30 Replies Latest reply: Jul 24, 2011 10:50 AM by simpson246 RSS

    How could i make chequered effect?

    simpson246 Community Member

      Hi all, im looking to make chequered effect on illustrator.

      So not just normal squares same size etc, but squares of different shapes etc, ( like a flag when its blowing in the wind etc)

       

      look forward to your replies

       

      many thanks,

       

      regards,

       

      Ryan

        • 1. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
          Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

          Ryan,

           

          It depends on how different. A few options are to use squares and then Effect>Warp>Flag or something, or Object>Envelope Distort>Make with Top Object or something.

          • 2. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
            simpson246 Community Member

            thanks for that info.

             

            First of all then, how could i make simple chequered so that all the squares are the same size?

             

            Then can look to flag wave effects etc.

             

            Many thanks indeed

            • 3. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
              Steve Fairbairn Community Member
              how could i make simple chequered so that all the squares are the same size?

              Draw a white square with the rectangle tool.

              Copy it, paste it and colour it black.

              Snap the 2 squares together and option-drag them to make a copy.

              Use Cmd+D to repeat.

              • 4. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                simpson246 Community Member

                thanks for that.

                 

                And also how would i 'snap' them together?

                 

                sorry, im a little new with this.

                 

                thanks

                • 5. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                  simpson246 Community Member

                  Right, a little update.

                   

                  I created a box, then copied and pasted, added it next to it.

                   

                  Then coloured one black.

                   

                  Then copied them both to create a line.

                  Then copied the line to create more of chess board,

                  Mucked around with the effect- warp settings etc.

                   

                  But now ive opened it in dr stika, after zooming in, i have realised parts of the lines havent joined up so when cutting on a plotter, would cause difficulty.

                   

                  How can i correct this in the first place when creating the squares in illustrator?

                   

                  many thanks

                  • 6. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                    Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                    Ryan,

                     

                    You may:

                     

                    1) Create one square,

                    2) Move a copy one width to the right (you may  Alt/Option+O+T+M (holding Alt/Option and then press O then T then M), set the value, and click Copy),

                    3) Select both and move a copy one width down (this will give you a pattern of two by two),

                    4) Select all four and Effect>Distort & Transform>Transform, set the Horizontal Move value to twice the square width and set the desired number of copies,

                    5) Repeat 4), only with Vertical Move,

                     

                    and if desired,

                     

                    6) Object>Expand Appearance to get separate squares throughout,

                     

                    and if needed

                     

                    7) Delete superfluous squares.

                    • 7. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                      Mike Gondek2 Community Member

                      If you used the rectangle tool, should have stayed joined, must have gotten mucked up.

                       

                      You can select 2 point with the hollow arrow tool and use object >> path >> join, to connect them. Might be quicker though to just make guides from the existing  replace all the new rectangles, so you dont have to proof if they are joined. For cutting vinyl they don't need to be joined but atleast on top of each other so the blade  cut to the next cut, so you and also look into average if needed.

                      • 8. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                        simpson246 Community Member

                        thanks for the replies.

                         

                        If they should have joined which i guess they should, ill try cutting it out and see what happens,

                         

                        may  be dr stika that doesnt display too well or something :/

                         

                        what ya recon?

                         

                        thanks

                        • 9. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                          Steve Fairbairn Community Member
                          i have realised parts of the lines havent joined up

                          Sounds like you weren't working accurately enough.

                          Check that Snap to Point is checked in Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display. Also have Smart Guides turned on (Cmd+U). Remember that snapping is controlled by the position of the cursor.

                          To copy a square, click on a corner with the Selection tool (V). Option-Shift-drag until corner snaps to adjacent corner. And so on.

                          Turn off the preview (Cmd+Y) now and then to see that everything is lined up properly. When you are done you should see a simple grid with little x's in the centre of each square.

                          • 10. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                            Mike Gondek2 Community Member

                            Zoom into illustrator to see if they join, so that you don't waste material. If the joins in Illustraror are good, then you should plot a test cut, to see if Dr Sitka is shifting over the points(could check your import settings), or just has a bad preview.

                            • 11. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                              Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                              Ryan,

                               

                              Maybe you should:

                               

                              1) Create one square,

                              2)  Move a copy one width to the right and one height down (you may  Alt/Option+O+T+M (holding  Alt/Option and then press O then T then M), set the values, and click  Copy),

                               

                              to have two squares edge to edge, then

                               

                              3)  Select both and Effect>Distort & Transform>Transform, set  the Horizontal Move value to twice the square width and set the desired  number of copies,

                              4) Repeat 5), only with Vertical Move,

                               

                              and if desired,

                               

                              5) Object>Expand Appearance to get separate squares throughout,

                               

                              and if needed

                               

                              6) Delete superfluous squares.

                               

                              With this, you only have the segments needed for cutting instead of doubling.

                               

                              The warping may be done after 4), 5), or 6).

                               

                              • 12. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                simpson246 Community Member

                                snap to point is ticked under 'view' section.

                                Snap to grid grid is not.

                                 

                                 

                                 

                                il try that jacob, thanks

                                 

                                thanks all

                                • 13. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                  arc fixer Community Member

                                  Hi, Ryan.

                                   

                                  Look at this:

                                   

                                  CHECKER.JPG

                                   

                                  Using the above actions the checkerboard was created in about 30 seconds (OK, maybe a minute). And the alignment is perfect and automatic.

                                   

                                  FWIW.

                                   

                                  Peace,

                                  Lee

                                  • 14. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                    Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                                    For my part you are welcome, Ryan.

                                     

                                    Please report your (further) findings so we shall all know.

                                    • 15. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                      simpson246 Community Member

                                      thank you all for your help.

                                       

                                      Arc, referring to what you have posted, can you please let me know what you did to do that please.

                                      As im not sure how to get to the windows you were at?

                                       

                                      thanks

                                      • 16. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                        arc fixer Community Member

                                        Hi, Ryan.

                                         

                                        I've been working with Illy off and on for about a year now. Learning it is a handful. My best friend is the Visual Quickstart Guide for Illy from Peachpit Press. (And of course this forum.) It's not fancy smancy. It's all about where the buttons are and what do they do. Lot's of screenshots. I know how much screenshots help me, and that's why I take the time to include them in my posts.

                                         

                                        Anyway, here's a step by step.

                                         

                                        1. Make a square, fill with white.

                                         

                                        Go to Transform Pallet. Set the little black square to the position shown.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 3.JPG

                                         

                                        Go to Actions Palette. Click on the little triangle at top right. Select Button Mode.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 2.JPG

                                         

                                        These are the same actions in Button Mode.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 5.JPG

                                         

                                        2. Click on Copy Flip Vertical. Repeat 3 times (or as many times as you need). Select them all and Group (Ctrl+G).

                                         

                                        Go to Transform Pallet. Position the little black square as shown.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 6.JPG

                                         

                                        3. In the Actions Pallet, hit Copy Flip Horizontal. With the white arrow, Shft+Click on the squares you want to be black.

                                         

                                        4. Fill with black. Group all the squares.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 4.JPG

                                         

                                        5. Hit Copy Flip Horizontal 3 times (or whatever meets your needs).

                                         

                                        6. Two of the square Groups are backwards. Set the little black square in the Transform Palette in the middle. Select the backwards segments and hit Flip Horizontal.

                                         

                                        CHECKER 7.JPG

                                         

                                        CHECKER 8.JPG

                                         

                                        That's it.

                                         

                                        All this can be done without the Actions Palette, but the actions used are Illy defaults, and using the Action Palette in Button Mode is ridiculously fast. If time is money, then actions are golden.

                                         

                                        Now, as to the wavy flag part, I'm working on a wavy flag myself. A straightforward warp mesh doesn't give me realistic results. I'm thinking I'm going to have to break the flag into sections and warp each section separately. I haven't had the time to work it all out. You might fiddle with that approach.

                                         

                                        Peace,

                                        Lee

                                        • 17. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                          simpson246 Community Member

                                          That looks amazing Lee!

                                           

                                          Many thanks indeed and I'll give it a go when i wake!

                                           

                                          Much appreciated!

                                          • 18. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                            simpson246 Community Member

                                            thanks for the help once again although in need of a little help.

                                             

                                            Looking at step 1, i've moved the little dot to the middle bottom row but having problems with :

                                             

                                            'Go to Actions Palette. Click on the little triangle at top right. Select Button Mode'

                                             

                                            Theres no little triangle at the top right for me , i clicked on the top right and it opens up options to fli[ and transform etc

                                             

                                            please help

                                             

                                            thanks

                                            • 19. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                              Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                                              Ryan,

                                               

                                              Have you tried the somewhat simpler suggestion from post #11?

                                              • 20. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                simpson246 Community Member

                                                ive given it a go and no luck :/

                                                 

                                                i made the square, then copied and pasted another across one and down one.

                                                 

                                                highlighted them both then effect  distort and transform and then transform.

                                                 

                                                settings i have are :

                                                 

                                                scale

                                                horiz         100%

                                                vertical       100%

                                                 

                                                move

                                                horiz      0pt

                                                verical         0pt

                                                 

                                                what am i to do here?

                                                 

                                                i see copies is 0 but i set to 10 and nothgin happened :/

                                                 

                                                thanks

                                                • 21. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                  [scott] CommunityMVP
                                                  1. Draw a rectangle
                                                  2. Object > Path > Split into grid
                                                  3. Set number of rows and colums to identical numbers and all gutters to 0.
                                                  4. Click Ok
                                                  5. Grab the Livepaint Tool and click to fill squares.

                                                   

                                                  Snap_001.jpg

                                                   

                                                  You can then easily use an Envelope distort to get a "flag" look...

                                                   

                                                  Snap_002.jpg

                                                   

                                                  And add extra gradient fills for shading....

                                                   

                                                  Snap_003.jpg

                                                  • 22. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                    Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                                                    Ryan,

                                                     

                                                    horiz      0pt

                                                     

                                                    Insert twice the square width (along with the number of copies), as in

                                                     

                                                    3)  Select both and Effect>Distort & Transform>Transform,  set  the Horizontal Move value to twice the square width and set the  desired  number of copies,

                                                     

                                                     

                                                    Then

                                                     

                                                    verical         0pt

                                                     

                                                    Insert the same value as horizontal move  (along with the number of copies), as in

                                                     

                                                    4) Repeat 3), only with Vertical Move,

                                                    • 23. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                      Wade_Zimmerman Community Member

                                                      If you need a video I think one of us might be able to help out.

                                                       

                                                      Lots of ways to do this.

                                                       

                                                      Screen shot 2011-07-15 at 7.47.11 PM.png

                                                      • 24. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                        Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                                                        If you need a video I think one of us might be able to help out.

                                                         

                                                        Lots of ways to do this.

                                                         

                                                        Maybe a complete series, although maybe with fewer episodes than Heartbeat.

                                                        • 25. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                          simpson246 Community Member

                                                          Thank you all for the replies.

                                                           

                                                          I followed what scott said in post 21, all okay apart from another silly little thing.

                                                           

                                                          where is the livepaint tool though :/

                                                           

                                                          thanks

                                                          • 26. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                            [scott] CommunityMVP

                                                            Live Paint tool rests under the Shape Builder tool in CS5.

                                                             

                                                            001.jpg

                                                            • 27. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                              simpson246 Community Member

                                                              thank you, i found it but now what do i do with it?

                                                               

                                                              Hold shift and highlight them all?

                                                               

                                                              Or all individually?

                                                               

                                                              thanks

                                                              • 28. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                                simpson246 Community Member

                                                                Thanks for all the help.

                                                                 

                                                                How would i do the 'Envelope distort to get a "flag" look you were referring too?

                                                                 

                                                                many thanks

                                                                • 29. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                                  [scott] CommunityMVP

                                                                  Grab the Live Paint Bucket tool, pick a color... click on the squares you want colored.

                                                                   

                                                                  When you're done coloring, just choose Object > Enevelope Distort > Make with Warp and find the settings you like.

                                                                  • 30. Re: How could i make chequered effect?
                                                                    simpson246 Community Member

                                                                    Hi all, thanks for the advice.


                                                                    What i tried and didnt work was cutting the chequered effect at the size of 25 cm x 100cm on my vinyl cutter.

                                                                     

                                                                    I created it in illustrator, exported it as a BMP (only format Dr Stika Likes) imported in Dr Stika and appeared a little distorted.. lines slightly out etc.

                                                                     

                                                                    But i went ahead and cut which didnt go too well, all the squares are not the same size etc so not sure if this is a problen when importing.

                                                                     

                                                                    Please help too explain and correct this error.

                                                                     

                                                                    If possible, someone could even send me the chequered effect at the size of 25cm x 100cm as a bmp then i can open it directly in Dr Stika and see how it appears?

                                                                     

                                                                     

                                                                     

                                                                     

                                                                    Many thanks indeed!