Teach me...

[Bigdawg]

I work mostly in Illustrator - just upgraded from CS2 to CS5...

I need to replicate the shadow circled on the van... I don't know how to do that in Illustrator - but would like to learn... I've been using the program since Illustrator 88

I also have Flexi 8.1 and Corel 13 if they would do the job better... but since I work mostly in Illy, I'd like to learn to do it there... if it can be done.

 

[J Hill Designs]

effect -> 3d -> extrude and bevel?

 

[The Vector Doctor]

There is no easy way to do this. Some sign software has an extrusion shadow which is what you have here. It is 1 or 2 clicks in sign software.

The only way I can do these in Illustrator is to create a regular shadow and then "connect" the 2 shapes with the length of "extrusion" Not too bad on a few letters but can be cumbersome. There is a 3d tool in Illustrator but it is not vinyl friendly as it creates many extra unneeded shapes

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Here is a simple image to give you an idea

 

[mikey-Oh]

in appearance: i would outline, then make a drop shadow with no blur/normal/100%

 

[Rick]

In Illustrator:

EFFECT>3D>EXTRUDE AND BEVEL... make sure the PREVIEW is on.

There is a lot of crap you have to do to make it cuttable, like you might have to copy the top text, you can expand it, then ungroup, then weld it all together and color as needed, copy in front, expand that, remove the drop shadow stuff, then separate the white outline, maybe more uniting in PATHFINDER, then should be ready to cut.

Flexi would do it easier and faster. It will do the drop shadow with backing, add the outline, and keep the type on top all at the same time

 

[jc1cell]

Maybe this will help.

Copy and paste behind the original you have. Lock or hide your original. Give the pasted item the color you need for the shadow. Alt drag this item towards the spot of the shadow you want and then use the blend tool with the smooth option. Then show again the original.

To cut all you have to do is expand the object that makes the shadow. See if that works out for you.

jc

 

[J Hill Designs]

this may help

http://www.jay-han.com/2007/10/15/create-3d-extruded-text-in-simple-steps/

 

[Bigdawg]

I have to cut it in vinyl...

It's looking like a Flexi job... damn. Really wanted to keep it in Illustrator.

 

[Charlie J]

Yeah if it were me, I'd just pull it into flexi and be done with it.

 

[OldPaint]

corel X3, does this really well. make the original text. COPY of it. lay one over the other to get the shadow you want to achieve. GROUP AS ONE, ARRANGE, go to shaping, open it and hit TRIM. then break apart. now you will have the main copy, and the shadow will only be what is needed to make the shadow, rather then layering one color over shadow color.

 

[jc1cell]

blend tool with the smooth option.

This should actually be with the specified steps option. The more steps the smother the lines will be. But then again, if you have flexi...you can create it there, expand there and save as .eps or .ai (don't know flexi well so not sure if that's an option).

jc

 

[The Vector Doctor]

These options still create a file with way too many points or stairsteps. The blend options will give you an edge with possibly 20-100 too many extra points.

I guess I am a perfectionist and I think my customers expect something better

 

[Bigdawg]

I just did it in a couple clicks in Flexi. Man I wish I knew that program better!!!

Of course I exported it to Illy when done

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I just did it in a couple clicks in Flexi. Man I wish I knew that program better!!!

Of course I exported it to Illy when done

I'm in the same boat as you. I like to work in Illustrator as much as I can just one thing that I have observed is that beveling, extruding, enveloping tend not to translate to well to the cutter, atleast to my Roland. I usually have to try to come up with something "creative" to get around that and try to achieve a similiar effect in Illustrator.