Jason Hoppe Adobe Certified Expert & Adobe Certified Trainer
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Classes
  • Blog
  • Blog Index
  • Portfolio
  • Max 2022

Design Points n PixelS


The Blend Tool has a Spine!

6/23/2019

0 Comments

 
If you have ever used the blend tool to blend objects or create a slip shadow, did you know you can control the spine along which it blends? You can even replace the spine with another line or object! Check it out, it's quite interesting. 
Picture

Picture
Start with text or any shape. I used a letter to show this example. 
Picture
Outline the type. Choose Type>Create Outlines. Fill it with a color and set this one aside for use a few steps later.
Picture
Duplicate the shape and add a fill color. Duplicate the shape again and add a different fill color. 

Picture
Select both shapes and choose Object>Blend>Blend Options. From the Spacing options menu, choose Smooth Color. This just sets the options. 
Picture
To make the objects blend together, choose Object> Blend> Make. This will blend the shapes/colors together. Notice how the darker color is behind and blends to the front, lighter color.
Picture
Select the shapes and you will see a connector line (a spine) that connects the two shapes and creates the blend. 

Picture
Choose Object>Blend Options and choose Reverse Spine Front to Back to control the start and stop order. 
Picture
This reverses the Front to Back order making the Blend look like it is going from dark to light. 
Picture
Go to Outline mode under the View menu to see the two object that blend together and the spine connecting them together. 

Picture
To edit the spine, use the Curvature Tool to click on a point of the Spine and move the point. 
Picture
Go to View>Preview to switch from Outline mode to Preview mode and see the Blend results. (The original shape I copied and set aside I moved on top of the start of the blend to see the shape better, it is not part of the blend.) 
Picture
Use the Curvature Tool to change the spine curve or change the start and stop points. 

Picture
Any editing of the spin will be reflected in the blend of the objects
Picture
If you want to change out the spine, draw a new line of or closed shape. The spine will be invisible so no need to make it a color. 
Picture
Select the new line or shape and select the blended object and choose Object>Blend> Replace Spine and the new blend will blend along the new spine.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Classes
  • Blog
  • Blog Index
  • Portfolio
  • Max 2022