How can you bend an image round a path in Illustrator?

[Guest]

HelloI would like to know how to bend an image to follow a particular path or shape in Adobe Illustrator CS4.The Warp tool in Photoshop produced the results closest to what I was aiming for, however it is difficult to shift one part of the image on screen without interfering with another area of the selection using this feature.I understand you can create a design in Adobe Illustrator, add it to the Illustrators brush toolbar and apply it to a determined path, although the toolbar does not appear to accept images.Could anyone help with a solution? (I am using Adobe Master Collection CS4).Thanks in advance

[Mike_Gondek · Accepted solution]

Embed the image in Illustrator

Object >> Envelope Distort >> Make with warp

We can advise you further, depending on what type of bend you are trying to make, but you may also have the opportunity to take advantage of

Object >> Envelope Distort >> Make with top object

[runninghead_design]

Thanks Kurt, this isn't very important, more just of academic interest.

I feel that, with all the facilities available to it a "non-destructive" method for achieving this effect should be possible.

AI version is CC 2018 (22.1.0).

Level of "liveness" might best be described as follows:

1) Create a single rectangle.

2) Apply a live effect that duplicates that rectangle, either as instances of a symbol or not.

3) Apply vertical height variation to the rectangles, randomly, to create what looks like a bar graph (could this be achieved at the same time as step 2?).

4) Apply another live effect that bends the set of rectangles around a circle.

You might then be able to change just the one source rectangle (give it rounded corners, a fill, whatever) and have those changes reflected in the end product.

All "non-destructive" live effects.

Any idea how you'd do this?

Thanks

[Kurt Gold]

Depends on the given usage. As per your description, I would take the Artbrush route.

I'd set up an array of rectangles or stroked lines, arrange and scale them as desired, make an Artbrush and apply it to a circle or a circular arc.

I'd leave the objects that define the brush somewhere on the scratch area, modify them if required and redefine the brush. In the Brush options dialog there are a lot of "live" options to shape the brush stroke.

In other cases I may want to just do it with some concentric live circle shapes … IF one could make circular arcs with the on object handles or by using the Transform palette. Unfortunately, at the moment you're only allowed to make sectors … There are workarounds to create live arcs, but they are a bit cumbersome if you have a lot of arcs.

I'm not sure if I would ever want to use envelopes for that kind of construction.