Blend Option : non-proportional?

[Roger Breton]

I want to replicate this artwork :

As you can see, it's a series of "dots" on a path, a series of decreasing circle sizes, but for the life of me, I can't figure how to recreate this using Illustrator? I tried creating a Brush to no avail: there are no way to control the spacing between the dots?
I also tried using a Blend but, again, there is no way to control the spacing between the dots? 

On the right of the figure (an old German magazine cover) are three series of "circles".

Under Column A are the two circles I used to create a basic (linear) Blend.
Under Column B is the resulting initial Blend.
Under Column C is the Blend with modified initial and ending "Spine" anchor points, to "increase" and "decrease"' the spacing between the circles.
I thought I had it made when I selected both the oval and the Blend and hit Object > Blend > Replace Spine but doing so resetted the spacing between circles to a constant value??
i'm kind of going in "circle". 

Any help is appreciated. 

[pixxxelschubser]

Would you like to recreate and improve the sample image?

Or do you want to recreate it exactly? In the second case, you will have to do the same as in the original image: set by hand. This is because the spacing is too irregular. This is very much in favor of manually placed dots/circles.

[Roger Breton]

I guess I was "hoping" I could avoid placing all those dots by hand...
Yes, I would you like to recreate and improve the sample image.

[barbara_a]

Here's a couple of other ways, both using Type on a Path.

Below I used the spacebar to add space between periods.

And in this second one I used Tab stops.

[Monika Gause]

Get the plugin Stipplism (not free) and you could have them placed based on a gradient.

https://youtu.be/VTXmxYAIuG0

[Roger Breton]

I was thinking of creating a Symbol for the dot and using the Symbol Sprayer/Shifter creating something that looks like the model? But I thought it was too much "work"... And not close enough to the model. Still... A very worthwhile introduction to Symbols for the students 🙂
BTW, where does this Plug-in be purchased from? In case?

[Larry G. Schneider]

Try checking out Astute Graphics for a whole range of useful add-ons.

[Monika Gause]

Larry is correct. It's an Astute Graphics plugin. The symbol is needed, because the functionality relies on it.

[Jacob Bugge]

Roger,

Starting with what you have in C, you can obtain the desired appearance with the one and only:

1 STEP BLEND FAKE:

Once you have obtained the desired blend/blend spacing/appearance and you have the desired spine path (the path to be used as the spine), you can proceed with the following additional steps (always keep a backup of the artwork before you start destroying it:

+1) Expand the Blend if not already (Object>Blend>Expand); skip to +2) if done already, or if the desired appearance is obtained in other way;

+2) Set the Blend options (Object>Blend>Blend Options) with Spacing set to Specified Steps = 1 and Orientation set to Align to Page,
+3) Select all the objects and make the 1 step Blend (Object>Blend>Make), then ShiftClick the desired spine path, then replace the spine (Object>Blend>Replace Spine), this will give you unwanted intermediate objects between the others, but only until step +5;
+4) Expand the Blend (Object>Blend>Expand);
+5) Deselect everything (click an empty spot on the Artboard/work area), then with the Direct Selection Tool ShiftClick each of the unwanted intermediate objects and Delete; the unwanted objects are every other object starting with the second one, you can see the pattern with the first and last object unselected.

This ought to give you the desired appearance with the Objects as a Group.

You can repeat for each circle/ellipse with a desired varying spacing.

In connexion with C, you will need to use two Blends meeting at the middle with the largest spacing in order to obtain a spacing that increases and then decreases.

To do that, you can split the circle/ellipse and reverse one half circle to literally get ends meet in the right way.

There are different was to obtain such appearances, including some that can make the increasing/descreasing spacing to begin with, so you only need one circle/elleipse.

[pixxxelschubser]

@Roger Breton 

So you want to rearrange the points. And you want it to be a regular structure?

Then under no circumstances should you consider the ellipses in isolation, but also the radial lines and the centre of the points. Only when you have determined how the points should be rearranged - only then can you think about a workflow!

[RvdT · Accepted solution]

blend 2 circles with a dashed line

adjust the spline handle of the blend path

[Roger Breton]

Wow! I think this is it!!! Thank you! See below :

I noticed that there is no way to "fit" the dots exactly to the original drawing but to demonstrate the technique to my students, this is PERFECT!!!! Wow!!!! I wish I would have thought of it myself 🙂
Kudo to you! I owe you a beer 🙂

[RvdT]

I gave it another try. I agree that an exact fit this way is not possible.

You're welcome! Cheers! :beer_mug: