: How to separate clusters of different vector objects in a purchased stock image? I just purchased a group pack of umbrella silhouette vectors. They came in .jpg file, .eps file, and .png file.

@Karen819

log back into the site you bought it from and download the SVG versions

the seamless patterns should be in the Swatch pallete

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@Rambettina927

You need to open the EPS file in Adobe Illustrator.

Sometimes stock vectors are all grouped or merged together, and they're difficult to isolate.

First thing to try:

Select everything (command + A) and go in the menu "Object" and select "ungroup." You might need to do this a few times.

If this doesn't work (or not well enough)

You can use the "selection tool" (black arrow) and double click on the element you want; it should isolate it or its group. You can do this a few times to select individual elements.

Then I suggest you try to copy-paste it in a new Illustrator file.

Sometimes it simply doesn't work

You might need to delete what you don't want and resave the file under a new name!

I strongly suggest you to do a "save as" under a new name BEFORE you start deleting anything; this way you won't overwrite these changes on the original file by accident.

If you can't even select anything or some parts seem to be impossible to select


Verify the layers panel and see if there's layers that are locked. When the layer is locked.. there's a little lock you need to click to unlock...!
Look in the menu "Object" and select "Unlock all."

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@Caterina889

Open the EPS file with Adobe Illustrator.

Grab the Direct Selection Tool (the white arrow)


Click and drag around everything you do not want. Hit the Delete key twice.

Choose File > Save As... from the menu to save what you have left.

(Do not use the PNG or JPG file if you want vector data, you must use the EPS file.)

You may want to review the difference between raster and vector images. PNG is not a vector format.

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@Sent7350415

PNG is not a vector format--although some programs will put hidden vectors in as extra data. Adobe Fireworks, for instance. But only that program will display it.

In general, the standard of PNG is really just a bitmap. Usually higher quality than a JPG because it doesn't throw out details for compression. But just because something is a PNG doesn't make it sharper (think like taking a photo with a good camera of a blurry picture).

But the EPS file may have separate vectors, try loading that one and seeing what you get. You might have to ungroup things or split it even as a vector, sometimes clip art is stuck together in weird ways.

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