How do I turn a PNG into a Custom Shape?

[MarkusTay]

I got PS2 suite recently, which includes Illustrator, and I'm hoping there's an easier way then tracing everything (which is how I've done it in the past).

I use to do that for letters, bur found a simple way to turn text into shapes today, so I was hoping there was also a simpler method for graphics.

Thanks in advance - Mark

[tilt]

Hi Markus, I'm guessing you mean the CS2 suite - PS = Photoshop, CS = Creative Suite
Illustrator has an Autotracefunction, look in the help file. With it you can trace to colors or black/white - and adjust how detailed a trace you want. You might have to edit some of the curves after - and perhaps simplify some of them, but it works ok

[MarkusTay]

I had a feeling there'd be one in Illustrator - I remember asking a similar question a long time ago. I haven't even tried that program yet, so I guess I get my feet wet today. I am so tired of making map Icons by hand. LOL

And yeah, I meant 'CS' (PS = 'Playstation' in my house)

Thanks for the quick response

Is there an export function, or do I have to move the file manually (as I did when I recently upgraded from PS to CS2)?

[tilt]

I'm not sure I understand the question, but you can "place" a picture in illustrator, and after making curves of it, delete the original picture and save the curves as an .ai file.

[MarkusTay]

Thanks Tilt, I finally got it.

What I was talking about was moving the file back into CS and turning it into a Custom Shape.

I'm ashamed to admit that creating the first one took me almost two hours! The second one took me about ten minutes (after I remembered all the steps), and the third took me about three minutes. After a dozen I was finally able to do what I wanted in about a minute each time.

I had assume that knowing CS would help in Illustrator. YEAH... RIIIIIIGHT.... it was VERY different.

It wasn't until around the 4th one that I realized I didn't even need to open the file in CS first - the backgrounds were already white. Then it was just a matter of copying and pasting after I figured out which Autotrace function to use.

Now I've got a slew of sexy new map icons.