Need help with my first AI file.

[Savage Signs]

Hello friends,

So long story short a client has come to me with a logo designed by someone else who has since gotten out of the business and hes looking for shirts done in multiple colors.

So my issue is I took over this business and they were exclusively using LXI for everything, I very recently started using CorelDraw and Inkscape (Mostly for color gradient) but have little to no experience with both of them.

New clients image is in a PDF format with a black background, a Jpeg with a red background and a AI file format with a black background and Lxi will not show any kind of layers for the pdf almost like its a jpeg but its not treating it like a Raster image.

I downloaded a free trial of AI and PS thinking once I opened the file in one of those the layers would be available and I could remove the background and leave the logo itself that would be print ready. However one layer shows and its the entire image.

Iv ran them through every background remover i know of and Im just not getting any result even close to workable. Because of the overlay effects (not sure if that's the correct term) I cant just vector trace the image because I lose a lot of the "depth" of the image.

I'm definitely missing something here. I apologize in advance for my ignorance, im just learning as I go and this is the first issue with a logo I haven't been able to work out in someway with some critical thinking. Iv googled, you-tubed and scoured this site and just cant find a solution.

 

[TumwaterTom]

The art in the PDF you attached is just a transparent raster image, no vector art at all.

 

[Boudica]

Try this out: https://vectorizer.ai/

I can't save it, I think I used it too much and now it want's me to pay. Free trial over. It doesn't do well with gradients - but you can go in and re apply the gradient. It's a little work - if you can run it through, save the vector file as a pdf and shoot it to me and I can help you clean it up.

 

[Gettin'By]

As far as Photoshop, Illy, and Acrobat with Pitstop Pro can tell, that is just a raster image. I'd wager the AI file you have just has a raster in it as well. They may have rasterized it before sending it to you, or just placed it in there like a wrapper with a single layer and single element on that layer. Best bet would be if the cust has the original vector art. Or you could hire Vector Doctor here on the forum to vectorize it for you, I've heard good things about him. It's possible (but I wouldn't count on it) your RIP could just not print the solid black if you tell it you have a black tshirt, but even if it could do that it'd only work on black garments.

 

[Savage Signs]

Thank you guys so much.
I was under the impression that my software just wasn't able to do anything with it even in a PDF form exported from AI because the customer assured me that when he received it from the original creator he had been sent a vectored image and that is the exact same file he sent to me.
and since LXI didn't give me any raster setting for it and it came masked I just assumed I was missing some piece of the puzzle since I know literally nothing about PS or AI..
Now i feel dumb but that's all apart of learning I suppose. lol

A million thank yous to you all and Boudica you're a life saver. That program is everything I needed in my life. <3

 

[Boudica]

To be honest - GAC05 is the one who introduced us to the vectorAI website. I can't take all the credit

 

[MNT_Printhead]

You can try rasterizing the image in PS and hoping you have enough resolution to print at size.