Maintaining the shape defined by the pattern brush while using it to draw a curve

[JollyPanda]

Hi there,

I am trying to draw a curve use a pattern brush but I want to maintain the shape of the pattern brush. here is an example:

Here is the pattern:

iHere is what it looks like when drawn using a line:

So far so good. Here is what it looks like if I bend the line:

As you can see, the oval on top is reshaped. But what I want is to maintain the shape, so that it looks like:

As you can see, the top one did not retain the original shape. What I really want is like this:

I can draw them separately (2 chain on the side and 1 oval on the top) but that has its own issues.

1. The size might be uneven (as you can see, the top oval on the image above is slighly different).

2. It makes changing color and other steps a bit cumbersome. 

Is there a way to achive this with a single line? I played around with the "fit" settings in the pattern brush options but didn't find anything that could help.

If someone has an idea how to fix this or how to make this process easier, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Kurt Gold]

Currently, almost all pattern brush elements are always distorted to a certain degree.

You may try a scatter brush instead.

[JollyPanda]

This is what the scatter brush gave me. Maybe I am creating the brush wrong?

[Kurt Gold]

In the Scatter Brush Options dialog you can set the rotation relative to the path (instead of the artboard). Try that.

[JollyPanda]

Thanks. It sort of did what I wanted but not quite right.

This is the closest one:

If I continue adjusting more, it became distorted like this:

[Doug A Roberts]

Try applying a Roughen effect with a size of 0. It should even out parts like that, especially at small sizes.

Without Roughen:

With Roughen:

[Jacob Bugge]

JollyPanda,

You can try with a Blend as follows, see description and images below:

1) Create the first ring (such as 90 x 45 pt with 9pt Stroke Weight);

2) Move a copy a number of widths away (such as 8 x 90 = 720 pt;

3) Set the Object>Blend>Blend Options Spacing to Specified Distance = width + Stroke Weight (such as 90 + 9 = 99 pt) and Orientation to Align to Path;

4) Object>Blend>Make, make sure rings fit together;

5) Create open curve (such as Ellipse 600 x 300 pt with lower left quarter deleted) with Stroke Weight 1 pt, then Object>Path>Add Anchor Points a sufficient number of times (such as thrice);

6) Select both Blend from 4 and curve from 5, and Object>Blend>Replace Spine.

Click to get closer, Click again to get closer still

[JollyPanda]

Thanks for the respons. I am not too familier with blend so apologies if my question seems too easy.

I've done step 1-3 and ended up with this:

So far so good. Bu when i do Make from Blend, I get this:

I've tried different parameters and different width, but it doesn't seem to work. Any idea what might be wrong?

Thanks,

[Jacob Bugge]

Jolly Panda,

"I've done step 1-3 and ended up with this:"

As far as I can see, you have done step 1 - 4 to get the string of rings.

You then need to do step 5) to create the curve and Add Anchor Points, and then use Object>Blend>Replace Spine in 6); if you use Object>Blend>Make in 6) you will surely get something funny.