Author Topic: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.  (Read 1475 times)

Offline Sbrem

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psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« on: June 17, 2017, 01:43:56 PM »
I have a file that I've created in PS, and saved as a grayscale psd. When I place it into Illustrator, and try to color it, it just stays grayscale. So, to test this, I took a photo out of my library, opened it in PS, converted to grayscale and saved as a psd. I imported that into Illy, and all I have to is click on a swatch in the color pallet, and voila, it's a monochrome in color. It's a dilemma; as a fix, I opened the problem file in PS, copied it, and pasted into a new file with a transparent background. No luck; then I reopened and used the background eraser, and re-saved, still no luck. So, to summarize, I create a file in PS, save as grayscale, and it won't colorize, but if open a photo and save as grayscale, it works... my brain hurts...

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't


Offline Colin

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2017, 03:38:19 PM »
Have you tried saving it as a tiff?

Also, silly question;  Were you trying to colorize it using a spot color?  I have seen images not colorize unless its a spot color.
Been in the industry since 1996.  5+ years with QCM Inks.  Been a part of shops of all sizes and abilities both as a printer and as an Artist/separator.  I am now the Ink and Chemical Product Manager at Ryonet.

Offline CBCB

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2017, 07:31:13 AM »
Here's how I do it.

Save it as a .TIFF, and place it in Illustrator. Make sure it keeps all the layers instead of flattening.

You should have a layer for each spot, and/or a layer for each 'image' element.

From there I select the image layer, and 'Rasterize' in Illustrator. Then I can colourize with a spot-colour, usually applying an existing spot that came in from the PS file.

I think it gets annoying if the PS file isn't set up. I make sure to get the image on its own layer so I can easily select it.





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Offline ravenmark

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2017, 10:36:35 PM »
Why even do this?

Offline Sbrem

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2017, 10:35:35 AM »
Why even do this?

Because I can, just not the other day, LOL...

But because you ask, I had an image of an adirondack chair, mirrored a copy, then used poster edges to do what poster edges does, then convert to grayscale. Then invert it, as it will be printed in white ink. My intent was to place the image in Illy with some text, AS I NORMALLY DO, and color it white for the proof... that's why.

Steve

And I know 10 workarounds, it was just a technical question to see if anyone knew an answer to this technical dilemma...
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline Colin

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2017, 10:57:09 AM »
What ended up making it work?
Been in the industry since 1996.  5+ years with QCM Inks.  Been a part of shops of all sizes and abilities both as a printer and as an Artist/separator.  I am now the Ink and Chemical Product Manager at Ryonet.

Offline Sbrem

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2017, 12:41:13 PM »
What ended up making it work?

It doesn't, haven't figured it out yet, but haven't gotten back to yet either... But I know for a fact that if you save a color photo as a grayscale psd in CS6 and place it in Illy (also CS6) you can color it with any color in the pallet, not just spot colors... maddening, but I'll figure it out somewhere around the line, and share of course...

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline Squeegie

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Re: psd file that won't colorize in Illustrator.
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2017, 03:55:40 PM »
You mentioned the "final" grayscale that is imported to illy had been inverted as it will be printed in white.
Have you tried not inverting the file until imported?  Could it be the "white" of the exported file is a non printing white and therefore has no value to accept a color within illy?