graphics around a circle

Thanks everyone for amazing responses. I ended up using a combination of Barbara's transform method and pixxel schubser's symbol editing trick. Works a treat!

If you have Fontself, you can turn the flags into a color font, make a circle, and then use the Type on a Path tool to place the text on the circle.

kphotopage​,

I did never use the symbol options till now (besides save). What I need I can do with the control bar or in the symbol palette itself (drag&drop).

The term itself is IMO not really correct. It should be: replace a symbol instance. But anyway - it doesn't work in the options. Perhaps a bug, or perhaps we only don't know, how to use. Perhaps we should have a look on illustrator.uservoice.com, if the problem already is known.

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Yes I also use mostly the transform effect, like you. But be so kind and say me how do you determine thecorrect middlepoint for the rotation (where the additional anchorpoint must be created).

If you ask me - I would say:

• create the symbols, all with equal width (and heigth)
• determine the width
• create a hexadecagon (polygon with 16 sides) based on this width
• the middlepoint of this polygon is the rotation point.

Here in the (neighbour) illustrator scripting forum a script names polygonBySide exists. That helps you perfectly for this requirement. IMO it was written by CarlosCanto​

Have fun

Inline graphics is needed in any decent program, but should not even be required for this. ACD Canvas, for example, can distribute a group of any objects along a path, without having to resort the Blend workaround.

JET

I noticed that the flags in your example are somewhat distorted. You may not want that.

It's easier in InDesign, but if you need to do it in Illustrator, this is one method, and it avoids distortion:

You can use the Polar Grid tool to make a template. Alternatively, you could use the Pie Chart tool.

With the Polar Grid tool, drag out a grid. Don't release the mouse. Hit the down arrow key to remove inner circles. Hit the right arrow key to increase the radiating line until the number of lines is the same as the number of flags. When the lines are correct, hold down the Shift key to make it a perfect circle and then release the mouse.

If necessary, rotate the grid so that you have a vertical line at the top. This is optional, but will make it easier.

Select one of the flags and position it at the top of the circle. View > Smart Guides should be turned on as they will be helpful.

Select the next flag and position it directly on top of the first flag.

Select the Rotate tool and Alt or Option click the center of the circle. That will create an origin for the rotation and bring up the Rotate dialog.

Enter 360/11 (eleven in this case representing the total number of flags; enter the number of flags you need) Click OK.

Select the next flag and position it directly on top of the first flag.

Select the Rotation tool and Alt or Option click the center of the circle. Illustrator remembers the last rotation, but you need double that amount so enter +32.73 or whatever the previous rotation was. In this case it is 32.73+32.73. Click OK. (The dialog box is cutting off the numbers)

Position the next flag on top of the first flag.

Alt or Option click the center of the circle with the Rotation tool. Add the same number of degrees. CLick OK.

Keep repeating the procedure until all of the flags are evenly spaced around the circle.

Now suppose you need to scale the circle, but not the flags. That will be a multi step process.

Select the circle and the flags and scale evenly from the center.

Select the flags but not the circle. Object > Transform > Transform Each.

Enter the horizontal and vertical scale.

Hope this helps.

for the not too long set (such as yours, 10-20 items) you can also try the Blend tool.

1. Make your flags set (each flag is a group)

2. Connect them with Blend tool and set the Specified Steps = 1 and Align to Path option

3. Create the circle, use scissors to open the path and choose Replace Spine command in Object menu

4. Expand and ungroup the result

5. Delete the intermediate items

I used the same amount of flags as yours, 16. The process took about a minute

If you have InDesign, it would be much easier.

In InDesign, draw the circle.

Copy one of the flags.

Select the Type on a Path tool.

Click on the edge of the circle and paste.

Repeat for each flag.

Try to use Sctatter or Pattern Brsuh.

You can also try to use Art. Brush

Any time you need prepare brash from all graphics (flag) in one step

Try different settings of these brushes

Then apply it for circle

pawel

Thanks, that's more or less what I am doing already, the problem with this method is then editing them is a massive pain, I guess I could add each flag as a brush. Will give it a go. Cheers.

Dr Tyrell,

One way could be to create all the flags and turn them vertical corresponding to being at the top, then place the top flag, then add each flah in turn going anticlockwise as follows, Smart Guides being your friends:

Rotate each flag by the right angle (flag number less one multiplied by 360 and divided by total number, for 16 flags like in the image the first added flag would be 1 x 360 / 16 = 22.5 degrees, then 45 degrees, and so on), then snap to the flag last placed, until you add the last one to the right of the top one.

I believe that would be easier than starting to work out the complicated other ways.

Brushes tend to distort.