AI-cs2 : following/mold to a path!

[eclipse525]

Is there a way to take an object such as a group of text(outlined) or a icon and have it follow path(swirl, curve, etc.)? Sorta the same way you could with live type along a path?

I need to do is take this scientific formula that I set and mold along a spiral curve. I literally need the whole formula to bend and curve along the spiral and just repeat and at the same time have that blend effect of large to small. I don't know if this can be done easily in AI or if I have actually use some sort of 3D app to accomplish this....

.....I did originally use the blend tool and then just replace the spine with a spiral but it just got whacky on me. It didn't mold it to the curves, it just rotate each object at different points. Cool but not what I'm looking for......

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

[AdobeAce]

Hi eclipse525,

If the attached is what you're looking for, you should try Mapping your Type to a 3D cylinder.

First, save your live type as a Symbol by dragging the type to the Symbols palette (no need to outline). Only Symbols can be Mapped to 3D art.

Next, draw a rectangle. And with the rectangle selected, go to Effects menu > 3D > Revolve.

Hit Preview and you should see a shaded cylinder.

Now the fun part! Click on the Map Art button and in the Surface area, use the arrows to find the side of the cylinder to Map your Symbol to (the two other sides - the circles - are the top and bottom).

In the Symbol area click to find your Type Symbol in the list. Adjust the shape and angle by using the Bounding Box. The white part of the grid is what you can see, the dark is the back side of the object. If you stretch and angle your Symbol through both the light and dark areas, it should spiral around to the back of the object. Remember, letters on the back side of the cylinder are backwards.

Down at the bottom of the Map Art window, you can check options to Shade Artwork and make the Geometry of the Cylindar Invisible (you can see right through the object to see letters wrapping around the back).

Then Click OK in the Map Art window and OK in the 3D Revolve Options window.

Hope this helps!

Ace

[AdobeAce]

Hi eclipse525,

I forgot, to make the type spiral back in space, simply slant the cylinder back in space in the 3D Revolve Options window, change the Perspective and click OK.

Ace

[scottie]

This may not help but try this...type in your formula set in the font you prefer. Save an editable version in case you want to make a change. Now, select your formula and outline it, apple-o. Give it a file color of 50% black. If you want it K100 just leave it K100. Filling with 50% Black will allow you to change the color later on. At this point select your formula and drag and drop it in your brushes fly out. A menu will appear, give it a name, click on art brush, and either choose, none, tint or hue. Notice the other choices. Select OK. Go ahead and draw a spiral or a curving path, your choice. With this path selected choose the formula brush you've created. As for making it appear to pass through a perspective you'll need a program with a true Z coordinate...3D not AI's 2 1/2 D. With your new brush stroke selected double click on your formula brush pallet you created. The brush options pallet will popup and you can change attributes... experiment, have fun. Oh, you can change the stroke weight of the path and change the paths shape, cut it, add to it, etc.

[AdobeAce]

Hi All,

Good thought Scottie if that's what eclipse525 is looking for.

To build on that -- what if the Brush is used in combination with 3D Rotate with perspective applied?

See attached.

Not bad for 2 1/2-D! Illustrator's 3-D Effects are pretty amazing considering it's not a 3-D drawing program.

Ace

[eclipse525]

That's was a great option and you just taught me something new. Thanks! The bad thing is that it's not quite what I'm looking to accomplish. I don't need it to wrap around a an object but rather stay have the same effect as "typing on path" but with an object. Then at that point it might be interesting to bring it into the 3D filter. The GOOD thing is that I did do one version with the technique you showed. Thanks!


~e

[GuyB]

I guess that you don't want the distortion that comes with the art brush from Scottie's example. Follow his example but try the pattern brush to see if it comes closer to what you need. You will get no distortion but you will have to deal with the repetition (it's a pattern !).

[The Repro Kid]

I tried this last night with the pattern brush, but it was hard to make the spriral's curve look smooth once the formula is painted on. I'll do it again and post a screenshot.

Okay, I did it again it looks better than what I had going last night. Acutally, it's done as a scatter brush, not a pattern brush.

[GuyB]

Repro,

I can do the same as you with the pattern brush. But with the scatter brush... all the E=mc2's get... well all scattered !

[AdobeAce]

Hi Guys,

Whether it's answering the question or not, I like where this is going.

Ace

:D

[The Repro Kid]

Repro,

I can do the same as you with the pattern brush. But with the scatter brush... all the E=mc2's get... well all scattered !

With the pattern brush you can't keep the text, you have to convert to outlines. With the scatter brush you can keep your text editable in case you make any math errors. Edit the brush and align to path, then use the spacing to space the text phrases.

[scottie]

Okay, give it up. How'd you do that? Be specific please.

[GuyB]

Your Majesty Repro,

Thanks, I learned something here (I've never really used the scatter brush before).

But, your Majesty, I thought we were trying to give an answer to the first post ! If I remember well, he uses outlines (I suppose that he can't use text).;)

Anyway, this thread is fun. I'll do like Ace and go back to play with those brushes and the 3D effects

[AdobeAce]

Okay, give it up. How'd you do that? Be specific please.

Hey scottie,

Type "E=mc2" then Covert to Outline (Command + Shift + O)
Drag these lettering objects into Brushes palette. Either choose Pattern Brush (see attached settings) or Scatter (using Repro's Settings)

Click with Spiral tool, (I made it huge, cause I used big type -- 10" Radius, Decay 90%, Segments 10)

Apply your Brush to the Spiral.

Apply 3-D Rotate (Effect >3D > Rotate...) to the Brushed Spiral (see the attached settings).

You're done!

Hope this helps!

Ace

[eclipse525]

This last example is getting VERY close. The only thing is, can you control the size of the first formula(being Large) and have it get smaller towards the center of the spiral? When you make the object a "Brush" is that the same as making it a "Symbol"? Not sure if it's the same principal.

~e

[AdobeAce]

Hi eclipse525,

Brushes are not the same thing as Symbols. If your Brushes palette is not open, go to Window menu > Brushes, or hit your F5 key.

To create a new Brush, follow the steps in my last post, or look at Repro's screenshot for for a Scatter Brush.

If you're talking about my 3D sample of the spiral, follow the 3D settings in the screenshot in my last post (Effect menu > 3D > Rotatate...) and just raise or lower the Perspective number in your window to adjust the relative sizes of front and back lettering.

Hope this helps!

Ace

:)

[eclipse525]

Everybody was EXTREMELY helpful and I can't begin to tell you the wealth of information learned just in this one post. I must say, I'm new to this perticular Forum but it's been the most helpful. You guys are great. I look forward to doing my part to contributing in the near future. Thanks!


~e

[AdobeAce]

Hi eclipse525,

Helping AND learning is why most of us are here.

Ace

[scottie]

I've tried to recreate Aces 3D text spiral. After I setup the Rotate menu and pick ok I get to "resolving hidden objects" after two hours I had to force quite. AI was responding. I've tried many times with both CS and CS2, same result. I've got a G5 1 gig ram. Any ideas?

[AdobeAce]

Hi scottie,

I'm curious as to what was hidden. It must have been something huge.

The Rotate, on my much slower G4, took a second.

It's just a simple path with a Brush. Maybe there's something in the Brush that you created. Maybe a black hole. :eek:

I would just re-do it it a different file from scratch.

Ace

[scottie]

I was revolving instead of rotating. Works just fine. Thanks

[eclipse525]

Hi eclipse525,

Helping AND learning is why most of us are here.

Ace

Good to know! Whew! <LOL>

Listen, I took a few circles and then rotated with the 3D filter. The result was what I was looking for BUT it seems to contain the objects/circles in a sort of container. Is there a way to Expand so I get the shape it created instead of the "shape within the container". I hope this makes sense!

~e

[AdobeAce]

Hi eclipse525,

Select Object and go to Object menu > Expand Appearance.

You should be able to delete the "container" shape.

Ace

PS: As far as learning and helping - What I mean is even the people who are here to help, also learn a lot. I learn quite a bit, not only from experts like Repro, Dcurry, ect., but just from thinking about the questions people ask.

Ace

:D

[AdobeAce]

And as Repro pointed out in another section of this Forum –

There are people who are here just to cause problems! Luckily, just a few and not too often. On the whole, this forum has a teriffic group of people who go out of their way to help each other.

Ace

PS: A couple of you have asked about the AdobeAce username. No, I don't think of myself as some hotshot who knows everything. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who thinks he or she knows everything, knows nothing.

AdobeAce was my username when I was doing online support for Adobe. The ACE part of it stands for Adobe Certified Expert.

[eclipse525]

PS: A couple of you have asked about the AdobeAce username. No, I don't think of myself as some hotshot who knows everything. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who thinks he or she knows everything, knows nothing.

AdobeAce was my username when I was doing online support for Adobe. The ACE part of it stands for Adobe Certified Expert.

OH come on! Nothing wrong with a little self indulgence (not arrogance!) The simply fact is you know more then the average bear. I would've gone for Adobe"i know my Shit"ACE! <LOL> If people are even commenting on your username, then they have issues and need to take up Yoga or something.

[AdobeAce]

Adobe"i know my Shit"ACE!


Hey eclipse525,

Hmm!
Sounds good.
Maybe I'll change it.
NAH!

Ace

[The Repro Kid]

I hate to see my Baum reference go to to waste.

Ace could now be saying "THE GREAT AND ALL POWERFUL OZ HAS SPOKEN!"
:D ;) :rolleyes: