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Question

How would you make a spiral coil in illustrator?

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
January 29, 2014
3 replies
56668 views

Hi!

I would like to make something like this:

but without the "laminated iron core". So what I need to know is how to make those spiral shapes. I tried using some tools but it was pretty hard to do by hand so it actually looked good.

Thanks in advance!

This topic has been closed for replies.

JETalmage

Inspiring

See this thread, posts 8 through 10:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/3800045#3800045

Do a search in this forum for "JET spiral" (without the quotes) and you'll find other threads demonstrating a variety of approaches.

JET

E

ekmanchAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks! The links were really great. One thing I'm wondering though, I can't seem to do what you're supposed to do in the third step here:

http://www.illustrationetc.com/AIbuds/SpringSpineBrush.pdf

I think the design they have in the 9th step would be close to ideal for me. But when I do the third step only the lower right quarter of the ellipse seems to move. I don't get how they make the entire spiral move around the right point. Could anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong here?

E

ekmanchAuthor

Participating Frequently

But when I do the third step only the lower right quarter of the ellipse seems to move.

After cutting the path, deselect it. Then select the whole path (use the black pointer). Then get the Reshape Tool. Click (mouseup, mousedown) on the anchor. A box appears around it. Then drag (mousedown, drag, mouseup).

JET

Ok so I got the third step to work. However, I don't understand what to do on the fifty step. I do this:

Unfortunately my illustrator is in Swedish which I don't like, but "Mönster" is "pattern" in Swedish so it seems like it's that one. Then I get a new window on my screen:

And this part looks nothing like the step-by-step guide I'm following. What exactly am I supposed to do here? If I click ok on that window I still don't see a way to do what the guide tells me to do. Does anyone know?

Doug A Roberts

Community Expert

that particular example could be made with a smooth zig zag effect, if you want it that simple.

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ekmanchAuthor

Participating Frequently

Hm. yeah, but it looks a bit less "realistic" compared to the picture I posted. And you don't get nice connection points at the ends since you want to connect horizontal lines to the ends. Is there a way to make it a bit better than just a standard smooth zig zag?

Doug A Roberts

Community Expert

like the dude said, expand it and draw your ends manually.

E

ekmanchAuthor

Participating Frequently

Maybe I should mention that I'm by no means a pro using illustrator so if it's possible to describe the steps in a pedagogic way that would be very helpful.

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