adobe illustrator - How do I import a vector illustration into photoshop?

I've designed an image in illustrator which is made up of lots of vector objects (as drawn with the pen tool), and now I want to manipulate my image in photoshop . I want to be able to edit anchor points as if I had created them in photoshop, and then create derive pretty rastor images at a later stage. I can import my work as a smart object, but if I try to edit it, photoshop opens illustrator and I'm back to square one! I've attempted turning my file into compound images, but there are far too many small objects to do it in this lifetime so I need an alternative. Thanks.

Answer

There is no direct way to move all the paths of an Illustrator file to editable paths in Photoshop witha few easy commands. The best you can do is one path at a time.

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  You can copy from Illustrator, then Paste in Photoshop as a shape layer. But you'll have to do that for each and every path of your Illustrator file, then reposition all the paths in Photoshop.

  
  



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  You can export your Illustrator file to a PSD to retain layers. But this will not retain editable vector paths.

  
  


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  You can "Place" the Illustrator file in Photoshop, but (as you pointed out) you place as a smart object which does not allow object-level editing within Photoshop.

  
  

The question is, why would you even want to? Vectors are sharp, crisp and clean. Nothing you do with Photoshop will result in true vector files. And if you want to apply a buch of raster painting, you may as well rasterize the entire thing.