Spiral Increasing Size

[Les Nemeth]

Well, there’s such thing as using the best tool for the job.

In this case AI is not the best tool for creating such a pattern, since AI does not create a spiral that would be suitable for this job. Sure, you could create it in AI but it would be laborious.

For this first illustration it’s actually easy, because the dots are equal sizes. Simply create a scatter brush from a circle and stroke the spiral, then adjust the size/scale in the brush options.

In this second illustration the spiral was stroked in photoshop, fast and easy.

However, in both cases I outlined the actual path. Notice that you cannot create such a spiral in AI, where the distance between turns are almost equal, yet it’s focusing down into a single point (sorry for the incorrect terms). The spiral was actually created in a 3D program (Rhino in this case) exported into AI and PS respectively and stroked.

The first image you posted also seem to come from a 3D program. The second illustration you posted can be done in AI cuz the dots are equal sizes.

That’s why I said at the beginning that you need to pick the right tool for the right job to make it faster, so in this case you can combine 3D tools with photoshop or whatever else to make it work. If it needs to be vector, some 3D programs can export vector. If you don’t have 3D program as such, then you can go for the simple solution (equal sized circles) and use AI. Or go for the more elaborate method of using blends – but you will have some playing around to do in that case.

If it doesn’t need to be vector, then PS is fast and easy.

[Marco De stefanis]

Hi les,

thanks for your reply. The constant distance I was talking about was not the one between the curves of the spirals but between the elements that lie on the spiral path. The example you show me (the second one) you made in photoshop it’s exactly what I’m looking for. There the cilcles are always at the same distance from each other. But how you did it in photoshop? And with a custom shape instead of circles?

[Marco De stefanis]

P.S.

the orientation of the shape element should also follow the rotation of the path (problem that you do not have with circles).
Something like this

[Les Nemeth]

Yes, I understood when you meant the spacing between the elements and not between the spiral curves. But what I was trying to say, that you get a very different spiral in AI as opposed to in another program. The distance between spiral curves that I showed are almost linear, whereas in AI it’s not. Anyhow.

Here’s a method you can try. Click on the image to expand, because it’s a big image.

[Marco De stefanis]

Genial!!
Thanks a lot!