In the realm of graphic design, Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool that empowers designers to create visually stunning and dynamic artwork. One of its unique features is the ability to make text follow a path, allowing designers to create captivating and eye-catching compositions.
The ability to make text follow a path is an extremely useful option because it allows you to create eye-catching designs and typography that flows along custom shapes or curves.
My name is Kerry and I have been exploring Adobe Illustrator and all of its offerings to find the best methods of creating engaging projects. In this article, I will guide you through the steps to make text follow a path in Adobe Illustrator.
Are you ready to combine typography and graphic design? Here we go!
Contents
Key Takeaways
- You can add text in Adobe Illustrator by clicking on the Type tool that is found in the main toolbar on the left side of the working space.
- In order to make text follow a path, users first have to create a path by adding a shape or curve to the project.
- To make text follow a path, users can click on the “Follow option found in the Type on a Path” tool and manipulate it to follow curves, shapes, and more!
Why Make Text Follow a Path in Adobe Illustrator
Text on a path is a powerful feature in Adobe Illustrator that allows designers to push the boundaries of traditional typography and create visually compelling designs.
By employing this technique, designers can emphasize visual hierarchy, enhance aesthetics and creativity, incorporate text into shapes, convey themes or concepts, add depth and dimension, and overcome spatial constraints.
Whether it’s for advertising, branding, or artistic expression, utilizing text on a path offers a versatile and impactful way to elevate the design and captivate the audience. By converting the text to outlines, you transform it into editable vector shapes that can be manipulated like any other object in Illustrator.
How to Make Text Follow a Path in Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator provides a robust set of tools that make it an excellent choice for creating and manipulating elements of a project in a variety of ways. By converting the text to outlines, you transform it into editable vector shapes that can be manipulated like any other object in Illustrator.
Follow these steps to learn how to make text follow a path in your Adobe Illustrator project:
Step 1: The first thing that you will want to do is launch Adobe Illustrator and create a new document to work off of. You can do this by going to File > New or using the shortcut Ctrl/Command + N.
Set the document size and other properties according to your preferences and click OK to create the new document.
Step 2: Next, you need to create the path along which you want the text to follow. There are several ways to create a path in Illustrator. You can use the Pen Tool (P) to manually draw a custom shape or use any of the shape tools, such as the Rectangle Tool (M) or Ellipse Tool (L) to make shapes.
For example, let’s say you want the text to follow a curved path. Select the Pen Tool (P) and click on the canvas to set the starting point of the curve. Then, click and drag to create a curve by adjusting the direction handles.
Continue adding points and adjusting the handles to create the desired curve. Once you’ve created the path, you can modify the anchor points to edit shapes further using the Direct Selection Tool (A) or the Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C).
Step 3: Use the Type Tool (T) to add text to your Illustrator document.
You can also adjust the font, size, and other text properties using the options in the Character panel (Window > Type > Character).
Step 4: Choose Type on a Path Tool from the toolbar under the Type Tool menu.
Click on the path and the text will appear on the path.
You can adjust the position and appearance of the text on the path. Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), you can move the text along the path by clicking and dragging it.
To further customize the appearance of the text, you can apply various text formatting options, such as changing the font, size, color, or applying effects from the Appearance and Character panel.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Adobe Illustrator provides a powerful and flexible toolset for creating dynamic designs with text following a path. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily make text flow along custom shapes or curves, opening up a world of creative possibilities for your graphic design projects.
We would love to hear from you! Do you have any tips on making text follow a particular path in Adobe Illustrator? Comment down below with any feedback about this topic or additional contributions that you would like to share!
