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ekmanch
Participating Frequently
January 29, 2014
Question

How would you make a spiral coil in illustrator?

  • January 29, 2014
  • 3 replies
  • 56625 views

Hi!

I would like to make something like this:

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2020/phys2020_sp05/ConceptTests/faraday02/figures/transformer.jpg

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.

3 replies

JETalmage
JETalmage
Inspiring
January 29, 2014

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
January 29, 2014

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?

Steve Fairbairn
Steve Fairbairn
Inspiring
January 29, 2014

Here’s another kind of spiral done by mapping diagonal lines onto a 3D cylinder.

Doug A Roberts
Community Expert
Doug A RobertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 29, 2014

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
January 29, 2014

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
Doug A RobertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 29, 2014

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

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ekmanchAuthor
Participating Frequently
January 29, 2014

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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