Extending the lines of a shape?

[urbanity]

Hey guys/gals,

This question is hard to explain, but I'll host the image to show what I'm talking about.

I have the following image:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/thisisdavid13/image.jpg

I want to follow and extend the curve/edges of the image to make it look like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/thisisdavid13/image2.jpg

It is a vector image obviously and I want to maintain that, but is this something I can do in photoshop or illustrator?

Thanks for your help!

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Tried to reply earlier but web cut out on me.

Keep it vector - so do it in Illustrator. Drag the anchor points with the direct selection tool into the desired arc (add anchors if necessary - but the pen tool is the way to go with this). Or start afresh and draw out one side of this boomerange arc with the pen tool, then transform reflect a copy and group and join together to get a perfect symmetry.

I actually tried this with your image - making that a template and then drew out the shape from there. It would be good practice in using the pen tool.

[urbanity]

Thanks! I'm going to start digging into the help section of illustrator to read how to add anchors, heh. I'll post the results.

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

There are several good tips and tutorials on the web for using the pen tool and I found a neat "Cheat Sheet for the Pen Tool" at creativetechs.com/tips. I think they are mainly covering MAC but the cheat sheets for the tools work in any platform using Control instead of Command keys.

Also dig into the site at:http://veerle.duoh.com/ for some cool stuff. I think she had some pen-tool coverage in the Archives - but you will learn a lot from her site.

I am by no means an expert with the pen tool but with the little practice I have had I am getting quite good at using it.

Hope the links help but do look into a search on the web for other neat stuff.

Gary.

[urbanity]

Oh man... I've spent a little over an hour trying to figure out how to extend the image without disfiguring it to no avail.

I'll pour through the links you've given me and keep trying.

[joeparis]

What alcbevtesting said, but I also found it a little easier making a shape (blue) with the pen tool (three anchor points) using urbanity's image as a template, then copy/paste behind and pull out from the left hand side and adjusting the anchors to make fit (yellow). Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder to "subtract from shape area", leaving the yellow arc shape.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/joeparis/image3.jpg

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Very nice, Joe Paris.

And yes it will take a bit of practice with the pen tool - but different way to do it.

Cheers,

Gary.

By the way, and this will be lost on most unless you enjoyed the original British Thunderbirds in the 60's. This shape looks like the front end of Thunderbird 2. Hereby giving my age away!

[joeparis]

Also dig into the site at:http://veerle.duoh.com/ for some cool stuff. ....you will learn a lot from her site.
Nice voice too.:D

[urbanity]

joeparis,

That is exactly the shape I am looking for. I'm confused with how you went about doing it, however.

You said you used my image as a template and placed three anchors to draw the blue shape. Where did you put the three achors?

[joeparis]

Only three anchor points are needed to create that shape.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/joeparis/slash.jpg

So, I created the light blue shape as seen above, copied it and pasted it behind (ctrl/B). Selecting the shape behind, I pulled the anchor at the left out, the smooth anchor point, and then adjusted the other handles to fit in with your shape. This created the slightly larger yellow shape below. Select both shapes and then click "subtract from shape area" on the Pathfinder panel (the smaller shape must be on top to be able to cut it away).

[urbanity]

Awesome! I'm going to try and replicate your image above. I'll post results.

[urbanity]

I don't even know how to create the shape! I'm dying over here.

[joeparis]

:) What's the problem?
1. Pen tool - then click and drag to the left for bottom anchor.
2. Click and drag up for round/smooth anchor at left.
3. Click and drag to the right for third anchor at top.
4. Click on the third anchor again (This will remove one control handle to allow a straight line to close the path).
5. Click on the first anchor to close the path.

(Choose fill colour and remove stroke, then copy, etc.).