How to make something transparent while still keeping the effect intact [duplicate]

Question

So I am literally a illustrator noob with literally 4 hours of experience since writing this post. I am creating a logo for my school robotics team and I wanted to make the background of the logo transparent for our team website but realized that while I can make the background of the logo transparent the objects cannot be transparent. I was wondering how can I keep the effects of the objects while still making them transparent.

Here are some images of my logo and my situation.

The first image is what I have on Ai.

This is my image converted to the pdf file, as you can probably tell I want the white parts to be transparent (sorry for the bad image on the 2nd one btw).

https://i.stack.imgur.com/AJiVc.jpg if image does not show

Answer 1

You're right, it's not easy when you don't know the terms and vocabulary.

You talk about transparency but in Illustrator, what you need is not called transparency, it's simply a white shape you need to "divide" (eg. slice and then erase)!

Imagine your vector shapes are like assembling pieces of paper together and then cutting out the parts you don't need with an exacto cutter. In this case the white is truly white, as much as a piece of paper can be white; you call it transparent because you background canvas is white too, but trace a black rectangle behind it and you see it's simply another white shape. Transparency is really when there's 0% solid color or content.

To remove these extra part you don't need, have a look at the link I added to my previous comment about the "pathfinder" tool. With that tool, you can "merge", "slice", and do similar things you'd do in real with that kind of shapes if it was paper. That's how you'll get rid of the white areas in your artwork. With images, you'd probably use what's called a "clipping mask" instead.

You'll find that tool in the "Window" Menu in Adobe Illustrator.

Clipping Mask, Pathfinder or Compound Path?

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/combining-objects.html#pathfinder

It's very easy and will be very useful as well to learn about it for your future projects. In fact, you'll use this all the time. Note that if you use strokes, you need to "expand" them first (menu "objects", then "expand")

Answer 2

• Select the white rectangles, the yellow rectangle, and the black "E" rectangles.

• Click the Merge button on the Pathfinder Panel.

• Use the Direct Selection Tool (white arrow) and click the white area.

• Hit the Delete key.

Alternatively, you could select the shapes, grab the Shape Builder Tool, hold down the Option/Alt key and click the parts you want removed.

This is the same procedure in the question you linked to. It's no different for your artwork.

These are basic operations covered in beginner Illustrator tutorials. You may want to explore those.

The Complete Beginners Guide To Adobe Illustrator (YouTube)

Adobe TV Illustrator tutorials

While I can certainly appreciate the zeal and jumping right in to complete things, realize that Stack Exchange sites are not "tutorials on demand" sites.