Creating Images on a Path

Creating Images on a Path

Sometimes you may find it necessary to take an image duplicate this image so that it flows along a predetermined path.

Here’s how we create the image.

Figure 1

1. For any exercise it is best to keep it simple. Create one large circle and 2 small circles. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

2. Now select the two small circles. See Figure 3

Figure 3

3. Now we need to create a blend. Go to EFFECTS|BLEND and select the blend tool – see Figure 4.

Figure 4

4. The blend tool will “dock” to the right side of the window – see Figure 5.

Figure 5

5. For this exercise you can leave the steps to 20. The steps are the number of circles that will be created in the blend. With the two small circles selected click on the “Apply” button. You image will look like Figure 6.

Figure 6

6. Now drag your “blend” on top of the larger circle. See Figure 7.

Figure 7

7. Once you have selected the blend you will notice that the path button in the blend docker is active. See red box in Figure 8.

Figure 8

8. Now click on the path button – red box in figure 8.
9. You will be presented with a menu. Select “New Path” as per Figure 9.

Figure 9

10. Now move your cursor over the drawing. Your cursor will turn into a bent arrow as per Figure 10.

Figure 10

11. Click on the circle. Your image will look like Figure 1.
12. To get rid of the big circle you can click on the circle and right click on the “X” in the colour palette which will get rid of the outline colour. You can also go into the ARRANGE menu and select the “break blend apart”. This will allow you to select the big circle and get rid of it.

Figure 11

What the circle is not filled up? No problem

13. Make sure that all the images are selected.
14. Now if you want to add circles to the big circle you can increase the number of steps in the blend docker. Type in the number 25 and click the “apply” button. See figure 11 – remember the original was 20 steps.

15. Okay, you like the fact that there are 22 circles on your large circle but you want them to evenly be spread out along the large circle. To do this you need to make sure that all the images are selected. Click on the “blend along full path” in the blend docker window and than click on “apply”. Figure 12 shows the command in the blend docker.

Figure 12

16. You have spread out the smaller circles but you want the circles to be made bigger. There is a couple of ways to do this. I will show you the way I do it. Open up the Object Manager. To adjust the size of all the circles we need select the two original circles that we created. The way I do this is select them in the Object Manager. Select the two circles as per Figure 13. Select the circle in the blend first. Than hold down the shift key and select the 2nd circle.

Figure 13

17. Now drag the scale handles and make the circles bigger. See Figure 14.

Figure 14

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