Align lines with tips to waveform

[leo258369]

Hi guys!

I have a little question...Can someone shortly explain how i can create these kind of lines aligned to a waveform..? I don't get it..Thank you very much!

Best

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

Create the lines as a linear distribution or blend, pack it into a group, apply a wrap deformer with a custom object or mesh and mangle the shape to your needs.

Mylenium

[leo258369]

ok great, thank you very much! It works beside one little detail...How can I make that without changing the original shape? Somehow the shape changes with the wave...

[leo258369]

:frog_face:

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Leo,

As I (mis)understand it, you can:

1) Use one of the shapes to create an Art Brush with a rounded end and a pointed end while having all but the rounded end stretchable (only needed if you use different lengths, unlike in your latest screenshot);

2) Create the lines as a Blend with the desired length(s)s as 1pt stroke/nofill paths with the suitable options (Align to Page if you with to have them vertical as in your latest screenshot (or at other angle)), Align to Path if you want them at a certain angle (such as perpendicular) relative to the path;

3) Create a curved path orresponding to the middle of the lines and Replace Spine, most likely you will need to Add Anchor Points a number of times to get an even Blend;

4) Expand the Blend and apply the Art Brush to all the lines.

You can see how here, for the Art Brush,

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/brushes.html

And you can see how to do other things by similar searches here,

https://helpx.adobe.com/search-results.html?q=art+brush+illustrator&scope=%5B%22helpx%22%5D&subscope...

Edit: Here is a set of images showing the stages (Art Brush/line height 600pt, hence the thinness) corresponding to your latest screenshot:

Click/RightClick to see in full (and get closer), Click again to get closer (still)

[leo258369]

Oh wow thank you so much for this detailed answer! I'll try that out. 🙂

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Leo; I for one hope you will report your findings.

The Add Anchor Points part of 3) is often needed: if there are different Handle lengths, the lengths of the path segments must be small enough; you can just Add Anchor Points until the Blend becomes even. In the screenshot image there was no need because the curved path was made of two quarter circles with identical Handle lengths throughout.

[Monika Gause]

This looks like a good example for the Reform plugin (commercial third party plugin)

https://astutegraphics.com/plugins/reform 

I don't see this happening with a blend. The blended lines just don't behave very well.

[leo258369]

hi monika! thank you, i already thought about trying out Astute Manager for some other stuff, but I didn't do it yet..How would you do it though with the Reform Tool..? 

[Monika Gause]

OK, I have tried it. Unfortunately it only looks like the perfect example, but isn't. Reform doesn't work with this, because it needs open paths (that it would then connect.

Like this: 

On top of that it would apply the profile perpendicular to the path. But your example has some other dynamics. Sorry for the confusion.

When you apply transform effects to the elements in a blend, you could get it to this: 

https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/4ec40132-2165-4cb3-6089-8c7c41e54b31

It would be better to first turn them into symbols, then make the blend with the transform effect. But it's getting out of control every 5 minutes.