How to draw paths that follow all angles of a shape? Example given

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
June 14, 2019
5 replies
1062 views

I have a shape which is quite complex. From this shape I want to draw lines at all angles of the shape so I end up with a grid that can be filled in. This is a perfect example:

So you can see the shape of a leaf in the middle. Then on the left page, lines (unclosed paths) have been drawn that intersect all angles of the shape. I have tried to this manually using a pen tool but it doesn't accurately follow the exact angles of the shape - it's always slightly off. Is there an automated tool for this or can anyone suggest how its done please?

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Bobby Henderson

Community Expert

If all the lines are straight on the source object (no curved segments at all). You can break open a copy of the object into separate line segments (preferably on another layer) and then proportionately scale each line to shoot outward away from the original shape. Use the selection tool to select an outer corner on the object's 9 point section box and hold down the shift key while scaling up the line. Another approach is creating new line segments, snapping them to parts of the original shape and then scaling them in the same manner.

If the source shape has any curved segments in it then, indeed, a plug-in like SubScribe would be the solution.

Myra Ferguson

Community Expert

If you want to do something similar in Illustrator without a plug-in, you could try the Zig Zag effect.

Make a star

Go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag...

Adjust the settings as desired

Overlay the original shape

Then you can Expand Appearance and use Live Paint to color in the sections

Monika Gause

Community Expert

If there are only straight line, what you can do is:

- copy the original object

- split up the object at all anchor points, so you have a collection of straight lines

- Make sure all the lines are ungrouped

- Object > Transform > Transform each with a scaling setting of 2000% vertical and horizontal

meganchi

Legend

Another option is to turn on your grid (you can adjust the spacing increments within guides & grid preferences), and with snap to point turned on draw your lines.

Ares Hovhannesyan

Community Expert

I am not sure but may be we can use Bleed Tool then Expand..Did you know how to use Bleed Tool?

There is another trick: When you drawing any object you can press "~" and move mouse at any direction. It will create copies of the object and you will have something like this. Then you can work with stroke and fill colors,.