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So I am attempting to create a word art graphic in AI and am having a problem with the text distorting. I hope I can explain this in detail in hopes that you can create the problem if needed and help me troubleshoot it.
I have attached a photo of my workspace in hopes of getting the help that I need.
When I draw shapes ( I've tried both the pen tool and the shape tool ) and still get the same results.
After drawing a shape, if the place the text horizontal, it matches the shape for the most part. When I rotate that text (whether it be actual text or converted to outlines) I get the same result of the text shown, on the left bottom example. The shape is the top layer and text is under the object.
I have also tried to create under Object -> Envelope Distort -> Make with Mesh, setting it to 1 row and then set the number of columns to match the number of characters in the text, I still get the same skewed / skiwampused results. Any help would be great!
On a side note, I have done a similar project and didn't run into this problem. Here is an example of a former project without any problems.
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In your other project it was simpler to make meshes.
You could try and first rotate both the text and the shape so they are horizontal. Then make the mesh. Then rotate the finished envelope.
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I too thought this would work and it does even attempt to align the text with the box and here is the result, although not the desired results.
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Like this:
Also: doesn't the Shear tool work?
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While I appreciate that it works for you, the problem is I don't want to have to "recreate" all the shapes by hand horizontally. To rebuild all the shapes to be horizontal and then try to piece them together, would be a substantial amount of time wasted for the project. Why isn't it possible to create my outline, cut them as needed and then place the text. If I build the shape and need to change it an anchor, it doesn't shape correctly. What is causing AI to not set it the same as the horizontal text with the shape? I guess ultimately I'm wondering why it worked fine in one project and not in the next?
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It looks like you could use the new Puppet Tool to make the transformations - Transform vector graphics using the Puppet Warp tool
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> I don't want to have to "recreate" all the shapes by hand horizontally. To rebuild all the shapes to be horizontal and then try to piece them together, would be a substantial amount of time wasted for the project.
Who said anything about recreating or rebuilding anything?
> I too thought this would work and it does even attempt to align the text with the box and here is the result, although not the desired results.
What you showed in your screenshot has nothing to do with what Monica suggested. Do this. It should take you all of 10 seconds.
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Kris - being condescending doesn't help anyone.
I'm not looking for answers on how to do this process, I'm looking for answers on why the text is bending, contorting, aka - not conforming to the shape after cutting a shape as I need them even after I rotate them horizontal. The second pic in the OP is one project I completed by creating the outline of the object, (the fork), I made lines through the object to give me the desired results to place text, wrote the text, placed the text and it conformed as expected, but now, it's not.
Can anyone answer why the text isn't conforming to the shape regardless of position of the shape?
Monika wrote:
> In your other project it was simpler to make meshes.
Why is that? What is causing that to happen? Why did it work in that project and not in my new one?
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A mesh is basically a table. It has 4 corner points. Illustrator tries to find vorners in the shape you provide. But this gets more difficult when the shape is diagonal.
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A mesh always has bezier handles associated with the corner anchor points. Select any corner of a mesh with the Direct Select tool and you will see the handles.
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So there isn't really a great way to fix this?
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Yes, you can try to fix it:
Add an anchor point somewhere:
Select the 4 corners with direct selection tool and then Object > Make gradient mesh. Should look like this:
But instead you should select 1 row 1 column
Then select this mesh and the text and Object > Envelope > Make with top object.
This might still go wrong, when Illustrator doesn't align the text correctly. But you can at least try.