Opacity Masks!

[Ammar Midani]

Hello everybody, nice to be here.

I consider myself as a begginer, and have few questions.

Please I'm looking for a precise definition of opacity mask, why we use it in illustrator and whyowhy by examining their results it seems a lot easier to do then in Photoshop?!

Thanks.

[MKO]

The obvious advantage of doing it in Illustrator is the vector format. You may have overlooked that the opacity mask can also be a vector object e.g. a gradient. Everything remains editable and scaleable. If you just mask photos there's no advantage.

[Ammar Midani]

Thanks MKO. You have to excuse me I'm a bit Photoshop enthusiastic.

I really find the power of illustrator is in the live trace function. Illustrator is giving a great addition to my collage work.

[TORCH511]

The more and more you play with Illustrator, the more and more you will begin to understand the true power of the program.

I will say this again and again, if you are working with photos Photoshop rules. But if you are creating images/illustrations, then Illustrator can is amazingly powerful. And a lot of times, especially when I am working on web graphics I use an Illustrator/Photoshop workflow and the combo cannot be beat!

[warking@mac.com]

Live trace is a nice featue for Illustrator. I think I've used it a few times. I find the real power of Illustrator is me. Without me, it a great circle maker.

The power of a program is in it's user. The things I do with Photoshop and Illustrator are not in their manuals.

Hey, Am I in the wrng forum?

[TORCH511]

Excellent point warking, and I totally agree.

Illustrator/Photoshop are just tools. They replace Rulers, French Curves, Pencils, Ruling Pens, Paper... etc, but they do not make you an artist.

If you can not draw, then no matter how well you know how to use a pen, then you still can not draw.

[Ammar Midani]

Its a well known fact that pixel "pushers", you will find a distance away from Illy, but when you need to create from scratch another joy/challenge raise and its always intersting to take that challenge.

Been discovering Illustrator for a year now and still know a little, but having great time dicovering it.

One have to know the basics to start improvising and show his/her talent.