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Creating a simple “flying” ribbon banner

You can use envelopes to create a warped shape or other distortions to selected objects. When you apply an envelope, you can still go back and edit the original objects at any time. You can also edit, delete, or expand an envelope.

In this exercise, you’ll learn how to make a simple ribbon-like banner using a preset warp shape.

Creating the logotype

You can make an envelope out of objects in your artwork, or you can use a preset warp shape or a mesh object as an envelope.

1. Type in some text.

Select the selection tool () in the toolbox. Then click on your text to select it.

2. Choose Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Warp.

3. In the Warp Options dialog box, select Preview to preview the effect of changes.

4. Drag the Warp Options dialog box by its title bar so that you can see the dialog box and the selected type in the artwork.

5. Choose Rise from the Style pop-up menu, and set the Bend amount to 100%. This will create a ribbon effect. Click OK.

Making the ribbon shape

Now you'll create the ribbon envelope shape by copying the text you just warped and releasing its type from the envelope shape, and then deleting the type copy.

1. With the text still selected, use the selection tool and Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to a blank area of the artwork to make a copy.

Now you have two identical pieces of text.



Next, you'll release the copy type from the envelope shape.

2. With the copy still selected, choose Object > Envelope Distort > Release. Releasing the type separates the original text from the warp shape and leaves both selected.

 

You've used the copy of the type as a template for the warp shape. Once the shape is created, you can delete the type copy because you no longer need it.

3. Click in a blank area of the screen to deselect the artwork. Then click the released type to select it.

4. Delete the type by pressing Backspace or Delete.

You'll enlarge the envelope shape and remove its mesh points. Then you'll place it behind the logotype on the package design.

5. Select the selection tool () in the toolbox, and click the banner shape to select it.

6. Choose Object > Path > Offset Path. Leave the Offset amount set to 10 pt, and click OK.

A larger banner is created outside the boundaries of the gray, original banner.

8. Click the Color palette to make it active, or choose Window > Color to display the palette if it's not visible on-screen.

9. With the larger banner still selected, paint the banner whatever colour you like. I chose an orange fill and a stroke of none.

Putting the Text onto the ribbon banner

1. Using the selection tool (), click the smaller gray banner and delete it.

Now that you've created the larger banner, the original warp shape is no longer needed.

2. Drag the text onto the orange ribbon. If the text disappears you will need to change the stacking order or arrangement of the two different paths.

3. With the text still selected, choose Object > Arrange > Bring to Front. The text should now appear on top of the ribbon.

Stylizing the ribbon banner

To complete the banner and logotype, add some drop shadows and transparency to give the artwork more dimension and sophistication.

1. With the banner still selected, choose Effect > Stylise > Drop Shadow.

In the Drop Shadow dialog box, make sure that preview is selected and play around with the X and Y offset values until you get the drop shadow you want.

Your ribbon banner is now complete. If you want to change the colours of the banner or the text, it’s easy to do so. Just click on the banner and you can change the fill and stroke as normal.

If you want to change the text, select if first and then choose Object > Envelope Distort > Edit Contents. This command lets you access just the type for editing. The type is selected automatically.

For my final ribbon I changed the text to white and the ribbon to red.

The last step is to group the text and ribbon together.

Select them both and Choose Object > Group to group them. You can now move them and select them as one.