prepping a scanned image for web transparency

[dboles]

Hi --
I'm new to Illustrator, so please forgive me if this is well-trodden ground (although I've researched and can't find much)...
I have scanned some images - they combine text and strange geometric shapes and lines... I then inverted them. The website I want to place them on has a dark background, so I need it display in white.
However, I cannot figure out how to make the now black background transparent -- whenever I save with transparency, the black remains intact, because it is a scanned image.
Any ideas/help?! Thanks so much.

Drew

 

[jimoblak]

Why aren't you using a bitmap image editor like Photoshop or GIMP?

If you limit yourself to Illustrator, you need to make a 'clipping path' or 'mask' of the bitmap image. Check the manual for whichever process suits your version of Illustrator.

If you can use an image editor, you can remove the background of the scanned art and save it as PSD. PSD can be placed in Illustrator and then you can apply the strange geometric shapes.