Can't seem to wrap text (with effects) around a circle?

[Marklatham]

I have some text that has effects on it and I want to wrap it around a 32mm circle.

Its easy to wrap the text but I cant get the effects to apply?

.ai file is here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jdqmv6xv8p6n08vihczv1/SkillTabs-001.ai?rlkey=janflkc28n5468va77mbrm89...

[Monika Gause]

How do you want this to look?

Is it absolutely necessary to make it with effets?

Or would an art brush work as well?

[Marklatham]

These are 'tabs' that will be printed - the 'Block' tab is how they will look - they will be applied (stuck onto) to a circular base, hence the need for the shape of them to wrap round a circle.

[Marklatham]

Like these - they are shaped to wrap around..

[Monika Gause]

Applying a Warp effect doesn't do it?

[Marklatham]

Can you warp to the correct circumference of a 32mm circle?

[Monika Gause]

You would need to figure it out for each text size.

[Bobby Henderson]

My own preference would be to turn the lettering objects (including the backgrounds) into art brushes. The art brush would be applied to a path segment copied from the source circle. The lettering objects would warp along the curve. To fine-tune the effect I would determine the length of the target curved path (Document Info palette, check "Objects" to be active). I would make the various lettering objects and backgrounds match the same length. Using variable fonts that have variable width axes can help minimize ugly distortion issues.

[Monika Gause]

Adjusting the brush to the circle can be done with an invisible rectangle in the background.

Like this: https://youtu.be/cn0hbiKX5nM

(final step is Object > Path > Reverse direction

[Marklatham]

This all seems compliacted, why cant I just apply the efect to text on  the curve? Is that just not possible?

[Bobby Henderson]

Illustrator's stock Text on Path effect can sometimes yield wacky looking results. This is true of similar effects in rival vector graphics applications too. Such effects only rotate the letters. The effect doesn't look bad if the letters are small in relation to the curve of the path. If the letters are large in relation to the curve the rotation of each letter can often look unnatural. Turning lettering into an Art Brush and applying the brush to a line stroke is a work-around to make the lettering warp along a curve.

Astute Graphics' Reform Text third party plugin tries to strike a balance between the odd results of regular text on path effects by warping the lettering slightly. I like Astute Graphics' huge arsenal of Illustrator plugins, but they involve their own annual subscription.

[Marklatham]

Im still very stuck with this!! You mentioned "Turning lettering into an Art Brush and applying the brush to a line stroke is a work-around to make the lettering warp along a curve." How do you do this, I have no idea!!

My file is here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qosrbp6ax5np6nj6frad8/SkillTab.ai?rlkey=kwluhlr10ize687i3oy2pd6vh&dl=...

I just cant make the tab go around a 32mm curve??!!

[Bobby Henderson]

Short version: To turn lettering into an art brush you first have to convert the text object to outlines. Open the Brushes palette. Drag the converted text object into the brushes palette to create a new brush. Choose Art Brush. The lettering will be visible in the list of brushes. Select a target path segment and then click the lettering brush in the brushes palette. You'll see the line stroke get replaced by the lettering. The lettering will bend the same way the target path bends.

Compound paths can be turned into art brushes. Even grouped objects, such as lettering inside a box, will work.

Multiple things can be done to improve the results of this approach. To minimize distortion I usually find out the length of the target path where the lettering will be applied and adjust the lettering to match that path length. The Document Info palette can show this, but you have to check "Objects" see path lengths of selected objects. I'll often use Variable Fonts that have variable weight and width axes so I can fine tune the lettering before it gets warped in the Art Brush effect.

I attached a sample image showing lettering inside a rectangular box turned into an art brush and then applied to the top portion of a circle. I created a separate path of what I wanted from the circle, determined its path length, then I made the box and lettering match that curved path length before grouping it and dragging it over to the Brushes palette. Very often when this effect is applied the lettering might be backwards or flipped. That's easy to fix by double clicking the brush and adjusting the brush settings.

[Marklatham]

Yes!!!!!! this is looking close, you send me the .ai file to work on? Can it work with a second color block like this?

 

[Bobby Henderson]

Art Brushes can have multiple objects, each with their own colors. The example I showed was a "dummy" file in a pretty short amount of time. Art Brushes (and other types of Brushes) are not difficult to use, you just have to play around with them to figure the ins and outs of how they behave. You can create some pretty wild, comic book style lettering effects by turning lettering into Art Brushes and then using the Width tool on the path after the Art Brush is applied to it.

[Monika Gause]

There is no need to cut that circle.

I have shown that in my video.

[Marklatham]

Ok Thanks, im getting there.... for me the tab is stretched all the way round:

or this?!

[Monika Gause]

As shown in my video, you need an invisible rectangle that is as long as the circle path.

Here is a video with explanation. I have just made it public: https://youtu.be/PNiSMUuERcQ 

[Marklatham]

Ah ok, I'll try that! Thanks.

[Bobby Henderson]

Mark, you have to choose a portion of the target circle where you want to text to wrap. I prefer cutting out a portion of the circle's path from a copy and using that as the brush target. Usually when I'm creating a text effect like this it has to fit in a specifically sized footprint, such as the top half of a circular "seal" graphic. I'll still have the original source circle to use for other purposes. An Art Brush can be created that is designed to span the entire length of the circle (as Monika's video shows) with the text portion centered in the middle of it.

Either way, you have to open the Document Properties palette and check path length of the circle (or extracted arc) and adjust the design of the brush to conform to it.

[kphotopage]

Mark, as always there are many ways of doing things.

I’m working with Live Type, Text on a path.

I’m not quite sure of your end goal.

Getting started. Concentric circles. The outside measures 32mm

Live Paint. Fills and Strokes.

Expand Live Paint. Unite same colors for Tabs.

The center stroke is for Text on Path.

Round the corners on your Tabs

Text on Path. Be sure to Type>Type on Path Options, Align to Center.

K

[Bobby Henderson]

I believe what the original poster wanted was a way to make type warp along the curve. Illustrator's stock Text on Path effect merely rotates letters. That approach works okay with letters that are small in proportion to the curve. Bigger letters tend to look wacky and jumbled. Problems vary depending on the typeface used.

Astute Graphics' Reform Text plugin is the only solution I know of that will partially warp text to a curve and still leave the text in a live state. The art brush approach I've described previously is "destructive" since it requires converting the live text to outlines before turning it into a brush.

[Marklatham]

Yes this is the issue. I need to the tab form and curve as I type. So I can create many tabs with different words.

[Monika Gause]

You would not need to outline the text if you instead apply the Outline Object effect to it.

[Marklatham]

HI Monika, Thanks for your help, I watched your yourtube video last night and it was helpfull but im still not 100% there 😉 I've added a more detailed explanation below! Getting close!