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Insight
Illustrator Fundamentals: Wrap Type Around an Object
Dateline: May 22, 2006
Version: Adobe Illustrator CS2
More Insight articles
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| Using the Type on a Path tool, you can turn type itself into a design. Curving text has quite a visual appeal. In this tutorial, we used a Skew effect from the Type on a Path Options so that our GROOVY GIFTS text appears to rotate. By separating type into various layers to make Compound Paths, we’re able to give the appearance of type circling the go-go girl illustration. After some shading of type using gradients and applying drop shadows, the type takes orbit.
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You can work along by downloading the gogogirl.zip archive, then extracting and opening the gogogirl.eps file in Illustrator. Press F7 to show the Layers palette. Select Layer 2 and click the Create New Layer button twice. Select Layer 3. Using the Ellipse tool (L), Option-click the top of the girl’s bent knee. Use the options in the resulting Ellipse dialog box (left) and click OK.
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Select the Type on a Path tool. Position the cursor over the ellipse’s top center point and click to create an insertion point. Choose Window > Color (F6) and set the Fill to White. Choose Window > Type > Character (Command + T). Select a bold sans serif font at a fairly large size (we used 43-pt. Frank Gorshin). Type GROOVY GIFTS and repeat to fill the entire path as shown.
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Choose Type > Type on a Path > Type on a Path Options. Use the options in the resulting Type on a Path Options dialog box and click OK. Select the Selection tool. Choose Type > Create Outlines (Command + Shift + O). Choose Object > Ungroup (Command + Shift + G). Choose Select > Deselect (Command + Shift + A).
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Press Shift and click the letters on the front of the curve. Choose Object > Compound Path > Make (Command + 8). Choose Edit > Cut (Command + X).
Click one of the remaining letters. Choose Select > Same Fill Color. Choose Object > Compound Path > Make (Command + 8). Choose Select > Deselect (Command + Shift + A).
Select Layer 3 and drag it below Layer 2 (left). Select Layer 4. Choose Edit > Paste in Front (Command + F).
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Choose Window > Gradient (Command + F9). Click the Gradient Fill. Click the left Gradient Slider. In the Color palette, change its Fill to C:0; M:0; Y:0; K:20, then do the same to the right Gradient Slider. Click under the Gradient Bar at the 25% and 75% locations to create new sliders and set their Fill to White.
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Select the type on Layer 3. Click the Gradient Fill to apply the same gradient. Change the Fill colors of the left and right Gradient Sliders to C:0; M:0; Y:0; K:40.
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Press Shift and select both sets of type. Using the Rotate tool (R), Optionclick in the center of the selection. Use the options in the resulting Rotate dialog box (below, left) and click OK.
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Choose Filter > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Use the options in the resulting Drop Shadow dialog box and click OK. Choose Select > Deselect (Command + Shift + A).
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The final effect is shown at left. Try the other path type effects such as Rainbow, 3D Ribbon, Stair Step, and Gravity to give your projects a different and eye-catching spin.
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