Illustrator Techniques
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- ev
I was wondering if there is a technique to get an outlined font and slice it down the centre. Basically I have a font that is really thin anyway and i want to change it into just one path so I can animate it in after effects using the stroke effect. I figure if I can just it to divide it so there is a third path in the middle of the letter then i can delete the rest of it and just change the thickness of the stroke to achieve the same exact letter with just one path instead of an actual shape.
I hope i have explained this clearly.
Thanks in advance,
ev
- detritus0
I don't suppose you could provide a visual mockup to help explain what you mean? I'm a little fug-headed today, so I might just be stupid.
- ev0
Tank that is exactly what I mean....is it possible?
- detritus0
Oh... I think I see - not split the font vertically or horizontally - but down the central path of the letterform - the central S in the ..er.. S?
Hmm. *ponders
- agentfour0
i dont think there is any sort of auto function for this. I did it the other week in a round-about way to crate an ultra ultra thin helvetica neue.
Your best bet is to do an offset path and do it a negative value, depending on the current thinckness of it, maybe -2 or something. Get as close to the centre as possible, then start deleting points and go from there. Bit of a workaround but its the best way to do it accurately....that i know of
- agreed. Offset path is the only way I can think it could be done.marychain
- detritus0
Yup, I think I'd go down Agentfour's route - offset or fatten-stroke the outer lines, then either do some clever pathfinder combination with a backing layer to extract the thinnest sliver of a centreline - or use the newly fattened strokes as a guide to manually place a thin centreline.
This'd only work on geometric fonts though - where the inner shape jigsaw fits into the outer shape - if there's any handdrawn elements or flourish, then you're stuffed. You'll just have to do it by eye.
- ev0
thanks alot guys....you were a big help
- NewElpaso0
i do it i in a cheeky kinda way..
got example on an 'I' delete the top & bottom horizontals and then do a path blend of 3 steps. The middle step is the center line.
came with the S (take off the perpendicular paths and blend the parallels)