SKILLSET 4: Type on a Path - Customizing your text's pathway
*For more information, see tutorial on Illustrator CC site
Learning:
Learn the following skills by observing Ms. Hammond’s demonstration, then practising and completing the activity below:
Application:
Create a new layer in your “loginname_SkillsScavenger” Illustrator file. Rename this layer “Type on a Path.” Create a single path (note: you may draw continuously, or draw multiple paths and join them together after) that forms some sort of clear image outline (example: heart, balloon, mountains, cat, star, etc.). Use the Type on a Path tool to add text to your path. This should result in the image outline being replaced with text so that the entire outline is made up of text! Go ahead and alter the font, size, colour, alignment and spacing to make your outline appear polished and professional.
Important Information:
Editing Text…
In Text tool mode:
Select the text (with Selection tool) = brings up 2 major controls along the path, as well as a tiny red box (they are easier to see and manipulate if View > Hide Bounding Box, is selected)
*For more information, see tutorial on Illustrator CC site
Learning:
Learn the following skills by observing Ms. Hammond’s demonstration, then practising and completing the activity below:
- Creating and joining paths
- Creating and editing text on a path
Application:
Create a new layer in your “loginname_SkillsScavenger” Illustrator file. Rename this layer “Type on a Path.” Create a single path (note: you may draw continuously, or draw multiple paths and join them together after) that forms some sort of clear image outline (example: heart, balloon, mountains, cat, star, etc.). Use the Type on a Path tool to add text to your path. This should result in the image outline being replaced with text so that the entire outline is made up of text! Go ahead and alter the font, size, colour, alignment and spacing to make your outline appear polished and professional.
Important Information:
Editing Text…
In Text tool mode:
- Can add/remove characters, change font, change size, etc.
- Double-click the text = selects 1 word on path
- Triple-click the text = selects all words on path
Select the text (with Selection tool) = brings up 2 major controls along the path, as well as a tiny red box (they are easier to see and manipulate if View > Hide Bounding Box, is selected)
- White boxes with lines sticking out = start and end points; moving these along the path redefines the text’s boundaries – useful if you want to change the text’s alignment/justification
- Single line = text’s midpoint; clicking and dragging results in moving the text along the path; dragging midpoint on the flip side of the path flips the text along the path
- Red box = abbreviate/extend text (if the path is too short)