Bending text set in Illustrator around a primitive 3D sphere.

[Jon Okerstrom]

Hi Zeke,

Are you anticipating moving the text into position around the radar sphere, either individually or as words? The answer will drive how you handle the sets. You will have to position the sets manually, in any case.

One way that may be able to help you save time is to use text on path in Illustrator to position the letters around a an Illustrator circle, then rotate the letters 90 degrees in Invigorator.

For what it’s worth, the project would be a lot easier in ProAnimator 4…. but if you don’t have that available, it’s doable in Invigorator. Does this help?

Jon

[Dan Brock]

Thanks for your help Jon. Your advice to do it on a path in Illustrator is easier. I was using microtype of the words “Tropical Storm” in a line of repeated words. I did figure out how to build a ring of type vertically (that is on a 90 degree angle on the x axis) in a circular shape by setting it in Photoshop on a line and saving it as a targa file. I then imported the file into AfterEffects6.5 and used that targa file as a layer map in Invigorator Pro on a 3D primitive cylindrical shape with just the sides turned on… I had to adjust the height of the cylinder as to not stretch the .tga file type. So basically, you end up seeing just the text and not the cylinder. It can be manipulated as any other object in Invigorator Pro.

I learn something every time I use Invigorator… it’s a lot of fun figuring these things out.