Jul 29
Using Text Wrap in combination with the Area Type Tool in a compound shape in Illustrator
2009 at 04.41 pm posted by Veerle Pieters
One of the requests I received lately was how you can flow text into a compound shape. To flow text into a shape you use the Area Type tool, but this doesn’t work for compound shapes. In this screencast I show you a workaround to this problem.
What we will create
As you can see the heart shape is a compound path as there is a gap in the middle.
The screencast
If you combine this with the Text Wrap feature, by wrapping the text around the smaller heart we can solve this problem. Then of course we also need to make sure the gap is remained. Let me show you how you can do this...
- Watch the screencast from Vimeo
- Download the QuickTime movie from Vimeo (link bottom right)
- Download the QuickTime movie from CloudApp
Enjoy ;)
Want to learn more?
A good and not expensive source to learn more about Illustrator, Photoshop, or web design is by joining the Tuts+ sites. You get access to the source files for just $9 a month. So your ONE membership gives you access to members-only content for ALL the Plus sites. I've written a tutorial for the Vector Tuts section.
20served
1
I really like this tut!
it is very very usefull!
Thanks a lot!
2
Very nice, thank you.
3
Wow…i never thought about wrapping the text around the inner shape. Great tutorial and solution to a problem that I think many designers run into!
Thank you!
4
Awesome effect; I like how you’re doing more videos to explain how you do these kinds of things. Good work!
5
Terrific, as usual, thanks so much!
6
Thanks a lot Veerle…Great Tutorial!
7
I prefer the text+pics versions rather than the videos… Makes it easier to backtrack and study in depth.
But I do enjoy your little musings, giggles and “oops’es” ;-)
8
Very good. You always make complicated things so simple to understand. Thanks a lot.
9
Wow Veerle, your tuts are always so simple and understandable. Thanks! I have a “related” question…
If you have a a point with one handle how do you add another handle WITHOUT changing the curve? The only way I know is using the Pen tool with ALT, but that either flattens the point to no handles, or ads two handles and throws the curve out.
10
Thanks so much for this Veerle, the new video tutorials are fantastic.
11
Thank you for commenting. Happy to hear you like it :)
Francois Carstens said:
I’m afraid holding down the Alt/Otption key while click dragging is the only way. Of course if you do that you create a curved point. To maintain a smooth bezier curve you need to make sure you drag this second handle in the exact (180°) opposite direction of the 1st handle. In other words the 2 handles together should form 1 straight line. Unless of course you want such corner. I only use this method if my intention is to create a corner otherwise chances are that your curve has small hickups. I usually edit my handles after (or during) I’ve drawn the path segment. By holding down the Command key I reduce or enlarge the length of the handle or I reposition the point or change the direction of the handle a bit. I also try to draw a path with as less points as possible, which means that I sometimes add a point afterwards if needed.
12
totally cool post I really like it, thanks :)
13
Very usefull tutorial! Have been searching for this one time but couldn’t figure it out. Thanks a lot!
14
@Veerle: Well, thanks! I guess I’ll just have to be more patient. Like a friend of mine always says; Speed is a by-product.
15
What a lovely heart! A good idea to make a surpise for your girlfriend or friend on next valentines day :)
16
excelente tutorial!!! 5 stars!!
17
I’m loving your new video tutorials, they are very easy to follow, big thumbs up.
18
This is perfect for wedding invitations and thank you cards for our photography studio. Thanks for the post!
19
Thanks for, yet again, teaching me something new.