Need Help Adobe / CutContour Lines

[Alex L]

Hi guys im really struggling and am wondering if someone would be able to share some of their expertise with me please - I have the attached PDF which basically consists of lines with a 15px stroke

However I want to add a .25 cutcontour line around the outside of everything, I used to use something a year or 2 back which was a wand, i'd click and just hit cutcontour and it would put the line around everything for me, this was on a jpg though not a pdf - im wondering how I can do something similar in illustrator, no doubt it's obvious what i'm trying to achieve

When I try adding a second stroke, it just adds the stroke to the middle rather than on the outside of the full existing gradient - Any help would be truly appreciated

 

[JoeDG]

Only attached the png not pdf?
In Illustrator you will need to copy then expand the shapes, merge if necessary and then you can add the cut contour

 

[Adam Vreeke]

In AI you can select the path you want expanded (the vector line or shape you want expanded). Once selected go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Set the offset value to .25" and there you go. Keep in mind that this keeps the original path as well the new path and does not delete it, so be sure to delete the original path.

A little trick I do to keep things straight is right after offsetting the path I change the line color to a different color. ex: original line from 100% M to 100% cyan so I know what to delete

 

[Pewter0000]

In AI you can select the path you want expanded (the vector line or shape you want expanded). Once selected go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Set the offset value to .25" and there you go. Keep in mind that this keeps the original path as well the new path and does not delete it, so be sure to delete the original path.

A little trick I do to keep things straight is right after offsetting the path I change the line color to a different color. ex: original line from 100% M to 100% cyan so I know what to delete

Yep! Offset path is for sure the tool you're looking for. Instead of deleting the path, sometimes I merge them with pathfinder because they're selected together, effectively "deleting" the inside path. Depends on what you need.

 

[WYLDGFI]

I always do a copy>paste behind or into a separate layer to keep the cut line separate from the art. Using the Pathfinder tool simplifies removing the inner/original line as well from your new offset cut path. If you place behind, you can always add bleed with a simple stroke now or do a fill based on whatever your needs are.

 

[Alex L]

Only attached the png not pdf?
In Illustrator you will need to copy then expand the shapes, merge if necessary and then you can add the cut contour

Here's the PDF - I've tried to use the offset path and then compound path so it's not cutting A twice for example; but im unsure how i'd then add in the middle of the pepperoni's and the center of the 'O' in love

Thanks so much guys for your help, appreciated -- PDF link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VZZrgmw0RU4oFhZjU9ezN7Uzy-h9Qz1W/view?usp=sharing

 

[Adam Vreeke]

Here's the PDF - I've tried to use the offset path and then compound path so it's not cutting A twice for example; but im unsure how i'd then add in the middle of the pepperoni's and the center of the 'O' in love

Thanks so much guys for your help, appreciated -- PDF link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VZZrgmw0RU4oFhZjU9ezN7Uzy-h9Qz1W/view?usp=sharing

I will take a look at it, but if you are having trouble with the inside, just set the value to -.25" on only that.

 

[WYLDGFI]

Just downloaded and got a full look at it. You need to OUTLINE the stroke first it seems. Your stroke design is somewhat complex. EXPAND APPEARANCE would do the same thing. Then trying the offset path should work out better. You'll still need to manually clean up some...but you'll be in a better place. Pathfinder>combine should help clean up a bit as well...but do some trial and error. Work in a separate layer from your main art.

 

[Alex L]

Thanks so much for all your input and support, truly appreciated!

 

[Adam Vreeke]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vS35R4qrCtNSPK3TVuW5UXPrwJB5AOhi/view?usp=sharing

Try that. I believe you wanted it at .25" offset, let me know if that is not correct. If they end up on the same layer select a magenta line, go to Select > Same > Stroke Color. Ctrl + C to copy then delete the selection, create a new layer and then Ctrl + F to paste in place on top.

Take a look at it very closely as it was just a cut and dry offest because of the line and the distance. The middle of the R in 'TRUE' and the middle of the P in 'PIZZA' was hand done as the offset distance overlapped at .25". If you want to change this in AI. hit "a" for direct select tool and click on the line, once selected hit your "v" key. A will select the line and then v will select the line everything it is connect to. You can also do this by selecting and ungrouping the lines. Once you have just the middle of the R or P selected hold Alt + Shift, click and drag a corner, this scales what you have selected proportionately from the center.

If you want a step by step of what I did on this here is what I did:

1. Ctrl + a to slect all the lines.
2. Ctrl + c to copy
3. Made new layer
4. Ctrl + F To paste in place on new layer
7. After pasting changed stroke color to 100% M, fill color 0%
8. With everything selected Object > Expand appearance (need to do this before nromal expanding when a gradient not sure why it needed to have me do it after I changed the line color but it did, normally you don't need to take this step).
9. Object > Expand, make sure fill and stroke are selected. This changes the simple line with a stroke, into a shape with a fill.
10. Ctrl + C
11. Create New Layer
12. Ctrl + F
13. Delete 100%M fill layer.
14. select everything on offset layer.
15. Window > Pathfinder > Unite (top left on pathfinder window looks like 2 combined squares together).
16. Looked through lines and made adjustments accordingly.

Hopefully this helps and if you do need to redo it you can. If not let me know and hopefully I will be able to help you.

 

[Alex L]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vS35R4qrCtNSPK3TVuW5UXPrwJB5AOhi/view?usp=sharing

Try that. I believe you wanted it at .25" offset, let me know if that is not correct. If they end up on the same layer select a magenta line, go to Select > Same > Stroke Color. Ctrl + C to copy then delete the selection, create a new layer and then Ctrl + F to paste in place on top.

Take a look at it very closely as it was just a cut and dry offest because of the line and the distance. The middle of the R in 'TRUE' and the middle of the P in 'PIZZA' was hand done as the offset distance overlapped at .25". If you want to change this in AI. hit "a" for direct select tool and click on the line, once selected hit your "v" key. A will select the line and then v will select the line everything it is connect to. You can also do this by selecting and ungrouping the lines. Once you have just the middle of the R or P selected hold Alt + Shift, click and drag a corner, this scales what you have selected proportionately from the center.

If you want a step by step of what I did on this here is what I did:

1. Ctrl + a to slect all the lines.
2. Ctrl + c to copy
3. Made new layer
4. Ctrl + F To paste in place on new layer
7. After pasting changed stroke color to 100% M, fill color 0%
8. With everything selected Object > Expand appearance (need to do this before nromal expanding when a gradient not sure why it needed to have me do it after I changed the line color but it did, normally you don't need to take this step).
9. Object > Expand, make sure fill and stroke are selected. This changes the simple line with a stroke, into a shape with a fill.
10. Ctrl + C
11. Create New Layer
12. Ctrl + F
13. Delete 100%M fill layer.
14. select everything on offset layer.
15. Window > Pathfinder > Unite (top left on pathfinder window looks like 2 combined squares together).
16. Looked th

rough lines and made adjustments accordingly.

Hopefully this helps and if you do need to redo it you can. If not let me know and hopefully I will be able to help you.

Mate you're a star! Thank you!

 

[Adam Vreeke]

Mate you're a star! Thank you!

No problem, super happy to help, let me know if you have any other questions.