Attempts of a kind of Halftone Lines in VS



  • Part 1
    This Part here, some basic information about the tools I use

    Part 2
    About Line Grids and using the width Tools

    Part 3
    Using Envelope, Blend and clipped Shapes with the width Tools

    Part 4
    Using a transparency Mask on Stroke Profils

    .
    .
    First of all i like to mention, Repeater was not used 🙂

    I used these Tools here from left to right:
    Stroke Width Tool, Stroke Width Brush, Stroke Smooth Brush
    and the Stroke Width Eraser Brush
    0_1660041074730_Stroke width Tools.png
    .
    .
    Here my tries

    I think most of you know that we could use the "Stroke width Brush"
    to paint a Profile onto an Stroke/Line.
    ( Brush Size could be change with Up- and Down-Keys )

    0_1660041214711_Stroke Width on a Line.png
    .
    .
    But I was not really aware this would also possible with multiple Lines.
    And these Lines do not have to be selected for this !

    Seperated Lines work the best.
    Here a Result with seperated Lines.

    0_1660041308186_Seperat-Lines-Result.png
    .
    .
    That's it for this Part.
    The next Parts will show possibilities how all this can be modified.

    Have fun being creative 🙂



  • Part 2

    You have few ways to get those Lines in VS.
    Copy or duplicate a Line.

    Or using the "Line Grid Shape" and break the Lines
    apart then to get single Lines.
    Menu > Object > Break Apart (Ctrl-K) Win
    (Command-K) Mac

    0_1660209314856_Line Grid Shape.png
    .
    .
    Double click the "Line Grid Shape Tool" (Left Mouse Button)
    brings some Options up. You could change the space between
    the Lines or their angle.

    The Shape Panel, Menu > Panels > Shape give you the same
    Options but stay open.

    0_1660209463259_Shape-Panel.png
    .
    .
    And then you could start painting with the "Stroke Width Brush".
    But i have to mention a few things.

    The "Stroke Width Brush" will not work perfekt, like a real Brush.
    But you could refine your Result with the "Stroke Width Tool".
    and as the Picture below is symmetrical, i edit just one half
    and mirror it.

    0_1660209931610_Headphone-1.png
    .
    .
    Here is a video about editing with the "Stroke Width Brush"
    and the "Stroke Width Tool".
    The "Style Picker Tool" is also useful to copy a specific line style
    or to restore the original state of the lines.

    Tip for the Style Picker:
    Select the Style Picker and hold down the CTRL key (Win) / Command key (Mac)
    to temporarily bring up the "Transform Tool". This will speed up the line selection.

    Video see here, re-upload

    0_1660211626239_Width-Tools.png



  • Part 3

    What else can be said?

    For deforming effects, the grid can be inserted into an
    "Envelope Shape Effect" and then deformed.

    Finally, you can place the Line Grid with the Evenvelope Shape,
    into a Clipped Shape.
    So that the Line Structure extends only over a defined area.

    And the "Stroke width Brush" works even with this Variants
    without any Problems.

    0_1660584201728_In clipped Shape.png

    I think with all these possibilities that are shown here,
    you can certainly do a thing or two.

    That all so far.
    Have fun exploring and trying for yourself.
    .
    .
    This Pic is made with the "Wave Grid Shape"
    0_1660584313232_Fish.png
    .
    .
    The Line Structures in this Pic is made with Blend and
    inserted in a clipped Shape.

    0_1660584624993_Sundown.png



  • Part 4
    Using a transparency Mask on Stroke Profils
    .
    .
    Video is at the End of this Post.
    .
    With Part 3 i actually thought that my experiments with Halftone
    like Lines were finished. But there was still a thought ticking in
    my mind to find another way to create such halftone lines in VS.

    I did know that Masks could be used in VS to hide parts of objects.
    So after searching a little in the PDF Manual i found a option with
    Masks on Stroke Profils, which I like to show here.
    .
    .
    (Btw a very special thanks to @freggern 👍 who created the PDF Manual
    and keep it up to date. Its really really helpful, especially when you are
    searching for certain Keywords.)
    .
    .
    .
    Ok, back to the option i found. In VS you could give a Object a Role
    and one of these Role which are helpful for our needs is the
    " Transparency content ". A Object with this Role would react like a Mask.
    .
    .
    1
    To start, lets create a Line Grid as described in the Parts above,
    to refine your Line Grid call the Shape Panel.
    Menu > Panels > Shape

    1b
    When you are happy with your Line Grid, Break it apart.
    Menu > Obejct > Break Apart
    Because separated lines worked best in my experiments.

    0_1661078689609_Line Grid.png

    2
    Select the Object that will become the Mask, and apply
    the Role " Transparency content " to it.
    Select your Object and choose:
    Menu > Object > Object Role > Transparency content

    0_1661078783975_Star.png

    3
    Select all your Lines and call the "Stroke Width" Panel
    Menu > Panels > Stroke Width.

    3b
    In the Upper right of this Panel call the Panel Menu
    and choose: " Adjust Profil with Mask "

    3c
    A Panel with Settings appear, in the Drop down Menu "Mask"
    (upper left) you have plenty of options, but select just your
    Transparency Mask Object.
    .
    .
    If everything is working fine, you should see your Mask Objekt
    as a Pattern in the Line Grid.

    You could play with the Settings to refine your Result
    a bit. Could not explain everthing. Because it is also
    somewhat new to me. 🙂

    But try to set smoothing to a small Value 1 or 2 for Example.

    Tip
    If you dont see a Result, select all your Lines and try
    to make the Line Width thicker. This will not disturb
    your Result.
    .
    0_1661079100255_Mask Stoke Profile.png
    .
    .
    At least a few editing Tips.

    Tip 1
    One helpful Trick is to select your Lines when you finisch
    and try different Line width.

    Tip 2
    Is to set your Mask Object into an invisible Frame before
    you apply the Role "Transparency Content" to it.

    Because i did not find a way to scale a Mask Object and this is
    the best Workaround i found.

    Tip 3
    For better looking Halftone Lines set Subpixel to 8x8,
    16x16, 24x24 to get much more crispier Lines
    Menu > View > Subpixel
    .
    .
    Thats it, have fun to stretch your Imagination 🙂

    Here the Video, showing the Steps, re-upload

    0_1661079744920_Mask Stoke Profile.png
    .
    .

    Below a few Examples. Like to mention that this Methode
    work also with Grayscale / B/W Bitmaps.

    0_1661087611160_Head.png

    0_1661087664248_Text.png

    0_1661087716765_Bitmap-Test.png

    0_1661089327522_Pattern.png

    0_1661089979002_Wave.png
    .
    .
    In this Example below i create some Lines with Blend.
    Expand them to get seperated Lines and put a Mask Shape
    on the Stroke Profil.

    0_1661104090405_Mask on Blend.png



  • Thanks a lot for all these cool experiments ! 👍



  • @Devil-Dinosaur

    Thank you, it's always surprising, even for me, to discover
    what @VectorStyler has wrapped up in the package.