lablover 218 Posted September 10, 2015 I need to recreate this because the client only has this low grade file. Is there a font like this? Or is it time to start drawing? Thanks all Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jburns 239 Posted September 10, 2015 inkscape should do a decent job in tracing---but redrawing with a Beizer tool would be quick - and then you can draw the black part separately. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark-s 1,126 Posted September 10, 2015 Could use Futura LT Pro Italic and rework it. mark-s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted September 10, 2015 Here's a manual trace, was bored and have some free time. SCS.eps 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lablover 218 Posted September 10, 2015 Clearly I need to learn AI better...Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primal Decals 621 Posted September 10, 2015 Here's a manual trace, was bored and have some free time. hey Darcshadow, how do you do your tracing? i use vector magic which does good 75% of the time. I havent learned how to use it in ai yet. Thanks bud Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lablover 218 Posted September 10, 2015 hey Darcshadow, how do you do your tracing? i use vector magic which does good 75% of the time. I havent learned how to use it in ai yet. Thanks bud Same question here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted September 10, 2015 Just did a manual trace in Inkscape using the bezler tool. For a simple design like this it's pretty quick and easy. For more complicated designs I'll give the auto trace in Inkscape a go and then node edit as necessary to clean it up. This would be a good design to practice on. I started with tracing the white portion of the letters. Then I added an outline to the letters till I got the desired thickness of the red line. Then duplicated the letters and shifted them down and over to get the drop shadow effect. Then trace the black lines and you're done. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primal Decals 621 Posted September 10, 2015 Thanks i will have to check it out in inkscape, i try to use Ai Just did a manual trace in Inkscape using the bezler tool. For a simple design like this it's pretty quick and easy. For more complicated designs I'll give the auto trace in Inkscape a go and then node edit as necessary to clean it up. This would be a good design to practice on. I started with tracing the white portion of the letters. Then I added an outline to the letters till I got the desired thickness of the red line. Then duplicated the letters and shifted them down and over to get the drop shadow effect. Then trace the black lines and you're done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted September 10, 2015 I'm like mark-s, I prefer to find the closest font possible which is usually worth the effort, then modify the last little bit to match and then draw in the rest. In this case all the outline/offset work and shadow would be pretty easy. Joe, in AI if you decide to trace by hand I bring in the pic and reduce the opacity to near 50% then lock it. I also suggest it is large enough to work with even if you have to enlarge it. Then draw on top like tracing a picture on a light board. There are definitely some techniques for proper placement of nodes. I would recommend purchasing a quality built vector file from someone like SignTorch (forum member). He might even have a few freebies on his website. That guy is a class act and really has superb technique and looking at his work will give you an idea what to aim for. You may find that you end up hiring it out sometimes but I'm a proponent of the DIY school and like to figure things out for myself. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted September 14, 2015 Same steps can be using in AI, I'm just more familiar with Inkscape. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sue2 920 Posted September 14, 2015 I'm like mark-s, I prefer to find the closest font possible which is usually worth the effort, then modify the last little bit to match and then draw in the rest. In this case all the outline/offset work and shadow would be pretty easy. Joe, in AI if you decide to trace by hand I bring in the pic and reduce the opacity to near 50% then lock it. I also suggest it is large enough to work with even if you have to enlarge it. Then draw on top like tracing a picture on a light board. There are definitely some techniques for proper placement of nodes. I would recommend purchasing a quality built vector file from someone like SignTorch (forum member). He might even have a few freebies on his website. That guy is a class act and really has superb technique and looking at his work will give you an idea what to aim for. You may find that you end up hiring it out sometimes but I'm a proponent of the DIY school and like to figure things out for myself. Finding the font is the best way to go but when all else fails...TRACE! I hand trace in CorelDraw the same way as WG if I need a vector quick. The auto trace vector programs are frequently not good enough and need lots of node editing. BUT, many times paying an expert to create the vector file is the fastest and therefore least expensive route.... unless you have time to burn and need the practice. Sue2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted September 14, 2015 For manual tracing I do the reverse of Wildgoose, I leave the image 100% and set my lines/fills to 50% opacity, or what ever seems the best for the colors involved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted September 14, 2015 For posthumous clarity, I don't use any fill color or stroke when hand tracing so I can clearly see what I'm working on. I come back through and color things in after the work is done. I DO work through designs in an order that will correctly layer the finished product if at all possible and sometimes I set back and turn on some fill colors on specific objects if it will help keep track of where I already traced etc... I also sometimes modify the default selection line color (layer color) to get a good contrast to the base image, in other words the default layer color in my normal set-up is blue and that sometimes gets harder to see when tracing so I may switch it to orange or red or something. Pretty easy to do in AI. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites