Blog Archives

Blueprint Type

8/26/2019

Create type to look like a blueprint. Simple Scribble effects makes the fill look like a blueprint. Add lines and arrows to make it look hand drawn architectural drawing.

Choose a typeface that is a heavy weight and sanserif.

Outline the type. Type> Create Outlines.

Add a blue stroke to the type.

Add the same blue to the fill of the type. Ungroup the type.

With the Type ungrouped, the Appearance panel will show the fill and stroke. If they are group, these attributes will not show. Select the Fill.

A the the bottom of the Appearance panel, click on the fx dropdown and choose Stylize > Scribble. Apply the settings for the desired scribble look on the fill.

The Scribble Effect is listed under the fill in the Appearance panel.

To edit the effect further, click on the Scribble link in the Appearance Panel.

Add lines to the top and bottom of the words.

Apply a gradient to the line with the Gradient panel. Select the stroke selector (not the fill) and apply a gradient from the gradient preview box. Edit both gradient color stops by clicking on each circle and choosing the blue. On one color stop, set the Opacity to 0%. Use the Gradient flip icon under the fill/stroke to change the direction of the gradient on the line.

Add arrows to the lines in the X.

In the Stroke panel, apply arrowheads to the lines form the dropdown menu. In many cases, the arrows are too large. Set the scale amount to a lower percentage for a better fit.

For the dotted lines, create a line and set the ends to be rounded (hot dog the ends). Click the Dashed Line box, set the dash to 0 and the gap to 12.

Add lines, fade them with the gradient. Add dotted lines for a hand drawn, architectural look.

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Radial Charts

8/18/2019

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Illustrator has many charts you can create with the chart tool. However, there is no radial chart tool. Here is how you build one using simple math and have Illustrator do the calculations. It all starts with a simple pie chart.

Select the Ellipse tool and click on the Artboard to open the dialog box. Set the size of the circle and click OK.

Open the Transform panel. For this example the pie is going to be 55%. In the Pie End Angle enter 55*3.6. There are 360° in a circle so each 1% is multiplied by 3.6° to calculate the angle of the pie.

This is the result of the 55 X 3.6. The pie shows 55% (which is 198° of a 360° circle).

Repeat this process for each pie section you want.

Select the Polar Grid tool and click on the Artboard to open the dialog box. Set the width and height to 150 pt (the same size of the pie sections). Set the number of Concentric dividers to be 2 more than the number of pie sections you want. Set the radial dividers to 0. Click OK.

This is the result of the polar grid. 5 Concentric Dividers, no Radial Dividers.

Select the Polar grid and add a stroke to the paths. Increase the stroke until the path nearly touch, leaving a white gap between the lines.

Choose Object > Path > Outline stroke to convert the paths to shapes.

Ungroup the shapes. Delete the center two circles.

Select all the pie segments and align them.

Move the circles over the top and align them with the pie shapes.

Select the outer circle and one of the pie segments. Choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

Select the next ring in and select the next pie shape. Repeat the Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

Repeat the process on the third ring. You have a radial chart!

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Cubist construction

8/11/2019

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Here is how to take an image and create a cubist construction. Using the line tool and the Pathfinder Divide mode you can easily create a cubist icon or illustration.

Start with a photograph to trace. Place the image in Illustrator. File > Place. Select the image and lock it. Object > Lock > Selection

Using the Pen tool, loosely trace the image with straight lines, no need to draw the curves. Unlock the image and delete it.

In Outline Mode, (View > Outline) add lines to the outline using the Line tool. Draw from any point on the outline to another point. Repeat this process to creates crossing lines.

Lines can be drawn from edge to edge or from cross over points in the shape to edge points.

Switch to Preview Mode. View > Preview. Select all the lines, but not the outline. (Lines are shown in red for clarity.) Cut the lines. Edit >Cut.

Select the outline and choose the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the toolbar.

Paste the lines into the shape. Click on the Draw Normal Mode.

Select the outline and the lines and choose the Divide Pathfinder Mode in the pathfinder panel.

The fill and stroke colors will disappear, leaving just the paths. Ungroup all the shapes.

Select all the shapes and fill them with a gradient.

Select single shapes and choose the flip gradient button to reverse the gradient.

Reversing the gradient in some shapes breaks up the image.

To change the color of the gradient overall, select all the shapes and choose Edit > Edit Colors >Adjust Color Balance.

Set the Color Mode to RGB, click the Preview button and change the sliders. Adjust the sliders to change the colors.

To divide the shapes further, you can draw lines over the existing shapes and select the shapes and line Divide the shapes using the Pathfinder panel.

Ungroup the shapes. Change the color or the gradient direction in the newly created shapes.

To create an object with solid colors, select all the shapes and fill it with a color.

Select each shape individually and fill shapes with lighter and darker shapes to add depth and dimension.

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3D inverted Type

8/5/2019

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Creating an inverted look can be done with type or any shape using the 3D effect and some tricks. This one is quick but the effects are cool!

Create come text. Outline the text. Type>Create Outlines.

Select the outlined text and choose Effect>3D>Extrude & Bevel. Set the rotation settings: 35°, -25°, 20° and perspective 100° Set the Extrude Depth to 150 pt. Click OK.

This is the result of the 3D. You can change the color just by selecting the shapes and choosing a new fill color.
Duplicate this as we need 2 copies of this to make this work.

With one copy of the 3D, go to the Appearance panel and click on the 3D Extrude & Bevel link to edit the 3D.

In the 3D panel, click on the Cap box show, this will remove the face of the 3D render leaving the side panels. Click OK

This is the 3D render without the top face, showing the depth.

With the other copy of the 3D, use the Group Selection Tool (nested in with the Direct Selection tool) to select the face of each letter. Group those together and delete the rest of the 3D render, you will only need the face.

Create a colored rectangle behind the type. Select the type and the rectangle.

Using the Shape Builder Tool (Shift+M) and holding option/alt, you can remove the type from the back ground rectangle creating a knockout.

Select the background rectangle and add an Inner Glow. Effect> Stylize> Inner Glow.

Here is the result. A cool inverted look.

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Design Points n PixelS

Blueprint Type

Radial Charts

Cubist construction

3D inverted Type

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