EPS Transparency with a Raster Graphic

Hey,

I'm having a problem with getting transparency out of illustrator. I've made an image in a 3D program that a client would like to use as a logo and they need it supplied in an EPS format from illustrator. I've exported a still frame image as a .tiff from my 3D program and brought it into illustrator. When I save it out as an EPS from illustrator, it has a transparent background when I re-open it in illustrator but not when I open it in photoshop or indesign. Now, I know this is taking a raster file and saving it out as an eps, which usually works much nicer with vector graphics, but I was still hoping to have the transparency carry through as if the image was entirely vector.

Any idea of a way to save this file out with transparency from illustrator as an eps or is this just not possible with that file format and a raster graphic? If it isn't possible, any idea of a replacement file format that would work as well to preserve high quality and transparency, .tiff or targa?

Bring a TIFF file into Illustrator does not turn it into a vector unless you auto trace or redraw the image by hand. If you bring the image into Photoshop you can draw a clipping path and save it as an EPS file with clipping path. You can draw a clipping path in Illustrator but it is much harder to see edges. The Magic Wand tool in Photoshop makes selecting the edges much easier. Note that your logo will still be a bitmap with a vector outline. If you client needs to use a very large version of the logo, it will pixalate.

Whatever file format you export from your 3D program is not as important as the resolution of the file. You would want to create a file with very high dpi (high resolution). If you are a real expert in Illustrator you should redraw the logo and avoid all the above problems.

I tell you this as someone who spent a decade drawing outlines around items in photos for product catalogs and cleaning up scans with the photoshop clone tool.

I hope this is helpful.