ANIMAT

ION C

OURSE

DAY 2

LIVE-T

RACE D

RAW

ING

WHAT IS LIVE-TRACE DRAWING?

Live-trace drawing is a drawing technique that uses a line to imitate or to go over lines of sketches, drawings, photos and images on a given angle or perspective. The purpose of live-tracing is to copy a

picture on a blank surface.

STEPS TO DO A LIVE-TRACE DRAWING IN ILLUSTRATOR.

Step 1:

Choose a image to live-trace.

Step 2:

Go to Transparency and choose 60 in opacity then lock the layer.

Step 3:

Create a new layer and use the pen, brush or the pencil tool to trace over the image. Then select all the lines and group them.

Step 4:

Go back to the first layer and hide or close the image to check if the lines is traced properly on the image. Then copy this layer and hide it.

Step 5:

Open the first layer and trace the shade line on the second layer with the lines then group them.

Step 6:

Repeat the same principle as “Step 4” but don’t copy the layer.

Step 7:Copy the first layer, bring the transparency back to 100 opacity and place it beside the second layer with lines. Highlight lines in the second layer and choose the live-paint tool.

Step 8:Use the eyedrop tool on the image at the right then use the live-paint tool to fill in the colors on the second layer on the left.

Step 9:

Hide the image and the stroke lines in the second layer.

Step 10:

Open the first layer that was copied and place it in front of the second layer. Use the eyedrop tool to copy the colour of the image stroke line with the traced lines.

Step 11:

Go on the keyboard, hold “ctrl” and press “C” to copy the artwork then hold “ctrl” one more time and press “B”. The artwork will be copied at the back of the image. Go to stroke and increase the weight to 8.

Step 12:

The steps are complete!!