[WIP] Thick Outlining for Cartoons in Illustrator

[MetKiller Joe]

Anybody know how I can get a quick outline for a cartoon character in illustrator?

For example:


http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1329/examplebxi.jpg


http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/4333/exampleoutline.jpg

That was, of course, done in Photoshop. I've tried simply creating a duplicate of all layers, flattening those, making them completely black, putting them under everything, and then scaling them (doesn't work 100% of the time).

I don't want to have to trace the outline because that will be too expensive time wise, and I know that if there is an automatic method it would look much better.

Any sugggestions?

[kid908]

I know there's one in Adobe Flash CS4, but I'm not sure about illustrator.

If you have flash, just make a quick import and export.

[Phopojijo]

In Illustrator? Import your graphic -- Auto Trace -- then expand to the paths.

Sometimes you need to do it yourself though... don't be shy :p

[Futzy]

Paste you image onto a canvas in Illustrator and and at the top will be a live trace box, click the drop down arrow and at the bottom should Live trace. From there you can set up the options for the trace. But this doesn't always give the best results, so I would recommend doing it yourself.

Photoshop's path tools are a bit more user friendly, so I would recommend using them if you don't know how to vector already.
If you're having trouble add me on xfire: avpdragon

[MetKiller Joe]

I needed the tracing for characters I'm doing in illustrator, so the characters are all vector art not photoshopped.

I had a character set to work from, and I just figured out how the guy did it (clever trick).

He grouped the character and then made two copies. One with a thicker stroke and put that one on the bottom. When I ungrouped I started looking into what he did, and it scares me how sloppy the work is (it encumbers me because I have to use it)