Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic - Does and Don'ts for vectors. Where to find?

jammm · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

Hi, everyone!

I'm new to Shutterstock and to Illustrator too.
One of my first vectors was rejected, beacause text wasn't converted to outlines. I'll fix this, but dont want to explore all other the rules experimentaly.

Can't fint a list of rules.
Transparency, gradients, some effects, what is allowed and what is not? 3D effects?

Please, help with a list, I think it would be useful for other people.
If there is a list, I'm sorry, but couldn't find it.
Thanx in advance!

toots7777 · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:47 am

Hi and welcome to SS.

Ok, allowed:

gradients linear and radial, transparency and opacity masks (only if saved as eps10 files though), brush strokes have to be expanded as well as any pattern swatch fills. Oh and clipping masks are ok too.

not allowed:

special effects such as drop shadows, blur etc etc as these are raster effects. You have to find a work-around for these. Keep away from effects if not sure whether they will rasterise.

All paths must be closed and strokes turned into fills. Text to be converted to outlines as you said above.

Can't think of anything else at the moment. Maybe someone else will think of some I've missed.

Good luck next time round. Maybe it would also help if you post your next batch for critique before submitting them to SS. We will help you as much as we can.

jammm · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

toots7777, thank you so much for answering so quickly! You helped me a lot.
But I have new questions now ;)

Don't you know anything about Effeccts -> 3D -> Extrude & Bevel? As I understood, this can make vector too complicated and isn't recomended?

And what about Multiply, Screen, etc? I have read somewhere here, that these are not allowed in eps8, but maybe something changed for eps10?

About brush strokes. I select an object, drawn with a Brush, go to Object -> Expand and it's inactive, i can only click Expand Appearance. Is it ok? Can't get what's the difference.

And the last question for now "All paths must be closed and strokes turned into fills" This means, that if i have a shape with stroke around I have to turn it into fill or about something else? Please, tell, where is this option it, I cant' find.

Thank You!

toots7777 · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:17 pm

toots7777 · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:28 pm

Ooops forgot to mention, turning strokes into fills might not be a requirement, however it is good practice to do this as when resizing/enlarging vectors with strokes if they are not filled then they do not resize correctly along with the image. If they are turned into fills they will enlarge properly with the rest of the image.

You imagine a buyer enlarging the vector to double the size or even much much bigger for a billboard poster or to go on the side of a van or bus and the stroke stays exactly like the 1 pixel you've made it, well the stroke would not be very visible if visible at all. That's why I always use fills instead of strokes.

As I said, not sure if it is an actual requirement by stock agencies but it is good practice!!!

akaiser · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 2379 Location: Munich

You can use 3d-effects, but you have to expand them as well. They often produce lots of unnecessary nodes, tho, therefor I usually edit them manually and in worse cases sometimes even trace them by hand. Also, make sure to delete all clipping paths within the group (have a look at the layers palette in order to find them - if there's a dark circle besides the group, there are some in), because they can cause trouble whith eps ai8 and especially, if you/the buyer wants to change the object's colors later on.

cscottbsn · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 25

This is a great thread to keep rolling or sticky at the top. I just tripped over it and it would have helped me much in the beginning. (heck, it helps now)

jammm · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 6

Thank you all for answering!
It was very useful!

princesszelda · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 579 Location: London, UK

I agree with cscottbsn. Can this be made into a stickie? Useful for me too! :D

toots7777 · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 12:09 pm

As it's not a sticky we will have to keep bumping it:

Bump

princesszelda · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 579 Location: London, UK

Bump :D

toots7777 · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:19 pm

ecuadorrebel · Joined: 23 Aug 2009 Posts: 456 Location: Quito, Ecuador

Thought I would bump this up again.

toots7777 · Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:11 am

bumping again, it got a bit buried

Bump

Bump

Bump

iris42 · Joined: 04 Feb 2010 Posts: 625

I've got a question to bump this up. Been playing around and found tips on how to make the 'glossy button' effect, but it uses the opacity mask in Illustrator. Does that work when saving as illustrator 8 or does it need to be 10? And even if it is 'allowed', is it a 'good idea'? Like how strokes are allowed, but it is better to convert to outline.