Fill/stroke colour for drawings made with pencil tool CS4 1

[Ratso5]

Hi brains!

I've received some great advice re Live Trace & Live Paint previously but it does not seem to help me out here.

I need to know how to apply colour for pictures that I have drawn with the pencil tool. It's just a figure like a cartoon figure.
I've got rid of any gaps that are not necessary, creating some 'visually' closed shapes.
I've grouped the objects.
I've selected the group/figure.
I thought the best way, (since they are not a bunch of individually drawn shapes) may be to use Live Paint. However it won't let me Live Paint>Make, it only allows me Gap Options. Then still won't allow me to Make. Or anything beside Gap Options.
I tried doing a Live Trace but it did not help.

I don't have to go and join all the paths by joining each end anchors do I?
I don't want to have all paths closed shapes anyway, it's not part of the design.

I'd be grateful for your help, I've got my Digital Classroom and all but I can't find this info.

Thanks in advance

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

I'm not quite sure what you are doing (I couldn't find an image from you link) but you could just draw a shape with the Pen Tool, for the color and place it behind your drawing.
Use your drawing as a guide. work big and follow around the center of the line, then use "Arrange" to move it to the back, so that the edge is trapped by your art.

Mike

 

[apepp]

...generally speaking it is best to have paths as near to closed as possible, the gap options can help you out though...

...in you posted example you need to sort your layering out, the girl is live paintable...

...the boy however needs work, by removing some parts from the selection before you live paint...

...move all parts on a new layer (or group), apart from the lines and you should be good to go...

http://www.zen63258.zen.co.uk/tek/Screen shot 2010-05-18 at 11.49.14.png

...these are the parts you need to move out of the selection (note the text on the top left):

http://www.zen63258.zen.co.uk/tek/Screen shot 2010-05-18 at 11.49.23.png

...with illustrator, if in doubt, check your layering of objects, they can solve many headaches if you keep things in order in the long run...

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[Ratso5]

Damn! you're good! Thanks so much for your quick response Andrew, I see I have to approach my pics separating solid shapes from 'accessory' additions. This has solved a lot.

Nocandu- I'll keep this technique handy, thank you for your attention!