How do I make my text follow this curve on this van hatch?

[TheSnowman]

Customer told me today they want the website added to this blue area above the chrysler logo. I thought I'd read on here before (but can't find it now) how to make text follow this arc so I wouldn't have to just keep guessing at the arc on it. I'm using Illustrator CS2, and just want to be done with trial and error on it.

Anyone know the mathematic way to do this?

 

[J Hill Designs]

straight line across, measure down @ center?

 

[HIGHSPEEDGRAPHIX]

pen plot it first

 

[TheSnowman]

I appreciate the tips, but I'm not seeing how this will translate into what I put into Illustrator, unless I don't use the "Arc" selection. I assumed that there would be a way to get a percentage that I'd know was right, that I could input into Illustrator.

 

[bob]

Measure the height and width of the panel top and bottom and at each end as well as the middle.Tape a piece of paper to the entire panel. Entire meaning the full width. Trace the panel on the paper with a sharpie. Remove the paper and lay it flat on a table. Now you have the outline of a 3 dimensional object flattened in 2 dimensions.

Either take a picture of the outline, being careful to keep the camera centered and parallel to the tracing, and import it into whatever software you're using and make it full scale.

Or draw horizontal lines from the top left corner to the top right corner, from the bottom left corner to the bottom right corner, one at the top that just touches the highest/lowest point on the top of the tracing, and one at the bottom that just touches the highest/lowest point on the bottom. The width and the distance between the two top lines and the distance between the two bottom lines will enable you to reconstruct the approximate curve of the panel.

Set your text into either the photo or the recreation and bend it to fit. Cut and apply. You will intuitively think it's not going to fit properly. Trust geometry, it will fit. Perfectly.

 

[Patentagosse]

If you're in the car following the van, this section is supposed to be level so what I do in this kinda situation, I cut it straight and apply it according to the bent of the backglass. If you were going to produce web address kits to supply a big company with branches everywhere and would like to sell "easy-to-install" decals, that would be another story... but if you're gonna apply it yourself, why bothering with arc?

Or maybe I didn't understand the question...

 

[TheSnowman]

I'd normally do that, but this seemed to have more bend than any I've done. I just kinda guessed and got it really close for this, but wanted to know for the next one...even though in 10 years, this is the first.

 

[John Butto]

What Bob says is correct, it is the best way to do it. You can also use transfer paper and lay it on and then trace the curve where you want the copy. Peel off the transfer paper and lay on table or wall and do your measurements.