Trying to isolate a vector shape from PDF to PSD

S
Posted By
Smurfy
Dec 21, 2008
Views
391
Replies
7
Status
Closed
Say there’s a portion of a logo I need to use, but the only raw material I have to work with is a PDF. Granted, it’s not rasterized, so the information is vector-based, which is good, but how do I go about importing only that specific shape, as a shape, into Photoshop for use in a new document?

I tried opening the PDF in Illustrator, then selecting the shape using the Direct Selection tool, and dragging it into my opened Photoshop document… that’ll work, but only as a smart layer. I’m not all that well-versed in smart layers, but from what I understand, the second document is now dependant on the first. My PSD file won’t be self-sufficient. Or did I understand that part wrong?

Either way, what would’ve been the RIGHT way to go from A to B, and end up with a SHAPE layer in Photoshop?
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Graham Waiffers
Dec 21, 2008
Adam wrote:

I tried opening the PDF in Illustrator, then selecting the shape using the Direct Selection tool, and dragging it into my opened Photoshop document…

If you copy and paste, drag and drop or Place, you can get different results and different editing capabilities when you move between the CS components. (I’ve been baffled between Ill and InDesign on several occasions.)

As well, you might want to try creating a new Illy doc with the portion you want, then exporting it as a raster image, and placing that into PS.

—
Bob LaBlawgh
“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”
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Smurfy
Dec 21, 2008
I’m confused. Why would I want a rasterized image when the goal is to retain the vector info?

"Bob LaBlawgh" wrote in message
Adam wrote:

I tried opening the PDF in Illustrator, then selecting the shape using the Direct Selection tool, and dragging it into my opened Photoshop document…

If you copy and paste, drag and drop or Place, you can get different results and different editing capabilities when you move between the CS components. (I’ve been baffled between Ill and InDesign on several occasions.)

As well, you might want to try creating a new Illy doc with the portion you want, then exporting it as a raster image, and placing that into PS.
B
bdchmura
Dec 22, 2008
Hi:

Like Bob said, Copy/Paste into PShop and select the Shape Layer checkbox to retain vector capabilities.
quite easy.

Gar

Adam wrote:
Say there’s a portion of a logo I need to use, but the only raw material I have to work with is a PDF. Granted, it’s not rasterized, so the information is vector-based, which is good, but how do I go about importing only that specific shape, as a shape, into Photoshop for use in a new document?
I tried opening the PDF in Illustrator, then selecting the shape using the Direct Selection tool, and dragging it into my opened Photoshop document… that’ll work, but only as a smart layer. I’m not all that well-versed in smart layers, but from what I understand, the second document is now dependant on the first. My PSD file won’t be self-sufficient. Or did I understand that part wrong?

Either way, what would’ve been the RIGHT way to go from A to B, and end up with a SHAPE layer in Photoshop?

GW
Graham Waiffers
Dec 22, 2008
Adam wrote:
I’m confused. Why would I want a rasterized image when the goal is to retain the vector info?
Sorry. You didn’t specify what your eventual output (print, web, etc) would be, but since it’s Photoshop, it won’t be vector. A smart object will allow you to modify it within the .psd but if you want all the info contained in the .psd, and not dependent on some other file, you need to embed the image. So if you have the logo info the way you want it, why not just make it easy and rasterize it before placing?

Perhaps I’ve got it wrong for your situation.

—
Bob LaBlawgh
“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”
F
Fred
Dec 22, 2008
Say there’s a portion of a logo I need to use, but the only raw material I have to work with is a PDF. Granted, it’s not rasterized, so the information is vector-based, which is good, but how do I go about importing only that specific shape, as a shape, into Photoshop for use in a new document?

I tried opening the PDF in Illustrator, then selecting the shape using the Direct Selection tool, and dragging it into my opened Photoshop document… that’ll work, but only as a smart layer. I’m not all that well-versed in smart layers, but from what I understand, the second document is now dependant on the first. My PSD file won’t be self-sufficient. Or did I understand that part wrong?

Either way, what would’ve been the RIGHT way to go from A to B, and end up with a SHAPE layer in Photoshop?

If you place, drag, copy/paste something in PS as a smartobject, this object is embedded in the psd-file.
You are NOT dependant of another file.
If you double-click the smartobject-layer the associated program will launch and open the object. (not the one you copied from!)
The ‘base’-object remains in the psd-file.
S
Smurfy
Dec 23, 2008
"Fred" wrote in message
If you place, drag, copy/paste something in PS as a smartobject, this object is embedded in the psd-file.
You are NOT dependant of another file.
If you double-click the smartobject-layer the associated program will launch and open the object. (not the one you copied from!) The ‘base’-object remains in the psd-file.

Good to know, thanks!
S
Smurfy
Dec 23, 2008
Yup, that did it. Thanks!

"gar" wrote in message
Hi:

Like Bob said, Copy/Paste into PShop and select the Shape Layer checkbox to retain vector capabilities.
quite easy.

Gar

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