I was recently introduced to a fantastic new script called the Magic Eraser. It automatically cuts and deletes vector objects outside of your artboard! I had my friend Andrea Hill give it a test drive, here’s what she had to say:
The Magic Eraser plug-in for Illustrator is a handy tool for removing objects that exist beyond the artboard in your illustration. I found it very helpful in reducing the number of shapes that I have in my EPS files quickly, rather than having to delete them manually, therefore saving a significant amount of time. I use a lot of auto-traced grunge textures in my illustrations, and the script is especially helpful in deleting the many extra shapes the auto-trace creates quickly and easily. In addition, I have found that the size of the file can increase significantly when using textures, and by deleting the unnecessary shapes it helps to reduce the file size considerably as well. The plug-in works quickly, and overall it is a good time-saver.
At only $5 it’s a total bargain 🙂
Published by bortonia
My name is Jennifer Borton, and I'm a vectorholic. I first fell in love with vectors during a digital illustration course while completing my Graphic Design degree at Red River College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. I'm currently the Senior Manager of Illustrations for iStock and Getty Images.
I started with simple logos and learned how to trap files manually in Freehand: The sorts of things any design student should learn. I never even considered vectors as a serious artistic medium: All my illustration courses focused on painting, or ink, or sculpture, or pencil crayon. I had no idea what I was missing out on.
A few years later I discovered Adobe Illustrator, then microstock, and was hooked. Soon all my free time was spent drawing whatever I could think of to upload and sell. Over time, I was spending MORE time illustrating than I was designing.
Back then there wasn't much online in terms of learning materials, and I hated the basic tutorials you could find. I like to play around with each tool to get a sense of how it works, as opposed to following precise steps and creating a carbon copy of the tutorial file. I'm hoping I can stay true to this with this blog.
I'm currently living in Calgary, AB and working for iStockphoto.com. I draw things that make me happy, and love to teach anyone who'll listen.
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Jennifer Borton 