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Tami25723363cgss
Participating Frequently
January 20, 2026
Answered

Trying to use a variable width stroke on a pattern brush

  • January 20, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 69 views

I have a DNA pattern brush that I use quite a lot but when I try to implement something like perspective, I can't get the look I want. I used a variable with stroke on this pattern brush and I don't like how the width tool seems to scale only in the vertical dimention, squishing the pattern, the look of which is technically scientfically inaccurate. I hope you can see how the DNA in the top "row" is differnet than the DNA where I added the little magenta arrows. It starts to get squished as the width decreases,  and it keeps getting more and more squished.

Is it possible for the pattern to be scaled in both the vertical and horizontal using the width tool? Or is there another way I should be thinking about this? See screenshot. I'm using the latest Illustrator on the Mac OS. Thank you!

Screenshot 2026-01-20 at 10.13.57 AM.png

Correct answer Monika Gause

The only thing you can do is set this up as a dashed line. Make the dashes as long as you want the pattern parts to be and then set up a gap of 0.

 

Like this: https://youtu.be/coYsKpxDoy0 

1 reply

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 21, 2026

The only thing you can do is set this up as a dashed line. Make the dashes as long as you want the pattern parts to be and then set up a gap of 0.

 

Like this: https://youtu.be/coYsKpxDoy0 

T
Tami25723363cgssAuthor
Participating Frequently
January 21, 2026

Thank you for the video. I've experiemented with this and it isn't quite what I'm looking for but it's close and I'll keep experimenting with this plus the width tool.

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