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Question

How to turn an object into a letter?

Forum|Forum|10 months ago
March 28, 2025
6 replies
1634 views

Hi!

I may be missing the easy way to do this, but I'm trying to figure out how to change a specific shape into the letter 'S'. For example, I'm creating a series of logos for a camera company, and would like to create the letter 'S' out of a film strip. I manually created a straight film strip and have my font picked out, and would like the film strip to follow the S path. Is there a simple way to do this? I've messed around with paths (I'm not super familar with them) and can't seem to get it to work after a ton of research.

With AI tools now advancing I thought maybe there was an easier route I'm missing.

Thank you!

macOS

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

I started out trying to wark a film strip to the shape of the S, but it was not going to be accurate.

Then I tried making a brush preset with a black rectangle with the square holes, spaced to fit and set angle jitter to Direction. That was not nice either.

So this is what I went with:

Made the S on a type layer.

Stroked it with black set to Centre.

Used Type > Create Workpath This does not change the type layer. Just makes the path.

You can see why the stroke had to be set to Centre.

Found a square brush preset and increased spacing, set angle jitter to Angle and stroked the path.

The ends will be easy to fix, or you could edit the path before stroking it.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

I've actually run into a problem here. I've used the same method to add the frame breaks, but with space all the way to 100%, the lines are too close. I added the path manually, as it is not crucial. It's more top distribute the lines equally. I made the lines longer than they needed to be and clipped to the S type layer again. I can't remember if objects on a Path will let me angle them perpendicular to the path.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

OK, I worked it out using Objects on a Path. It took me a couple of goes to get the pattern right.

This is a 1000 x 1000 pixel canvas.

Edit > Fill > Pattern > Place along a path.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

»would like to create the letter 'S' out of a film strip.« might be a lot less clear than you think, so please clarify what you mean.

Bending a »pattern« along a »line« can be done in different ways (two rudimentarily illustrated in the screenshot):

A

Avery26318277bw5fAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks for your response! I'm thinking more of the first one, as the design is for a logo and would like it to be more clear. You did this in illustrator?

A

Avery26318277bw5fAuthor

Known Participant

I have two options for film strips, one I downloaded and one I created. Like your image above, I would like one of these to follow the S line. I would prefer the first iteration, but it would be nice to know how you simulated the bending film as well.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

With AI tools now advancing I thought maybe there was an easier route I'm missing.

Rather »Adobe Illustrator«, not so much »Artificial Intelligence« … as others have already pointed out.

Please post meaningful sketches/screenshots to illustrate what exactly you have in mind (should the strip just bend along a path, simulate perspective, …).

Are you aware that a letter in a font is usually not defined as a »spine« but as one or more Path that enclose the area?

Bojan Živković11378569

Community Expert

Attention, this is an idea without checking it in software! If you have access to Illustrator, create a filmstrip there (draw it) and then convert it to a brush. Draw the S shape you like and apply the filmstrip brush (I believe it should be an Art brush).