creating dotted lines

[gautamz07]

i am sure this should be relatively easy , but just don't know how ?? , i basically want to create something like this :



notice the "dots" are actually rectangular .

now this can be achieved with the pen tool and than using a brush and doing "stroke path" but there is a problems :

-- with the pen tool its difficult to get the circular shape .

is there a better way of doing this ? or does it just require better precision with the pen tool ??

i wanted to create such lines and use it like in a picture like this :



if somebody can give me a really vague idea , as to how i could , it will be great .

Thanks .

Gautam.

 

[hawkeye]

Set the angle jitter to Direction under Shape Dynamics in the brush engine.

 

[dv8_fx]

Hawkeye's procedure is the widely known way of doing it using the brush tool.


Graphics like this I'd usually do in another vector application. But in cases I have to do it directly in PS, here's another way..... my crazy way....


If you know how to create and adjust text on a path, this may work for you.

Create your path with the pentool..... Use the Type tool to create/add the dots on the path.





You can use any font you wish. But a normal text font will produce squarish shapes rather than dots even if you use the period key. Which is why I will always use a dingbat font for the dots. In this example - ITC Zapf Dingbat . For dingbat fonts, this is usually the lowercase L in your keyboard. I also lowered the baseline shift to -5 so the dots will ride on the centerline of the path.

And depending on the font size you use, I'd add two or three or so spaces in between dots.

You can reshape the path as you wish even with dots in it.

When you're satisfied with what you've created, rasterize the text layer.


Hope this helps .......

 

[IamSam]

Pen Tool

Set to Shape.
Turn off Fill.
Set the stroke width.
Set shape stroke type.



Create the path you like.

 

[gautamz07]

Thanks @ Iamsam @Div8_fx hawkeye ... will try ur techniques over the weekend @Div , i really liked ur crazy technique

 

[gautamz07]

IamSam , ur technique worked right out of the box .

@div8_fx i was really interested in ur technique and tried it out , below is the result .. not dots , jst hearts :



the psd is here : View attachment dotted Lines.psd

well i have a few questions , suppose i try out ur style div , now i drag a path ... see the image below :



somehow if i start typeing from startpoint(see the image above ) , it will type the letter once and then not move further , so i have to start from center point . Why ?

BTW , @div UR technique is awesome and crazy .. which is kindda my cup of tea hehe .

Thanks .

Gautam .

 

[dv8_fx]

I don't have CS on and not a good idea for me to run it while I have CorelDrawX running with a huge work file loaded...... A hassle to restart the computer if it hangs.

But try not to type near the endpoint - half an inch from it will do and you can always move the text to the end later. by hovering your pointer while having your Text tool selected at the beginning of the first letter and dragging the handle point that appears to the end position or anywhere you want.

Glad you found use for it. But the technique is not unique but merely an adaptation/variation of a Corel Draw procedure into Photoshop......



edited .... pointer positioning.....

 

[Rich54]

The reason that you could only type a few characters is that the text is set to "Centered". Wherever you start typing on a path, the text wants to center itself on that spot, so the text that wants to move toward the left of center has nowhere to go. If you have Centered text then you need to start typing near the center of your path. If you change the text to be Left-Justified then you can start typing from the beginning of the path.

 

[dv8_fx]

Good call Rich54.

 

[gautamz07]

Thanks rick54