Help editing a vector please :)

Phamous1

Phamous1

New Member
Butterfly.jpgButterfly.jpg Hello all! I'm not the best at vector manipulation and I have been asked by a client to alter this butterfly vector and I'm a bit stumped.

They have asked me to make the top wings of the butterfly the same size as the bottom wings. The thing is - it's a ribbon-style infinity design. So if I alter the size of the top wings, the ribbons no longer meet to give the infinity effect.

I did not create this icon from scratch - I bought it from Shutterstock. I'm a bit stuck as to how to achieve this.

Is anyone able to help?
 
I think you would be better off starting from scratch.

Are they sure they want it looking like 88 and not a butterfly?!
 
I personally wouldn't try to alter it. I'd re-draw it the way you want using it as reference as you might get into all sorts of difficulties and it most likely will be more for than doing a new one.

I've found that vectors bought from sites like Shutterstock can be put together in the strangest ways and often include clipping masks and blends where they're not needed.

If you look closely, it's not that well put together anyway.
Some of the paths don't but up to each other on the right wing and there's no reason for that as it should be just a mirror flip of the left side.

One saving grace is that you only have to do one wing and flip it. :D
 
Thanks guys. Yes - it wasn't actually put together like that... that was me faffing around with it! (Still in the roughs stage)

Dammit I REALLY need to learn to use Illustrator better.
 
Oh right.

I would bare in mind what @Wardy says about it looking like an 88 though.
You may end up doing a LOT of work and have that client say "It's an 88" even though you did as you were asked.

You could always post your progression on here and people will generally do their best to help and advise.
The thing with Illustrator is that it's a bit of a learning curve but you have to get stuck in to learn it.
 
scotty said:
Did this really quick to illustrate what Wardy meant about the 88.View attachment 5704
Click to expand...
Ha - yes. But, but... how did you do that? And that it all still fits together as a ribbon design? It's making my brain hurt to try to do what you've just done...

Also - the client just clarified, she wants to bottom wings smaller than the top ones - not the same.
 
Phamous1 said:
Ha - yes. But, but... how did you do that?
Click to expand...

There are lots of ways to achieve the same thing in Illustrator.

Just draw it or even bend a shape around a cylinder (effect > 3D) if you want to get clever.

I'd just start with two identical vertical lines for the end of the ribbon where it joins as a base and work out from there to get the upper or lower part of the loop then mirror it vertically.
You can then be sure that the bit where the front and the reverse (top/bottom) will join together properly as they will have identical spacing.
This would be easier in outlying mode.
Then just tweak the curves until you get the shape you're after.
 
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