Editing an image trace in Illustrator primarily involves expanding the trace results into editable vector paths and shapes.
To edit an image trace in Adobe Illustrator, you need to transform the trace result from a live Image Trace object into standard vector paths that you can manipulate directly. This is done by expanding the trace.
Here's the general process, including a key step highlighted in the reference:
- Place Your Image: Open an Adobe Illustrator file and place the raster image you want to trace onto your Artboard.
- Select the Image: Use the Selection tool (V) to select the placed image.
- Perform the Trace: Navigate to Object > Image Trace and choose a preset (like Default, High Fidelity Photo, 3 Colors, etc.) or click Make to apply the default trace settings. The Image Trace panel (Window > Image Trace) can be used to refine settings before expanding.
- Expand the Trace: This is the critical step to make the trace editable. According to the reference: "To edit the paths immediately after performing the Image Trace, choose Object > Image Trace > Make and Expand." If you initially just chose "Make," you can select the traced object and then go to Object > Image Trace > Expand.
- Edit the Vector Paths: Once expanded, the image trace is converted into a group of vector paths and shapes. You can now use standard Illustrator tools to edit these vectors:
- Direct Selection Tool (A): Select and move individual anchor points or segments.
- Selection Tool (V): Select entire shapes or groups of shapes.
- Group/Ungroup: Use Object > Group or Object > Ungroup to organize the resulting paths.
- Shape Builder Tool (Shift + M): Combine or subtract shapes.
- Pathfinder Panel: Use options like Unite, Minus Front, Intersect, etc., to modify shapes.
- Color/Stroke: Change fill and stroke colors or weights of individual paths or shapes.
Steps for Editing the Expanded Trace
After expanding the trace, you get a collection of vectors. Often, you'll want to refine these:
- Ungroup: The expanded trace is typically grouped. Select it and choose Object > Ungroup (or right-click > Ungroup) to work with individual components. You might need to ungroup multiple times.
- Select and Delete Unwanted Areas: Use the Direct Selection tool (A) or Lasso tool (Q) to select unwanted shapes (like background remnants) and press Delete.
- Simplify Paths: Use Object > Path > Simplify to reduce the number of anchor points, making paths smoother and easier to edit.
- Smooth Paths: Use the Smooth tool (under the Pencil tool) to smooth out rough edges.
By expanding the image trace, you convert the dynamic tracing effect into static vector objects that are fully editable using all of Illustrator's vector manipulation tools.
