Illustrator to Photoshop (large document format including layers)

Introduction

Exporting a large Adobe Illustrator document with multiple layers to a Photoshop document (PSD) at a high DPI often fails or runs into issues due to several technical reasons:

  • File Complexity and Size: Illustrator files with many layers, detailed vector graphics, and high-resolution artwork can become quite large. Exporting to Photoshop means converting these vector elements into rasterized images, and at a high DPI (e.g., 300 DPI or above), the system has to process an enormous amount of pixel data. This can exceed the available memory (RAM) or processing power, causing the export process to crash or fail.
     
  • Vector to Raster Conversion: Illustrator operates with vector-based graphics, which are resolution-independent, while Photoshop works with raster images, which are resolution-dependent. Converting a complex vector design to a high-resolution raster image involves scaling each element to the required DPI. This significantly increases file size and computational demand, particularly with complex shapes, gradients, and transparency effects.
     
  • Layer Complexity: When exporting layers from Illustrator to Photoshop, Illustrator needs to flatten or merge certain elements in the design, especially those with advanced effects or blending modes that don’t have a direct raster equivalent. If a file contains many complex layers or effects, Illustrator may struggle to accurately convert them while preserving layer integrity, leading to errors or an incomplete export.
     
  • Resource Limitations: High DPI exports demand large amounts of memory and system resources. If the computer or system running the export process lacks sufficient memory or processing power, the export can be interrupted or fail. Photoshop documents with extremely high pixel dimensions and numerous layers can become too large to handle, causing the export to either crash or result in incomplete files.

In conclusion, the combination of large file size, high-resolution requirements, vector-to-raster conversion, and system resource limitations makes exporting complex Illustrator documents at high DPI to Photoshop a process prone to failure. Simplifying the artwork, reducing resolution, or splitting the file into smaller sections can sometimes help alleviate these issues but what if you need your Illustrator artwork in Photoshop without compromise?

Manual solution:

If you’re experiencing issues exporting a large, complex Illustrator file with multiple layers to Photoshop at a high DPI, a practical solution is to export each layer individually, rasterize them in Photoshop, and merge them together. This method avoids overwhelming the system during export but requires a lot of manual work.

Script solution

What if there were scripts to automate this process? We’ve developed two scripts specifically for this purpose. The first script exports each main layer from an Adobe Illustrator document into a separate Illustrator file. The second script then rasterizes these Illustrator files and saves them as Photoshop files. Finally, a standard Photoshop script is used to merge all the individual Photoshop files into one document.

How to use these scripts

Download the scripts using the links below. Since the scripts are provided as a zip archive, you’ll need to unzip them before use. Once unzipped, look for a file named SaveDrawingToLayersAI_v2.06.jsx and for a file named RasterizeVectorFiles v2.18.jsx.

To use these scripts, first open your Illustrator illustrator document and check if all layers that needs to be exported are main layers. Then, drag the downloaded script file SaveDrawingToLayersAI_v2.06.jsx into Illustrator. A dialog box will appear once you release the mouse. You need to specify an output folder and optinally you can select options for example to exclude hidden or locked layers.

Finally, press the Export document layers button. Please note that processing large documents may take some time, so be patient and keep an eye on the progress bar for updates.

After completion each layer has been saved into a new Illustrator document, for example:

Next open Photoshop but do not open any documents.Then, drag the downloaded script file RasterizeVectorFiles v2.18.jsx into Photoshop. A dialog box will appear once you release the mouse. Use the Browse button to select the Illustrator files you like to resterize in Photoshop. Next, use the Choose… to choose an output folder.

Finally, press the Convert button and all selected Illustrator files will be converted into Photoshop files.

Reassamble your drawing in Photoshop

To assemble the individual Photoshop files into one document, you can use the “Load Files into Stack” script (File → Scripts → Load Files into Stack). This default script is a great tool in Photoshop that enables users to merge multiple images or Photoshop files into a single document.

 

Support Our Scripts!

If you love using our scripts, consider making a small donation to help us keep them running smoothly. Maintaining these scripts and covering server costs isn’t free, and your support makes a big difference. Every little bit helps us continue creating, updating, and improving these tools for everyone. Thank you for being part of our community!

 
If you wish to make a donation, simply click on the “Donate with PayPal” button. You don’t need to have a PayPal account, you can use any debit or credit card when you select debit or credit card as payment method.

 

Download

Adobe Illustrator script: Export Illustrator layers to individual Illustrator files

Version: 2.06
License: Creative Commons – Attribution – No Derivatives 4.0 International
Document format: ZIP archive
File size: 6.63 KB
Downloads: 3715
Platform: Illustrator CS4 or higher, both Windows and macOS
Rating:
Download: SaveDrawingToLayersAI_v2.06.jsx.zip

Adobe Photoshop script: Convert Vector files into Photoshop raster files

Version: 2.18
License: Creative Commons – Attribution – No Derivatives 4.0 International
Document format: ZIP archive
File size: 9.11 KB
Downloads: 3574
Platform: Illustrator CS4 or higher, both Windows and macOS
Rating:
Download: RasterizeVectorFiles v2.18.jsx.zip

 

Share Your Experience!

Have you used our scripts to export your Photoshop drawing into Illustrator? We hope they made your work easier and more efficient! We’d love to hear your feedback. What did you enjoy and what can we improve? Your insights are invaluable to us. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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