NOTE: This process isn't needed UNLESS you are working with Illustrator CS or below. Illustrator CS2 and above supports PSD extension vector paths.

This is actually a pretty simple process. There's a good chance you'd want to mess with some Adobe Illustrator features if you were getting into the art form. I thought I'd provide this small section to teach you how to do this. First, obviously open up both programs. In Photoshop, open up your PSD file and then go to "File" followed by "Save As".


figure 1: Saving as an EPS document.

You should get something like this. Choose where you want to save the file to and select "Photoshop EPS (*.EPS)" from the "Format" drop down menu. Click "Save".


figure 2: Saving as an EPS document (options).

Make sure "Include Vector Data" is checked. Now, click "OK". Switching right over to Illustrator, now we open the vector file in Illustrator.
Note: Photoshop can't take an EPS format document back into vector format and in turn converts it to a rastered layer format.


figure 3: Inspecting the layers in Illustrator.

As you will notice, everything is there just like in Photoshop (although it is organized differently). You are now free to edit and tweak whatever you wish in Illustrator.

I don't officially support this, so I'm not going to provide screenshots; however, this is a very requested feature, so I thought that it would be best to at least mention it. Vectoring in Photoshop 6 is far more difficult because you must use the paths tool, something which I do not use. Basically, you do the exact same technique for vectoring, but instead of using the layers window, you'll be using the paths window as well (which can be found near or attached with the layers window; if not, you may add it to the workspace in the "Window" menu option in the top bar).

First, you'll want to make a new layer. Second, make a new path. Then, start vectoring. Once you complete a shape, you'll want to use the option on the paths window that says "Fill path" (it should be an icon towards the bottom of the window). Now, you repeat the process for EACH and every new shape you wish to make. Unfortunately, you'll have to delete ALL of the layers and click "fill path" for each shape if you want to resize it or move a path -- what a hassle!

This really IS a vector path, but you're having to do a ton of work that Photoshop 7 and above will do for you. I highly suggest that you DO NOT use Photoshop 6 to attempt vectors.

Since you've hung on so long, here's this random AIM log that has stuck around since the original version of this tutorial in 2003.

Hey, lots of creative people are on AIM who will help me comment on my DeviantART stuff right? I decided to find out with tact and style! One random search later and...
I'm SyndicateElite and that guy without a taste for art is harmfulifabsorbd.

Session Start (AIM - SyndicateElite:harmfulifabsorbd)
SyndicateElite: hola!
harmfulifabsorbd: um hi?
*** Auto-response sent to harmfulifabsorbd: OMG! im at a new years eve party with lots of stuff! think of the fun, oh yes the fun... i do hope i dont get subjected into the peer presure of vodka or beer!
harmfulifabsorbd: it's not new years..
SyndicateElite: Yea, yea I know, but dude, I just made this awesome vector
harmfulifabsorbd: wtf is a vector? and who are you?
SyndicateElite: A FRIEND! now take this file and tell me if you like it.
SyndicateElite: ok?
harmfulifabsorbd: i guess...
*** SyndicateElite wants to directly connect.
SyndicateElite: no no, let me send it the old fashion way
*** harmfulifabsorbd has received Untitled-1.jpg.
harmfulifabsorbd: that's uh super dude
harmfulifabsorbd: now who are you again?
SyndicateElite: i said a friend
harmfulifabsorbd: dude im just going to block you
SyndicateElite: NONONO! WAIT WAIT! PLEASE DON'T GO!
SyndicateElite: IM SO LONELY
SyndicateElite: oh my god, it never ends!
SyndicateElite: ITS LIKEA SEA OF AGONY
SyndicateElite: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!!!
harmfulifabsorbd: ... sea of agony...
SyndicateElite: Yes, please don't leave me... i ... I NEED YOU...
harmfulifabsorbd: i seriously don't know who you are or why you're messaging me
SyndicateElite: WILL YOU COMMENT ON MY STUFF AT DA? PLEASE MAN!! PLEASE>.. ill ... ILL KILL MYSELF IF YOU DONT!
harmfulifabsorbd: jeez man, you're sick
SyndicateElite: NOT AS SiCK AS THE PLAGUE OF FIRE CONSUMING MY FLESH FROM LONELNIESS!!
harmfulifabsorbd: yea, plauges of fire. nice.
*** harmfulifabsorbd has signed off.

If you would like to download this tutorial as a zip file, click here. You will need WinZIP or an equivalent compression utility to uncompress this file. If you have Windows XP, basic support for compressed files is already built in so WinZIP is not needed. Obviously, if you are reading this file from downloading it, this section does not apply to you.

Note: You MUST extract ALL of the files, not just the index.html, for this to work! As so, to "run" the tutorial, you must open the index.html file.

Archived Versions:
2.5.7

Thanks for sticking with this tutorial and trying it out, or at least bothering to read it (skim it, even). Believe it or not, I worked pretty hard on it. Several hours on making sure it wasn't boring, but also making sure it was able to illustrate key concepts. I originally made this tutorial to explain what a vector is and what isn't a vector. However, I quickly felt the need to add a tutorial into it, spawning version one Deviation release on July 10, 2003. The original was featured by an adminstrator, and it was showcased on the front page, allowing many people to get introduced to this style of art. You can still download this original (and ugly) version here. Upon this featuring, many people complained about how my tutorial was not for vectors, but for rasters. However, they were (and still are) amazingly incorrect.

A good number of people tried out this version had questions on how to do lineart for drawings and several other questions, mainly involving vector curves. I updated this tutorial to version two, which was a standalone deviation. It was near perfect, but a few problems needed to be addressed, as well as many typos and incorrect statements. I have made this version that you are reading (2.5, although subject to change depending on content and otherwise). This version addresses a new Photoshop CS feature, fixes the introduction, adds a reference to another color window, and this section (not to mention that classy "used car salesman" picture). I plan on keeping this tutorial updated with all new releases of Photoshop, so be sure to check back.

I've had over five years of experience in the field of Photoshop, starting with Photoshop 5.5. I can safely say that I have enough experience to make web pages, much like my current web site located here, as well as the ability to edit photos, and otherwise. I taught myself how to vector in Photoshop after seeing the galleries of yachtclub and voodoo-prophet on DeviantART. Obviously, if you know vectors, you know that I do them in a very strange (but easy to learn) manner. I like to think that I have my own unique style of doing certain things and that I can pass it on to other people and they can let it adapt to how they want it to. So far, I have been vectoring in Photoshop for about 2 years, in one form or another. I'd also like to note that the vector community, VBU (or Vector Brothers Unite) is a very large, helpful community also located on DeviantART; it's full of vector artists from a wide variety of places that use a large array of differeny styles and techniques. If you're interested, I suggest you register for a DeviantART account if you have not already and sign up for the VBU.

After this tutorial had been out for a while, I began to see a lot of vectors being published using my style. It's a very flattering feeling to see people trying to emulate what they see in the tutorial here and doing it as good (or even better, in a few cases) as I could do. I love to watch people changing and adapting to the many, many styles of vector art. I feel that my tutorial provides a solid base to completing a well-rounded vector, and the principles taught here can be applied to high-end applications like Adobe Illustrator as well. A great example of people who have learned from my tutorial and adapted the basics would be Turp and Fuzzynoise, two outstanding, professional-level artists that awe me with each and every submission they make. This tutorial even provides basic understanding and insight into the entire world of vectors and should allow people to transport the basic ideas to products developed by other companies besides Adobe, such as Macromedia or Corel.

I really think that this tutorial offers just as much of the basics of learning to vector as a professional tutorial, which could cost some large sums of money to purchase on Adobe-Certified Training CD's. For those without the big budget of being able to afford so much high-end training resources, being school or training CD's, I offer this tutorial free of charge to the entire world (although, I hope you can read English). The best part about this is that if you have a problem, don't hesitate to contact me for assistance: I love helping others out to learn a new and exciting genre of art used in presentations, television, magazines, and other professional publications.

Well, I hope you folks have enjoyed my fantastic vector tutorial. I feel like I practically am related to you now. *sniffle* Goodbyes are always so hard!

If, for some odd reason, you need to contact me to get advice or help, I'm usually available at:
E-mail me here.
ICQ: 68462293
AIM: Sitruunatee
MSN-IM: Homie71@hotmail.com
Check out my DeviantART Page.
//+vectortea

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