shaping text like ms wordart does? 1

[mdf246]

Im quite new to illustrator and Im trying to create some text that sorta appears to have been "pinched" in the middle.. kinda like in the shape of a bowtie.

I know I can get this shape using ms wordart and even paste it into illustrator but the edges are jagged and crappy looking. Isnt there a way I can use the type tool to type my word and then 'tweak' it into such a shape using some tools in illustrator????

Please help!

Thanks

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

Hey I never tried that.

I just did a test in Word and pasted it into Illustrator and it comes in as a vector graphic.
All I did was create the type in Word copy it and then paste it into Illustrator.
It has clean edges and is editable.

The only thing I noticed was that when I applied an outline I got a strange triple line.
For some reason there was a black line running through the center of the outline.

I turned the page in Word to landscape and set the type in 72 point so it was as big as I could make it on one line.

I haven't use Word Art in years but now that I know I can get it out of Word and into Illustrator I may give it a try.

Mike

 

[mdf246]

Yes, I realized that when I pasted it into illus from msword, the edges are actually fine..

But what I would REALLY like to do, is create a geometric shape in illus, then type a single word inside of that shape- the letters should fill the shape from top to bottom and conform to the geometric shape. An example being, I create the shape of a banana lying on its side. Inside of that banana, I type the word "banana".. the first "b" would be squished into the narrow corner, then the next letter would be a bit taller, etc., until the word fills the banana from end to end. Im sure you get the idea. Soooooo, can this be done?
Thanks!
Mike

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

If I was going to do that I would place the picture of the banana in Illustrator.

Next I would create a layer.
On the layer I would type the word or words I wanted to fit inside the banana.

Then I would create outline for the type.
Ungroup the type.
Now the letters can be manipulated individuality.

I would just go letter by letter and drag the corners etc until it fit.

If you want to have curves in the base and top lines of the type I would then open the file in Photoshop and do the rest of it there at 1200 dpi.

I know that this isn't and easy answer but it's the only way I know to get it done. You could of course ad the curves in Illustrator but I think it would be a lot faster to do in Photoshop.

If you want when you are done you can bring it back into Illustrator and change it back to a vector graphic.

Maybe some one else has a easier way of doing it but that's all I've got.

Mike

 

[mdf246]

Yes, thats pretty much what I thought too- though using Photoshop along with Illus was something I didnt think of.

It would be great if there were any other ideas out there to get this done.

On another note, if there is no "easy" way of doing this, then maybe the next version of Illus should add this in... maybe call it something like "conform text to selection shape".

Thanks for ur input though!

 

[apepp]

...illustrator allows you to warp to shapes, known as envelope distort, under the object menu using a shape on top of the element you need to distort, select both and choose object > envelope distort > make with top object...


...this function is fully editable after the fact...

...whether you have this function will depend on your version of illustrator...

...other that that, the other warp functions are found under the effect menu...


andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[mdf246]

Yes, thats what Im talking about! I will give it a try and post how I do... thanks to all for your input~

 

[Nocandu]

Hi again

It works.

http://img197.imageshack.us/i/distorttest.png/

This is really easy to do.
Thanks for the information apepp.

I don't think my previous version of Illustrator would do this or maybe I just never figured it out.

Mike

 

[mdf246]

YES!!! Thats EXACTLY what I was talking about. Thanks so much for the help. The more research I do, the more tutorials I find, the more I realize how cool this program is.