When creating designs and layouts in Illustrator, at times you will need to incorporate raster-based content, such as photographs. Naturally, these images are neither created nor edited in Illustratorraster-based application programs such as Photoshop take care of things like that. However, you can
place raster-based content into your Illustrator file. In fact, Illustrator works very much like a page layout application in this way.
When an image is placed, Illustrator can incorporate that image in the file in two different ways. In the first method, Illustrator places a preview of the image on your artboard, but the image file itself is not incorporated into the Illustrator file. The image file exists as an external reference, separate from the Illustrator file. This first method is referred to as
place-linking because the image file is linked to the Illustrator document. If you were to misplace the linked file, Illustrator would not be able to print the image.
In the second method, Illustrator places the actual image file within the Illustrator document and incorporates the image into the Illustrator file. This second method is referred to as
place-embedding , where the image becomes a part of the Illustrator file.
You can choose which of these two methods you want to use when you physically place the file. For a detailed explanation of the numerous benefits and caveats of using each method, refer to the sidebar, "Featured Match-Up: Place-Linked Files vs. Place-Embedded Files."
You can place a raster file into an Illustrator document in several ways. You can either place a file, open it directly, or drag it right onto your artboard. Each method has its own benefits; your task is to determine which one you will use.
When you already have a file open and you need to place an image into your document, this method offers the most options and is one of the most commonly used ways to place a file.
1. | From an open document, choose File > Place and navigate to a raster file on your hard drive or server. |
2. | At the bottom of the Place dialog are three check boxes (Figure 8.1 ): check the Link box to place-link the file (unchecking the Link box place-embeds the file); check the Template box to have the image automatically placed on a Template layer; and check the Replace box to have the image replace one that is already selected on the artboard. Figure 8.1. When placing a file, you can control whether an image is place-linked by checking the Link check box in the Place dialog. |
3. | Once you've selected the file and checked the options you need, click the Place button to place the file into your document. |
Choose File > Open, and then navigate to choose a raster file on your hard drive or server and click the Open button. Illustrator creates a new document and places the image in it. When you're opening a raster file in this way, the image is always place-embedded within your Illustrator document.
Manual Tracing with Template Layers," later in this chapter, for more information on creating a template layer.
From Adobe Bridge, the Finder on Mac OS, or from any Windows Explorer window, drag a raster file right onto your Illustrator artboard. You can also select multiple files and place them all at once (Figure 8.2 ). Using this method, Illustrator place-links the files. To place-embed images while dragging them into your document, hold the Shift key while dragging the images.
Managing Placed Images," later in this chapter). However, if you place-embed an image, you can no longer update that image easily.
Typically, the interchange file formats for images that are used in print design layouts are TIFF or EPS, but Illustrator allows you to place native Photoshop files (PSD) as well.
Working with Adobe Photoshop."
Managing Placed Images" for information on relinking files).
Saving and Exporting Files .
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