TITLE: Stone Tools Illustrations with Vector Art: The &#39;STIVA&#39; Method
AUTHORS: Jacopo Niccolo Cerasoni

[DESCRIPTION]
<div class = "text-blocks"><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left">Lithic illustrations are often used in scientific publications to efficiently communicate the technological and morphological characteristics of stone tools. They offer invaluable information and insights not only on how stone raw materials were transformed into their final form, but also on the individuals that made them. Here, the “Stone Tools Illustrations with Vector Art” (STIVA) Method is presented, which involves the illustration of lithic artefacts using vectorial graphics software (Adobe® Illustrator®). This protocol follows an optimised step-by-step method, presenting ten major sections that constitute the creation of a lithic illustration: photography, vectorial software configuration, scale, outline, scar borders, ripples, cortex, symbols, composition, and export. This method has been developed to allow researchers, students and educators to create clear and competent illustrations for any application, from scientific publications to public outreach.</div></div></div>

[STEPS]
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Lock camera on a tripod (ideally use a macro lens with a focal length of between 90mm to 105mm) and place in light box (if available).
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Place artefact flat onto the workspace.
?. [Photograph Artefact]
If the artefact does not sit flat due to its irregular shape, use an appropriate amount of modelling clay wrapped in plastic wrap so to create a modellable support surface.
?. [Photograph Artefact]
With lamps or other light-sources set up direct and suffused lighting from one or more sides and the top. Scar shadows should appear. Try to prevent major shadowing on the background surface.
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Take several photographs of the artefact, moving the lighting at different angles and heights so to create different shadow orientations.
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Select the preferred photograph, which should have the highest degree of visibility of the single scars and ripples.
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Repeat processes 2-5 for the remaining sides of the artefacts which you want to illustrate (e.g. ventral face, dorsal face, profile, platform).
?. [Photograph Artefact]
Choose the photographs that will be used in the next steps, and save them in a separate folder. Do not delete the remaining photographs.
?. [Open and Configure Vectorial Graphics Software]
Open Adobe® Illustrator®.
?. [Open and Configure Vectorial Graphics Software]
Select:  Create new > choose size of preference
?. [Open and Configure Vectorial Graphics Software]
Set the workspace to tracing:  Window > Workspace > Essentials Classic
?. [Open and Configure Vectorial Graphics Software]
Set up the layers that will be used using the Create new layer button.
?. [Open and Configure Vectorial Graphics Software]
Create the following layers in ascending (bottom to top) order: “background”, “base photograph”, “cortex” (only if present), “outline”, “scars borders”, “ripples”, “symbols” (only if present), and “scale”.
?. [Upload Photograph]
Select the layer "base photograph", making sure the layer is highlighted in blue in the Layers tab.
?. [Upload Photograph]
Insert (import, drag or copy and paste) the previously selected photograph onto the layer.
?. [Upload Photograph]
Lock layer “base photograph” by clicking the lock icon.
?. [Add Scale]
Decide how long the scale will be (common scale lengths are: 1cm, 2cm, 5cm, 10cm and 20cm).
?. [Add Scale]
Trace the selected length scale over the “base photograph” scale with the Rectangle Tool.
?. [Illustrate Artefact Outline]
Use Curvature Tool to trace the outline of the artefact as a closed path. This action should be done while at a high level of magnification and using a medium to thin line stroke thickness, so to maintain as much detail as possible.
?. [Illustrate Artefact Outline]
Lock layer "outline".
?. [Illustrate Scars Borders]
Use Curvature Tool to trace the scars borders of the artefacts as open paths. Set the thickness of the paths at the same thickness of the artefact outline.
?. [Illustrate Scars Borders]
Whenever the scars borders are difficult to distinguish, view the original artefact under lateral light for direct observation of ambiguous areas.
?. [Illustrate Scars Borders]
Lock layer “scars borders”.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Select a scar, view it at different magnifications, and observe its ripple direction, depth and texture variations.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Use Curvature Tool to trace one or more reference ripples, which will be traced over any visible ripple marks found on the “base photograph”.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
The number of reference ripples will depend upon the length of the scar (e.g. a small retouch scar will need one, a long fluting scar will need 5 or more).
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Start on one side of the ripple mark from the scar border and draw an open path to the opposite scar border. Ripples should be composed by only 3 anchor points (nodes); one at each edge, and one along the path.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Important note: when drawing the open path ripple, the direction (first to last anchor) should follow the desired direction of the final ripple, as this will be important for step 27.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Use Curvature Tool to draw more ripples, using the same path construction and thickness as in step 22.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
The density of ripples and distance between them will be dependent on the variation in depth of the scar surface (e.g. very flat scar surface will have distant and sporadic ripples, very concave scars and hinge terminations will have dense and close ripples).
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Repeat steps 21-24 for all the remaining scars.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
Simplify ripples by selecting them, and then select: Object > Path > Simplify… > Set indicator to maximum
?. [Cut Ripples Marks To Length]
Use Scissors Tool to cut ripple to length. This step will give dimensionality to the flaked scars, with the intent to inform the viewer on the depth, directionality and topography of the scar.Note: Keep in mind the open path direction that was set in step 22.4.
?. [Cut Ripples Marks To Length]
To properly cut the ripple marks, the surface has to be assessed and identified, so to distinguish areas of the scars which are flat and regular versus areas of the scars which are deep and irregular.When cutting a ripple mark, the following rules should be applied:If the area where the ripple mark is located is flat and/or regular, then the ripple mark will be long (cut a short portion of the ripple mark)If the area where the ripple mark is located is deep and/or steep and/or irregular, then the ripple mark will be short (cut a long portion of the ripple mark)
?. [Cut Ripples Marks To Length]
To increase efficiency, cut a path at the desired point along the ripple path and press  or  button on keyboard right after. This should automatically delete the unwanted path section without having to change tool for each ripple.
?. [Cut Ripples Marks To Length]
Repeat step 27 for all ripple marks.
?. [Feather Ripples]
Select all ripples, and change profile to width profile 4.
?. [Feather Ripples]
Lock layer “ripples”.
?. [Adjust Stroke Widths]
Adjust stroke width of layers: “outline”, “scar borders”, and “ripples”. To adjust the stroke width, unlock the layer, select all paths within layer by pressing the “select all” indicator, and adjust stroke width.
?. [Adjust Stroke Widths]
The following stroke width ratio is recommended: “outline” - 3:3 , “scar borders” - 2:3 , “ripples” - 1:3
?. [Adjust Stroke Widths]
Lock layers “outline”, “scar borders”, and “ripples”.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Before drawing the cortex, Basic Graphic_Dots fill has to be activated as a stroke.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Draw an open path with Curvature Tool. Set fill to any Basic Graphic_Dots fill. To do so: Click Fill drop down icon > Swatch Libraries menu > Patterns > Graphic Patterns > Basic Graphic_Dots > choose dotted fill of choice.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Click Swap Fill and Stroke button.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Delete open path.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Use Curvature Tool or Pen Tool to trace the cortex outline as a closed path tracing carefully the “outline” and “scar borders” paths that border the cortex area.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Create new dot-pattern brush.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Select: Window > Brushes > New Brush > Pattern Brush
?. [Draw Cortex]
Name your new brush.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Click each tile drop down menu and select the doted pattern of choice (generally 10 dpi 10-30% are recommended).
?. [Draw Cortex]
Once all tiles have been set, the preview window will show what the final brush will look like. Click OK.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Use Paintbrush Tool set on the newly created pattern brush to fill in the cortex outline.
?. [Draw Cortex]
The brush can be used to regularly fill in the cortex area will parallel strokes or used to characterise texture and irregularities.
?. [Draw Cortex]
The brush strokes can overlap and be drawn outside the cortex outline, attention should only be given to the fill within the cortex outline.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Select all the brush strokes from step 36, making sure to not select the cortex outline.
?. [Draw Cortex]
the selected paths, and group.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Select the grouped brush paths, then:  > Arrange > Bring to Back
?. [Draw Cortex]
Select the grouped brush paths and the cortex outline.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Click  > Make Clipping Mask
?. [Draw Cortex]
The final result should show only the cortex area filled in with the desired pattern.
?. [Draw Cortex]
Lock layer “cortex”.
?. [Add symbols]
Any further symbols (e.g. percussion point, retouch extension, wear extension, burin) can be added using a variety of vectorial tools such (e.g. Rectangle Tool, Ellipse Tool, Line Tool, Curvature Tool, Pen Tool)
?. [Add symbols]
Lock layer “symbols”.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Repeat processes 12-42 to illustrate the remaining artefact sides.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Remove "base photographs" from all the illustrations.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Use Rectangle Tool to draw a background with a colour of choice onto "background" layer.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Modify stroke colour of the  figures to match the background and offer good visual contrast.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
If the figures are not at the same scale, rescale them separately so to make them regular. Use the scale bars (drawn during step 15) and rulers (/ + ) to double check accuracy.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Once complete, delete any repeating duplicate scale.
?. [Create Artefact Composite]
Move and arrange the different illustrations so to create a well ordered composition. Use the rulers and guide to make sure that the intervals between the figures are regular.
?. [Crop Artboard]
Once the composition is complete, resize the artboard: File > Document Setup… > Edit Artboard > Crop artboard to desired size
?. [Finishing Touches]
Double check all the paths, making sure there are no protruding nodes, and that all strokes are overlapping correctly.
?. [Finishing Touches]
Add any final object that is required, creating new layers for each.
?. [Finishing Touches]
Use Line Tool or Rectangle Tool to connect the different illustrations, and add them in new layer "connectors".
?. [Finishing Touches]
Use Type Tool to add text labels for the scale and for any other information that wants to be added (e.g. specimen number, features, figure numbering) in new layer "text".
?. [Finishing Touches]
Your final illustration is complete.
?. [Export Final Figure]
On Adobe® Illustrator® a variety of export formats can be selected. The most common are: 1. .PDF (File > Save as… > Save as type: > Adobe PDF)2. .JPG (File > Export > Export as… > Save as type: > JPEG)3. .TIF (File > Export > Export as… > Save as type: > TIFF)
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
If no specific ripple marks are visible on the “base photograph”, directly observe the artefact under lateral lighting for direct observation of orientation and depth of ripple marks.
?. [Illustrate Ripples]
If it is not possible to access the artefact directly, view the previously unselected photographs taken with different lighting orientations to discern any identifiable ripple marks.