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macdonaldshall
macdonaldshall
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Is there a way to incrementally scale a series of objects

Aug 7, 2012 10:38 PM

Tags: #scale #incremental

Hi folks,

 

Here's the sitch.  I have a series of triangles along a curved path in Illustrator CS6 (mac, if that makes a difference).  I want to make the triangles large as the approach the middle of the path, and smaller towards the ends.  The triangles' lower-most corner must remain locked to the path.  I've tried pattern brushes, but not only do they distort the triangles, but there's also no way to scale the triangles reliably (to my knowledge).  Any ideas?

 

Many thanks in advance,

Kim

690 Views   5 Replies   Latest reply: Jacob Bugge, Aug 8, 2012 2:02 PM
 
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  • emil emil
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    1. emil emil,
    Aug 8, 2012 12:23 AM   in reply to macdonaldshall
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    Use Blend.

    Blend between a small and larger triangle and make a copy of it. Cut the target path in the middle. Use Object > Blend > Replace Spine after selecting one copy of the blend on one half of the cut path.Untitled-1.jpg

     
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  • JETalmage
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    2. JETalmage,
    Aug 8, 2012 5:07 AM   in reply to macdonaldshall
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    You don't have to have two separate paths. You can create a single Blend from three triangles (small, large, small).

     

    JET

     
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  • emil emil
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    3. emil emil,
    Aug 8, 2012 7:24 AM   in reply to JETalmage
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    That's right. Thanks for the correction Jet

    Last time I was making blends like this I had to mirror an odd shape that flips in the middle without transition and I had to cut the path in three parts with a small segment in the middle without a blend but in this case cutting is not needed. Blends can be made between any number shapes.

     
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  • macdonaldshall
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    4. macdonaldshall,
    Aug 8, 2012 9:28 AM   in reply to JETalmage
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    Nice Thanks guys, I apparently missed this tool somehow :/ Probably would have been useful before this!

     

    Is there any way to lock the triangles' lower-most corner to the path, rather than using the central registration point?

     
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  • Jacob Bugge
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    5. Jacob Bugge,
    Aug 8, 2012 2:02 PM   in reply to macdonaldshall
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    Macdonaldshall,

     

    If I understand it in the right way, you need to do (at least) five things (more than has been expressly mentioned already):

     

    1) In Blend options, set Align to Path (to (at least more) corrctly follow the direction of the path),

    2) For each blend stop, create two rectangles pointing the same way with the crucial corner coinciding, one of them being nofill/nostroke, and Group them (to have that corner centred in the blend),

    3) Create the blend with the desired number of rectangles (sets), then Expand and Distribute the triangles (sets) evenly or however you want them (presuming you do not wish to have the larger ones closer than the smaller ones or maybe even overlapping), then create a fake 1 step blend (in order to have a (fake) blend to distribute, no need to worry the surplus will go away in 5),

    4) Add Anchor Points (enough times to keep the evenness of the distribution, you will know if there are (not) enough),

    5) After replacing the spine, Expand and delete the fake steps, thus ending with the desired number of triangles (you may delete the nofill/nostroke ones).

     
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