Correct distortion of text?

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Janne
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Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Thu Jan 15, 2015 2:38 am

Hi all

I'm playing with Inkscape as usual and am currently working on this sketch of a book with a text on one of its pages.
I have tried to make the distortion with Envelope ( path editor) and with text on path - skew - and I just can't get it to work.

What am I doing wrong?
Using the path editor with the Envelope option Inkscape responds so very slowly and that might be one of my problems.
I am not an artist - just enjoying Inkscape :)

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brynn
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby brynn » Thu Jan 15, 2015 3:25 am

Hhmm.... Interesting challenge!

To get the perspective that you need, maybe you could find a way to use the Perspective extension. I'd played around with it a little, but it's going to take me some more trial and error, to get a good approximation. But I'd play around with text on path, and then perspective, if I had more time. Because text on path is close.

I'm not sure what you did in the file, because the text wasn't exactly on the path. I took it off the path, and then put back on. And that's pretty close. Add perspective to that, and it might work? I think Perspective can only be done on paths, although I could be wrong. But if you do have to convert to path, be sure to save a copy of the text somewhere, so you don't have to type it again.

Somehow I'd play with combinations of text on path, perspective, envelope def. Using all 3 could get pretty confusing, but maybe 2 of them?

Wish I had more time to work on it. Good luck :D

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ragstian
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby ragstian » Thu Jan 15, 2015 3:34 am

Hi Janne.

What you are after might be easier with the perspective tool.

For use see this thread: http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13201&hilit=+Lighthouse

What you have done so far seems good with regards to "Text along paths".

RGDS
Ragnar
Good Luck!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
RGDS
Ragnar

zerocinquanta
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby zerocinquanta » Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:39 am

Perspective extension is only the first step, you cannot reproduce the curve on the page. The latter could be done with bend.
So, perspective first, then Bend.
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Lazur
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Lazur » Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:49 am

Hi.


I would stick to the envelope deform with this.


To improve on usability, first draw the page without distortion, and a grid on it with right proportions
-like 47/65 cells seems quite "squarish".
After that, draw a distorted grid over the page for visual reference.
You can do that by making duplicants of the page, unconnecting two segments facing eachother, and changing one of the subpath's direction, then
adding an interpolate subpath lpe to it.
That needs two duplicants, one for the vertical and one for the horizontal lines.
(48 and 66 interpolation steps.)

Then, if you combine the text-shape with the grid, you can have a better image on wether it distorts right or not.


With the envelope deform lpe, I found it better if you do not enable left and right edge deforming, but still some will appear there since the top and bottom distortion is not completely parallel.
You may get a better result, if you try with only lines of the text and not with a full page.
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Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Thu Jan 15, 2015 9:08 am

Thank you all for your answers - I'll go into them all as I wish to learn this 'by heart'! Something apparently simple is actually a challenge :)

Yes, I put the text on path, Brynn, and them I just moved it slightly without moving the path with it! :D

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Thu Jan 15, 2015 11:44 am

I couldn't get the Perspective to work - tried different things such as offset of the original shape and using Perspective on the text which then appeared upside down.
Tried the grid method but need an explanation ( detailed :) ) on that.
Returned to Envelope distortion and ended up with this.

It's not done yet and I am still not an artist - just playing and learning.
Know how to use all the snap functions now! :lol:

Lazur
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Lazur » Thu Jan 15, 2015 11:57 am

Off topic:
Fun fact, that a few days ago someone asked how to improve on a diamond's shading he was working on at inkscape chatboard, and it looks somewhat a similar problem.

Suggested to use blender, though it could look a whole new level compared to inkscape.
This took only 15 minutes with it.



Janne wrote:Tried the grid method but need an explanation ( detailed :) ) on that.


Added to the "list".
Maybe it could also call for a feature request at the bugtracker.

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:39 pm

Yes, my 'diamond' is not a diamond but it was good for exercising the snapping tools :)
Blender? At my age? Yes,why not - is it free? :) I'll Google that ...

Please make a tutorial, Lazur, when you have the time for doing it :)

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ragstian
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby ragstian » Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:49 pm

Hi.

Quote;
Blender? At my age?


Yes indeed. Almost same age here!

I'll bet you will spend the first ten minutes with Blender trying to tear your hair out, but don't give up!
The user interface takes some getting used to as it's different from anything you have used before.
There are a lot of great beginners tutorials "out there".
Please "show off" your first blender creation!

"The book" is coming along nicely!

RGDS
Ragnar
Good Luck!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
RGDS
Ragnar

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Thu Jan 15, 2015 10:54 pm

Thank you for your positive attitude, Ragnar :)

zerocinquanta
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby zerocinquanta » Fri Jan 16, 2015 12:31 am

Janne wrote:I couldn't get the Perspective to work - tried different things such as offset of the original shape and using Perspective on the text which then appeared upside down.
Tried the grid method but need an explanation ( detailed :) ) on that.
Returned to Envelope distortion and ended up with this.


Hi, Janne.
Be sure 1) Perspective box has only four nodes, starting from the bottom left, clockwise (if the text is uspide down, the node sequence has to be modified); 2) text to deform has to be top no z-order (or anyway higher than the perspective box).
After Persective extension, apply Bent.
Cheers,
Marco
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Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Fri Jan 16, 2015 4:33 am

THANK you, 050 - I'll absolutely try that solution! :)

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Fri Jan 16, 2015 6:22 am

I'm having so much fun with Inkscape.
I tried to use the book's page for the Perspective, deleting 2 nodes first and the program came up with this solution! :lol:

hulf2012
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby hulf2012 » Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:14 am

Janne wrote:I'm having so much fun with Inkscape.
I tried to use the book's page for the Perspective, deleting 2 nodes first and the program came up with this solution! :lol:

Hello:

You have to be very carefull with the order of the points of the frame path. Pay attention here:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL ... erspective
If you have problems:
1.- Post a sample (or samples) of your file please.
2.- Please check here:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/index.html
3.- If you manage to solve your problem, please post here your solution.

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:00 am

Thank you, Hulf! It just sounds logical to me ( now) that the order of the points has to be chosen carefully ( I just didn't think of that). Thank you for your link!

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:29 am

Redrawing the book's page now with attention on order of nodes.
Perspective and Envelope distortion.

What about this result? :)

zerocinquanta
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby zerocinquanta » Fri Jan 16, 2015 6:23 pm

Janne wrote:Redrawing the book's page now with attention on order of nodes.
Perspective and Envelope distortion.

What about this result? :)


Good. IMHO, after Perspective, you've to try path/path effect editor/bend on your text. I think you can better manage the gentle curve of the page.

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:27 am

Thank you, 050 - I actually tried the Bend method but I was not satisfied with it and therefore I used the Envelope Distortion.
My problem is that whatever I do with those tools I have to wait 5 seconds for the distortion to take place because Inkscape responds so slowly. I have even tried to work on that text in an empty ( new ) document but it doesn't seem to help.
I'm working on a Samsung Premium Ultrabook with Windows 8,1- Intel Core i7 2.5 Ghz - 8 GB ram and it's limited what I can do with it.
Working on objects with blur to them is quite impossible so I add blur to the desired objects in the very last minute before saving my work.
Inkscape doesn't respond faster working on layers or hiding objects.
Honestly I don't think that my PC will be able to run Bender but I'll give it a try :)

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ragstian
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby ragstian » Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:35 am

Hi.

Your PC's spec's is more than good enough to run Inkscape at an acceptable speed.
(At our age - why hurry!?)
You just have to "tweak" Inkscape a little.

On Inkscape 0.91pre3 r13670 - I set my preferences; (Shift - Ctrl - P)
Rendering:
Image
Set the "Gaussian Blur" and "Filter Effects" according to your "image complexity"
- it's always a tradeoff between quality and speed.

You can also speed up the rendering by "turning off" the filters by selecting;
- View - Display mode - No filters

Hope this helps.

To get the lines "correct" for your book page;
Draw a curve of the top and then one for the bottom of the page (following the page top and bottom outline),
select the two and use the extension - generate from path - interpolate.
Example here; (As an engineer I have to have my square pad :) )
SVG Image

BTW: Your PC will run blender without problems,
if you have a GPU on your screen card you can speed up the rendering process a lot,
google "blender gpu rendering" fo instructions on how to set up.
The blender interface uses a different renderer for screen updates
than Inkscape and performance is never an issue (until the "final render"
where you generate the image itself).

Happy Inking!
RGDS
Ragnar
Last edited by ragstian on Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:15 am, edited 3 times in total.
Good Luck!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
RGDS
Ragnar

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:01 am

Thank you so much, Ragnar - where do you want me to set up your monument? :D
I'll follow your instructions and be an even happier Inkscaper :)

Oh, I love those Spiro's too :)

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:52 am

Ragnar, I'm still using Inkscape 0.48 waiting for the stable release of 0.91 but if the pre version is stable I'll install that.
I don't have the Render settings but I have set the Filter options as shown here :)

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ragstian
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby ragstian » Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:40 am

Hi.

No need for a monument - a little "Thank you" (and a smiley face) every now and then keeps me going for a long time!

I have been using the developers version and have not experienced any bad problems - save often
(or enable timed auto-save, mine is saving every five minutes - never loose more than five minutes work)

Your preferences in filters are doing the same thing.
(I have my Inkscape installed in "C:\Graphics\" - by keeping it here I can "install" a new version by
renaming the "C:\Graphics\Inkscape" to "C:\Graphics\Inkscape_OLD"
and COPY (Not install!!) the Inkscape directory from where I
unzipped it - into "C:\Graphics\".
Switching between different versions is then
just a matter of renaming two directories.)

Quote;
Oh, I love those Spiro's too :)

A little "Spiro - Tutorial";

SVG Image
(You can save this SVG file and open in your own Inkscape -
right-click the image (Above) and use "save link as" (Firefox) or
"Save target as" (Internet Explorer).

BTW: Did the changes to your preferences speed things up?

Happy Inking!
RGDS
Ragnar
Good Luck!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
RGDS
Ragnar

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Sat Jan 17, 2015 5:20 am

Thank you again, Ragnar, I believe that is was speeding Inkscape a bit up setting the options to average.
And yes, I have tried to create my own 'brushes' using your technique above and editing the outcome on the canvas - it's absolutely amazing!
This is one of the features where Inkscape is far ahead of Adobe Illustrator CS2 ( I haven't 'worked' with a newer version of Illustrator since then and I don't know if they have learned from Inkscape! :D )

Thank you also for pointing out how to 'install' a new version of Inkscape - I thought that I would have to uninstall my present version before installing the new one.
I have used autosave but ticked that option off a couple of weeks ago.

Janne
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Re: Correct distortion of text?

Postby Janne » Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:39 am

Lazur, I cheated and used Trace Bitmap - I don't have Render installed yet :)


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