I've created a few logos in illustrator but never a full image, now here is the question...

when i make a new image for example 600x400 and i go out of the black lines and save it, the image will be bigger, not 600x400. I dont know how to explaint it but its not like photoshop where as if i make a vector shape bigger then my canvas, it'll still be the same size.

is there a way to only save whats inside the black line canvas or do i have to rasterize and cut out in photoshop?

yea i know confusing.

thanks in advance

Well the nice thing about illustrator is that it has that art baord area for extra stuff, but if you want a easy way to keep everything inside the document bounds then what you can do is when you are done create a rectangle the size of your doc then place it over the artwork and create a clipping mask and everything within the rectangle will be visible, and not the stuff outside....thats it in a very simple nutshell.

make sure the 'containing rectangle' is the topmost object in the layers/objects stack

then select it and al teh bojects you want in the clipping mask and then go to Object --> Clipping mask --> Make

i see, say i'f i'm designing a business card and i go outside of the main canvas area, i would have to cut it in photoshop? otherwise the file i send to the shop would be too big right?

i see, say i'f i'm designing a business card and i go outside of the main canvas area, i would have to cut it in photoshop? otherwise the file i send to the shop would be too big right?

No

If you are designing your business card you should be doing it in illustrator or a similar program, you clan place images or raster images from photoshop into your illustrator doc if they are being used in your business card but the typesetting and and design should be done in Illustrator then saved as an EPS or .ai file with the text converted to outlines before it goes to the printer. If you have stuff going outside the printable area (the document boundry) it may be considered a bleed and be trimmed in the production, however you should check what your local printer suggests for bleed limits, though its usuall 1/16 to 1/8 of inch.