The benefits of AI files-a guide to using AI files

Hi guys,

I wanted to do a journal on the benefits of using AI files instead of simply creating an ABR file for use in Photoshop. For examples of my techniques please check out www.arz5a.com/about.html and arz5a.com generally to see how I am using AI files in my work.

Firstly, for those who don't know, an AI file is an Adobe Illustrator saved file, created in Illustrator, which you can import into Photoshop as a smart object.

Smart Object:
Why use a smart object? The great thing about smart objects is that they retain all their original information, so if you need to change the object you can do so losslessly. This is important if you wish to refine your work without loosing any of the crispness that comes from using a vector created in Illustrator. The other major benefit is that you can edit the AI file on the fly in Illustrator, which in turn will update the object in Photoshop with any corrections you have made.

Personally I always create a duplicate of an AI file layer in Photoshop so that I have the option to rasterise that layer for direct editing in Photoshop once I am happy with the original. This way you will always have the smart object to come back to should you need to restart, edit, or check your work. Plus, this also gives you a nice template for creating masks from should you wish to do so.

If you want to change the colour of the smart object you can either a) open the AI file in Illustrator and change the colour of the layers, or b) rasterise the layer, magic wand the object, then fill in the colour on either the original or a new layer.

Bush:
If you want to take it a step further an create a brush from the AI, because it is a vector it makes any brushes you create nice and crisp. To create a brush I open a new PSD 500pxx500px file in Photoshop, drag the AI file in (which creates a new layer), and then I edit > Define Brush preset, which then creates a brush from the AI smart object. You can then use this brush as normal within Photoshop, with the added benefit that when you size it up or down it should retain a nice crisp edge.

In the end I have found that AI files are a good tool to have in the creative arsenal, as they are much more flexible than a standard brush in terms of editing, refinement, and the ability to create a unique shape to suit your own needs. There is a lot of potential when it comes to using AI files, and this is why I have stopped creating ABR files for DA, and uploaded the original AI files so y'all can have more functionality for your work.