How do I achieve this contour fill in Illustrator

[Ferrari3469]

Not sure of the terminology here, but I created this on a crappy sign program at work...trying to recreate it on my Illustrator at Home....just the black contour, not worried about the pink outline. Helpabrotherout?

[federico platon]

Select the sign and Object>Path>Offset

[Ferrari3469]

Doing that overlaps the two characters 

[federico platon · Accepted solution]

[Jacob Bugge]

Ferrari,

You can:

1) Create a stroke/nofill rectangle with a width as the distance between corresponding (unrounded) corners and the height, then round the corners, then shear it to the desired angle (you can use Object>Transform>Shear);

2) Object>Path>Offset Path with the offset that gives you a path at the middle of the thick outer black shape, then increase the Stroke Weight as desired;

3) Create two rectangles and cut them out of the sheared rectangle from 1) (you can use Pathfinder>Minus front or Shapebuilder);

4) Select everything and Object>Path>Outline Stroke to get filled paths, then if desired add a (pink) Stroke.

[Ferrari3469]

FEDERICO, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Thank you so very much, sir....I have struggled with this for weeks..... I knew what I wanted was achievable but I couldn't make it happen....thank you again