For many designers and illustrators, Adobe Illustrator is an essential tool for creating stunning graphics and designs. One powerful feature that Illustrator offers is the ability to convert text to paths, which allows for greater flexibility and control over the appearance of text within a design. In this article, we’ll explore how to convert text to paths in an AI file and why it can be beneficial for your design work.
What is “converting text to paths” in Illustrator?
In Illustrator, text is initially created and displayed as editable text objects. This means that you can easily change the font, size, and content of the text using the type tools. However, when you convert text to paths, you are essentially converting the text into a vector shape that can be manipulated like any other vector object in Illustrator.
Why convert text to paths?
There are several reasons why you might want to convert text to paths in Illustrator:
1. Preserve the design: When you convert text to paths, you essentially lock in the appearance of the text, preventing any unintentional changes to the font or formatting. This is especially useful when sharing files with others, as it ensures the design remains consistent.
2. Customization: Converting text to paths allows you to creatively manipulate the text in ways that are not possible with editable text. You can apply effects, distort the text, and incorporate it seamlessly into your designs.
3. Compatibility: Converting text to paths can also be useful for ensuring that your text displays correctly across different platforms and devices. Since the text becomes a vector shape, there is less risk of font compatibility issues.
How to convert text to paths in Illustrator:
1. Open your AI file in Adobe Illustrator.
2. Select the text object(s) that you want to convert to paths using the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool.
3. With the text selected, go to Type > Create Outlines, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+O (Windows) or Command+Shift+O (Mac).
4. The selected text will now be converted to paths, and the original text will be replaced by the vector shapes representing the letters.
5. You can now manipulate the converted text as you would any other vector shape using the various tools and options available in Illustrator.
It’s important to note that once text has been converted to paths, it is no longer editable as text. Therefore, it’s a good practice to keep a backup of the original editable text in a separate layer or hidden in the same file, in case you need to make changes later.
In conclusion, converting text to paths in Adobe Illustrator can be a valuable tool for designers, offering greater creative freedom and control over the appearance of text within a design. Whether it’s for preserving the design, customization, or compatibility reasons, knowing how to convert text to paths can greatly enhance your design workflow in Illustrator.
