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Known Participant
July 29, 2024
Answered

What am I missing with the Blend tool here?

  • July 29, 2024
  • 4 replies
  • 2608 views

I've watched tutorials on YT on this but still get the results shown here. They are not Compound Paths and I've tried each stroke Grouped and Ungrouped. Why is there not a smooth transition using Specified Steps? I also can't find any stray or duplicated points.

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Correct answer Monika Gause

Thank you! That was interesting. I was first not believing what I'm seeing, but then it could be fixed.

The paths were still grouped.

One of them needs the path direction reversed. And then you need to select corresponding points on both and use the bland tool in a specific way.

https://youtu.be/GgLA2RyRHVg

4 replies

Gerrys3238206
Inspiring
August 15, 2024

Hi I have experienced this frequently. It is frustrating I know. I found that it was related to anchor points and wheter or not there was an out of place corner point. Since I am self taught some here dont like that I believed it was something I was doing and persevered. And believe me it took some doing. I found work arounds like expanding and then manually fixing the crooked strokes. I read the response from Monika and will investigate.

 

kphotopage
Legend
July 31, 2024

Personally, I have never had much luck with Blends when there were not matching number of anchors.

Here is another method to recreate if anyone is interested.

 

I started with a rectangle. Then Object>Path>Offset. I used 10pt

I gave that new rectangle corner radius of 6pt

Again Object>Path>Offset.

That gave me 6 closed paths. Group.

 

Next, Line tool, create 6 vertical lines, 10pt spacing. Group.

Rotate that group angle 45

 

Put together, Rectangles and rotated Group.

Then Object>Live Paint, Strokes. I random color as I work.

Expand Live Paint and Ungroup

Object>Select same Stroke color and Object>Path>Join.

Do for each color

 

Lastly, (White arrow) I select the corner anchor at that miter, and gave it a radius.

I used 30,24,18,12 and 6pt. This gives the appearance of a blend.

 

Fun to do.

 

K

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 31, 2024

@kphotopage  schrieb:

Personally, I have never had much luck with Blends when there were not matching number of anchors.

 

 


 

Most of the time the method with selecting corresponding points works pretty well.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 29, 2024

One of your shapes has a lot of corners, the other one is round. That requires additional things to do. Please share the file (change the extension to PDF to do so)

Howard_FAuthor
Known Participant
July 29, 2024

Thank you Monica.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
July 29, 2024

Thank you! That was interesting. I was first not believing what I'm seeing, but then it could be fixed.

The paths were still grouped.

One of them needs the path direction reversed. And then you need to select corresponding points on both and use the bland tool in a specific way.

https://youtu.be/GgLA2RyRHVg

Community Manager
July 29, 2024

Hello @Howard_F,

Thanks for reaching out. Would you mind sharing some more details, like the exact version of the OS/Illustrator, a link to the tutorial, and the exact details of your workflow, including a screen recording of the problem (https://adobe.ly/3LGXVGm), so we can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Anubhav

Howard_FAuthor
Known Participant
July 29, 2024

Thank you Anubhav

Mac OS 14.5, Illustrator 28.6, the other information of the process I'm trying to replicate is shown here (this tute is not mine) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyLYWdxgsY8

It seems simple enough....