Text wrapping in Adobe Illustrator is a useful technique that allows you to wrap text around objects or shapes in your design. It gives your artwork a more dynamic and professional look. So, if you’re wondering how to text wrap in Illustrator, let me break it down for you.
How to Text Wrap in Illustrator
In Illustrator, adjusting the text wrap options allows you to control how text interacts with other objects in your design. Whether you want to wrap text around a shape or create a custom boundary for your text, understanding these options is essential. In this section, I’ll walk you through the different ways you can adjust the text wrap options in Illustrator.
Adjusting the Text Wrap Offset
One of the key aspects of text wrapping is controlling the distance between your text and the object it wraps around. This is where adjusting the text wrap offset comes into play. By modifying this setting, you can determine how close or far away your text should be from its wrapping object.
- Select the text that you want to apply wrapping to.
- Go to Window > Text Wrap to open the Text Wrap panel.
- In the Text Wrap panel, enter a value for Offset to specify how much space should be left between your wrapped object and the surrounding text.
- Experiment with different offset values until you achieve your desired result.
Customizing the Text Wrap Boundary
Sometimes, using a basic shape as an object for wrapping may not give you enough control over how your text flows around it. In such cases, customizing the text wrap boundary proves helpful as it lets you define precise boundaries for wrapping based on specific paths or shapes.
- Select both your main content (text) and desired wrapping object.
- Open Window > Pathfinder to access Pathfinder tools.
- With both objects selected, click on one of these Pathfinder buttons: Unite, Minus Front, or Intersect, depending on which effect suits your design.
- Once the Pathfinder operation is applied, your text will wrap around the newly created custom boundary.
This technique gives you more flexibility in shaping how your text wraps and interacts with other elements in your composition.
Applying Text Wrap to Grouped Objects
If you have multiple objects that you want to apply text wrap to as a group, Illustrator allows you to do so easily. Grouping objects together simplifies the process and ensures consistent wrapping across all objects within the group.
To apply text wrap to grouped objects in Illustrator:
- Select all the objects that you want to include in the group.
- Right-click on the selection and choose Group from the context menu.
- With the grouped objects selected, navigate to Window > Text Wrap to open the Text Wrap panel.
- Adjust the desired options within this panel, such as offset or custom boundaries, just like you would for individual objects.
Creating Custom Text Wrap Shapes
In this section, I’ll guide you through the process of creating custom text wrap shapes in Illustrator. With this technique, you can add a touch of creativity to your designs by wrapping text around unique shapes that go beyond the default options. Let’s dive in!
Creating a Custom Text Wrap Shape
- Open Adobe Illustrator and create a new document or open an existing one.
- Select the shape tool from the toolbar on the left-hand side.
- Choose your desired shape from the options: rectangle, ellipse, polygon, or any other available shape.
- Click and drag on the canvas to draw your custom shape at the desired size and position.
- Once you have drawn your shape, select it with the selection tool.
Importing an Image to Use as a Text Wrap Shape
If you want to use an image as a text wrap shape instead of creating one from scratch, here’s how:
- Go to File > Place and select your desired image file.
- Click on the canvas where you want to position the image as your text wrap shape.
- Resize and adjust the image according to your preferences.
Remember, practice makes perfect! Experiment with different settings and techniques to find what works best for your specific project. And don’t hesitate to consult Adobe’s official documentation or seek out online tutorials for further assistance.
