Applying a halftone gradient to text

[mattbrunt]

I've been trying to discover a way to apply the following halftone effect to text in Illustrator 2019:

I've got Photoshop, and I can accomplish this in Photoshop, then expand or live trace the resultant image in Illustrator for a scalable vector, but I'm certain that this functionality has got to baked into Illustrator somewhere, and I'm just missing it.

Embarrassingly for Adobe, the above image is from a simple tutorial for a free Windows vector editor called Inkscape. It's strange to think that I could download a free app in Windows via Parallels and pretty easily accomplish this, but I can't seem to get it done in the $250/yr Adobe software? Someone, please tell me I'm wrong.

Thanks for any help/guidance!

Matt

[Ten A]

Illustrator doesn't have a similar feature. However, We can use some solution.

Here is a sample of halftone work you can reference.

Script available below link.

Extend_Script_experimentals/halftoneScreenConverter.jsx at master · ten-A/Extend_Script_experimental...

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

You can do that with Effects and keep the text editable:

[mattbrunt]

That's it! Thank you, Ton!

I had experimented with this same combination of effects, but I think my order was different, and I certainly wasn't sure which variables to set and to what. I could never produce the effect. Not even close.

This was the solution, and concisely presented. Thank you!

Grace and peace,

Matt

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that helped!

[jenniferw12658770]

Hi, I'm also looking for this solution. I've tried the effects but I'm not sure why my dots do not get seperate like your example @Ton Frederiks. Could you step out what you extaclty do? Size type etc. 

 Because I want to try to get this effect; 

 

[Larry G. Schneider]

Try removing the fill from the original text (Character line in Appearance panel shown above).

[Ton Frederiks]

Try to fill the text with a percentage of grey instead of black.

[jenniferw12658770]

Thank you both for the fast reply! 

I've tried a couple of options. But I think the Grey Value works the best. 

See results;

 And maybe even the weight of the font fill help for the readability of the text. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that helped.

[Magdalena5F96]

hello @Ton Frederiks I have a question - how come tthe txt is editable when you rasterize it?

I would be grateful for your response 🙂

Mag

[Ton Frederiks]

Hi Magdalena, because this Rasterize is applied as an Effect in the Appearance panel. Effects are only finally applied when you Expand the Appearance.

[Bobby Henderson]

Astute Graphics Phantasm plug-in for Illustrator can generate a variety of halftone effects that are vector-based. It can also produce some interesting color effects too. The plug-in costs a little over $40 with the current dollars to pounds exchange rate.