How to warp text or shapes into an arc
Arc text and shapes in Vectornation by Zaweba with one of 15 warp styles, Envelope distort, or by setting type along a curved path.
Arcing text or a shape is done with warps in Vectornation by Zaweba. There are 15 warp styles, each with bend and distortion settings, and an arc is one of the most used. For more control, Object > Distort > Envelope distort bends artwork inside a shape you can edit. And for text that simply runs along a curve, path text sets the letters on a line you draw.
Each method gives a different look, so the first decision is which effect you want.
Three kinds of curved text
Warped text is bent as a whole. The letters stretch and squash to fit an arc, getting taller at the top of the curve or wider at one end. It is the classic look on badges, shop signs and retro logos.
Text on a path keeps every letter its normal shape and simply lines the letters up along a curve. That is what you want for text around a circle, such as the words on a seal or a stamp.
Envelope distortion fits the artwork into a container you can shape point by point. It is the most flexible, used when a warp preset doesn't quite match the curve you need.
Using a warp
Select the text or artwork and apply a warp. Pick an arc, or try the other styles among the 15 to see how each one bends the artwork. Set the bend for how strongly it curves and the distortion settings to skew it horizontally or vertically.
Warps are live, so the text stays editable. Change the wording and the new words are arced the same way. Adjust the bend later from the Appearance panel without starting again.
Using Envelope distort
Envelope distort gives three ways to make the container. Make with warp (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W) starts from one of the warp shapes and then lets you edit it further. Make with mesh (Ctrl+Alt+M) puts a grid over the artwork that you can pull about. Make with top object (Ctrl+Alt+C) uses a shape you have drawn, such as a curved banner, as the envelope; place it on top of the artwork, select both and choose this command.
Once made, Edit contents changes the artwork inside, such as the wording, while keeping the envelope. Release takes the artwork back out unchanged. Expand fixes the distortion into ordinary paths.
Setting text on a path
Draw a curve with the pen, or use an arc or circle, then click on it with the type tools to type along it. The letters follow the curve without distortion. Vectornation supports path text alongside area text, so this is a built in part of its type tools.
Getting tidy results
Strong warps distort letters noticeably. A gentle arc looks deliberate; a deep arc can make letters at the ends look stretched. If the result looks uncomfortable, reduce the bend or switch to path text.
Use bold, simple typefaces for warps. Thin serifs and fine strokes become uneven once bent.
Expand an envelope before sending it to a cutter or to a printer whose software may not understand live effects. Keep an unexpanded copy so you can change the words later.
Shapes as well as text
Everything here works on artwork, not just type. Arc a row of stars over a badge, wrap a pattern around a curved banner, or bend an illustration to sit on a mug mock up with Make with top object.
Curved text is one of the details that makes a logo or label look finished. With warps, envelopes and path text, Vectornation by Zaweba gives you the right tool for each kind of curve.
