Problem with Drop Shadow...

[nook]

I seem to have a problem that comes and goes for no reason I can think of. I place a .PSD file that has a clipping path into Illustrator and add a Drop Shadow. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I use a action in Photoshop to make the clipping path, so it should be the same everytime, and as I said, sometimes the Drop Shadow shows up, sometimes it doesn't. Any suggestions? TIA!!!

[Phats57]

I am going to jump in with a thought here, but I am not going to guarentee I am correct. How are you adding the Photoshop file into the Illustrator File? Are you adding the file by going to File > Place? If so, are you linking the .PSD when you place the file inside of Illustrator?
If you do not link it, the Photoshop Import Dialog box will come up. There you can choose to flatten the image to one layer (which may preserve your drop shadow) or to convert the layers to objects in Illustrator. The conversion may be where you are running into your problem. Illustrator does not support Photoshop adjustment layers and layer effects. Therefore, you may be losing your drop shadow this way. This could also be the case if you are cutting and pasting.
My recommendation would be to experiement with these different import options. If you link your file upon placement, it is non editable, and I image is flattened to one layer. I think flattenining to one layer may be a help, even if you do not link the file. Just remeber that if you do link the file, should you ever go back and change that Photoshop file, it will also change inside of Illustrator where it has been placed, which could change the look of what you wanted in Illustrator.
Then again, I am still fairly new to Illustrator and I could be wrong, anyone else care to jump in on this one? :cool:

[nook]

I am using the Drop Shadow filter in Illustrator, not Photoshop.

[kazbear]

This is how I usually do this. I like to knock out the background in Photoshop. Using all the tricks you know to get a good transparent background. This will allow for a nice feathered edge.

Save this layerd transparent file as PSD. Then use place to bring it into Illustrator. Do not link. When the conversion box comes up, convert layers to objects.

Your drop shadows should work fine.

May I also suggest that you use the Effects Menu to apply your drop shadow. This will make it a Live effect and you can easily change it as needed.

[nook]

Tried your suggestion and it didn't work. So any idea as to why sometimes the method I use works and other times it doesn't?

[kazbear]

Perhaps you can post a file where it does not work. Curious...

[MacForMe]

Phatz57, actually Illustrator does support Photoshop adjustment layers and layer effects. I use placed .psd's in .ai files with many adjustment layers all the time without any problems - same thing with .tif files. The trick is, if there is any transparency in your .psd file, you will most likely have to flatten it before printing.

Now, back to the problem. Nook, yes you are correct, sometimes clipping paths don't affect placed .psd files. I've had files where the clipping path showed up when the .psd was first placed - made a few changes, and the path disappears. It's an odd thing, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Clipping paths only work reliably when you save out the .psd as an .eps file and then place it. I believe clipping paths originally only worked with .eps files in the old days, before Illustrator or any other program supported PS transparencies.

Remember, you have to flatten your file to save it as a .eps file, so if you have any Photoshop layers, make yourself a backup. Make your clipping path and make sure it is set as a clipping path and not a working path, save the file and place it. If you are still having issues with the dropshadow effect, embed the .eps file - this will bring the actual vector path into your Illustrator file. You select the .eps file and relink it, and do whatever you want with the leftover clipping path. You can use it to create your dropshadow, use it as a mask - or use it to create a cut file, like I do for our Zund plotters or our flatbed router.