fill color in different
places.




Depending upon the tracing options you used, you may have any combination of open and/or closed paths selected when you do that. You need to understand what you are actually selecting.

You also need to understand that selecting several open paths that visually create a closed area, and then trying to apply a fill to the selection does not result in one closed and filled path. It simply applies a fill to the several paths you have selected. In Illustrator, paths can have fills, even if they are open.

The LivePaint feature can allow you to treat merely visually enclosed areas as if they were, in fact, closed paths, and then fill them with the LivePaint bucket tool. But doing that, you would not first direct-select the paths. Again, all this is why you need to describe exactly and completely what you are doing.

JET

[v***@adobeforums.com]

Because I tried so many different things and I can't keep track of them, I will start all over.

I placed my scanned image in illustrator, I selected all, live trace an inked drawing, and hit expand. At this point, I cannot select the objects that I want to select.