Designing a board game
- Thread starter tina
- Start date
Thanks for replying. Yes I'm learning - albeit slowly! I also have the drawing mat but it seems it isn't possible to 'trace' on the mat and have the pic show on the screen. Maybe it is but I can't seem to make it happen!
I don't think so. I understand the layer thing. I have my design on a large sheet of paper in perfect rounded shape. That's what I want to somehow transfer onto the screen so it can be altered and resized and ultimately professionally printed.
I think it's too big to scan but taking a photo of it and importing could work. I'll give it a shot today. Thanks so much for your help
scotty
Ultimate Member
I think it's too big to scan but taking a photo of it and importing could work. I'll give it a shot today. Thanks so much for your help
I tend to take a pic rather than scanning things just because it's quicker and I only use it as a guide for working up in vectors.
If you have any problems just post up an image on here and people will do their best to advise you.
Good luck!
I tend to take a pic rather than scanning things just because it's quicker and I only use it as a guide for working up in vectors.
If you have any problems just post up an image on here and people will do their best to advise you.
Good luck!
Thanks Scotty. The photo idea worked and it is now a vector. The 'path' is divided into squares (as on most board game paths) and the squares now need to be in four alternating colours. As it was traced over, the squares are made from simply tracing the lines throughout the path, as opposed to making little squares and joining them all together. With this in mind, can you advise on how to make them coloured please? Thanks again
Paul Murray
Ultimate Member
You'll need to use Illustrator's Pathfinder tool to cut the shape up into sections – https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-pathfinder-panel--vector-3306
scotty
Ultimate Member
^^^Like Paul says^^^
Not entirely sure without seeing it but...
If you have a shape (say a rectangle) and you want to divide this into smaller shapes use the 'line segment tool' or 'the pen tool' to draw lines in the places you like to cut the shape. Then go to the pathfinder (window > pathfinder) select the shape and the lines an click the 'divide' option. This will cut the shape into sections where you drew the lines.
Then 'ungroup' what you have and it should leave you with pieces of the original shape.
You can the do what you want with the individual objects.
The original object will need to be a closed path though, as in all the edges must be joined to make a closed shape with no gaps.
Hope this makes sense.
Not entirely sure without seeing it but...
If you have a shape (say a rectangle) and you want to divide this into smaller shapes use the 'line segment tool' or 'the pen tool' to draw lines in the places you like to cut the shape. Then go to the pathfinder (window > pathfinder) select the shape and the lines an click the 'divide' option. This will cut the shape into sections where you drew the lines.
Then 'ungroup' what you have and it should leave you with pieces of the original shape.
You can the do what you want with the individual objects.
The original object will need to be a closed path though, as in all the edges must be joined to make a closed shape with no gaps.
Hope this makes sense.
Hi again gentlemen
After much trial and error we're still not quite there. I've attached a hand drawn pic of the 'path'. It's actually a double infinity symbol (it seemed easier to called it a figure-8 in my initial post to save having to explain what a double infinity symbol looked like.)
It's all fine until creating the intersections, then it all gets messy with lines everywhere! Any further advice
greatly appreciated.
After much trial and error we're still not quite there. I've attached a hand drawn pic of the 'path'. It's actually a double infinity symbol (it seemed easier to called it a figure-8 in my initial post to save having to explain what a double infinity symbol looked like.)
It's all fine until creating the intersections, then it all gets messy with lines everywhere! Any further advice
greatly appreciated.
scotty
Ultimate Member
EDIT. I refer to your loop as a path but also a line/shape in Illustrator is called a path so I hope this doesn't confuse.
One way would be to draw over the loops with a single line/path using the pen tool.
I'd take as much time as needed to get the curves and the shape of it right at this stage.
Just draw through the middle of the loop and make sure it joins up again.
When you're happy with the shape, Just bump up the line width up to how you'd like it.
Select it then go to Object > Paths > Outline Stroke.
This will create a shape from the original line but you'll not be able to edit it in the same way as before.
You should notice that there will be an overlap where the paths cross.
With the image selected still, go to your Pathfinder window and select the "Divide" option and ungroup the selection.
You should now have it split into its separate parts.
It should look very similar to what you've drawn it this point without the rest of the tiles on the path.
Now your intersections should be just a single shape or tile.
You can leave them like this or, if you don't want a tile on the intersection, select that and the part of the loop that you'd imagine would
be on top, then "Unify" in Pathfinder.
To get all the individual tiles just draw lines crossing over it where you want them and with the whole thing selected go to your Pathfinder
window again and hit "Divide".
This should cut it all up into tiles.
Don't forget to ungroup them. When you use the "Divide" option it always groups them together.
That should 'hopefully' work but ask if you struggle.
One way would be to draw over the loops with a single line/path using the pen tool.
I'd take as much time as needed to get the curves and the shape of it right at this stage.
Just draw through the middle of the loop and make sure it joins up again.
When you're happy with the shape, Just bump up the line width up to how you'd like it.
Select it then go to Object > Paths > Outline Stroke.
This will create a shape from the original line but you'll not be able to edit it in the same way as before.
You should notice that there will be an overlap where the paths cross.
With the image selected still, go to your Pathfinder window and select the "Divide" option and ungroup the selection.
You should now have it split into its separate parts.
It should look very similar to what you've drawn it this point without the rest of the tiles on the path.
Now your intersections should be just a single shape or tile.
You can leave them like this or, if you don't want a tile on the intersection, select that and the part of the loop that you'd imagine would
be on top, then "Unify" in Pathfinder.
To get all the individual tiles just draw lines crossing over it where you want them and with the whole thing selected go to your Pathfinder
window again and hit "Divide".
This should cut it all up into tiles.
Don't forget to ungroup them. When you use the "Divide" option it always groups them together.
That should 'hopefully' work but ask if you struggle.