Problem with OPERATIONS and Font Scripts

[graphxlord]

I have a script with several letters that I need to combine and then stroke, I must combine them or else the stroke is overlapping other letters and does not achieve the desired effect. The problem I am having when Combining or Adding from the OPERATIONS tools the center of the Loops in the letters aren't being knocked out, except for the "o" in the word "Lord". I am stuck and I can not figure out what I am doing wrong. Please Help :-) Thank You!

Please take a look at the screenshots below...

[lepr]

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[Alfred]

11 minutes ago, owenr said:

After converting the text to curves, which creates a group, select all of the objects inside the group except for the "holes" and do Add.

Drag the newly created object to the bottom inside the group, so all of the "holes" are above it, then select everything inside the group and do Subtract.

Now the "holes" will have been cut out.

 

Alternatively, ungroup the group and 'Divide', which will give you separate shapes for the "holes". Now 'Add' the "holes" and cut them to the clipboard, and then 'Add' the remaining shapes, paste the "holes" back in again and 'Subtract' them.

 

[graphxlord]

Is there not a way to just "tear" a hole into the "D A L" and just create new loops?

For example, in PS I can just hold down the ALT key to drag an elliptical object to create a negative space in the existing vector object.

Do we not possess a similar short cut in AD? Thanks Guys!

[graphxlord]

 

37 minutes ago, owenr said:

After converting the text to curves, which creates a group, select all of the objects inside the group except for the "holes" and do Add.

Drag the newly created object to the bottom inside the group, so all of the "holes" are above it, then select everything inside the group and do Subtract.

Now the "holes" will have been cut out.

 

 

I have attempted this but when I convert to curves there are no "holes" separate from the letters, there are only letters.

[lepr]

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[graphxlord]

26 minutes ago, Alfred said:

 

Alternatively, ungroup the group and 'Divide', which will give you separate shapes for the "holes". Now 'Add' the "holes" and cut them to the clipboard, and then 'Add' the remaining shapes, paste the "holes" back in again and 'Subtract' them.

 

I got lost about half way through this one Alfred but I remembered that I can use the Blend Mode and Select "Erase" where the holes are and that did the trick!!! YAY! Thank You Gentlemen for your assistance!

[Alfred]

6 minutes ago, graphxlord said:

 

I have attempted this but when I convert to curves there are no "holes" separate from the letters, there are only letters.

 

You need to 'Divide' the curves objects (i.e. the a, L, o and d) to separate out the "holes".

 

[lepr]

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[MikeW]

Type a new text string. Group the text. Seems dumb, but do it. Now add your outline.

[lepr]

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[graphxlord]

1 hour ago, MikeW said:

Type a new text string. Group the text. Seems dumb, but do it. Now add your outline.

Tried it, loved the simplicity of it but just did not work for me, if you actually can get this shortcut to work please make a video. So far using the technique described by Alfred plus using the blend mode and selecting "Erase" has been the only method that has personally worked for me.

[Alfred]

11 minutes ago, graphxlord said:

So far using the technique described by Alfred plus using the blend mode and selecting "Erase" has been the only method that has personally worked for me.

 

I’m confused, @graphxlord. You previously said that you got lost halfway through my method, so in what sense did it work for you?

 

[lepr]

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[lepr]

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[graphxlord]

7 minutes ago, Alfred said:

 

I’m confused, @graphxlord. You previously said that you got lost halfway through my method, so in what sense did it work for you?

 

Sorry Bud, here is what I used from you, "Alternatively, ungroup the group and 'Divide', which will give you separate shapes for the "holes"."

At that point I just found the holes or loops and selected them, then I went to the blend mode and chose "Erase" and it Worked

[graphxlord]

5 minutes ago, owenr said:

 

Did you not get the required result by following my instructions which you gave a "like"?

 

No Owen, It just stroked the individual letters and they overlapped each other, that wasn't the look I was going for. I liked your instructions for how they sounded, simple. Unfortunately, the didn't get the desired effect in the end.

[Alfred]

6 minutes ago, graphxlord said:

Sorry Bud, here is what I used from you, "Alternatively, ungroup the group and 'Divide', which will give you separate shapes for the "holes"."

At that point I just found the holes or loops and selected them, then I went to the blend mode and chose "Erase" and it Worked

 

I see now, thanks. Sorry for being so slow on the uptake!

[MikeW]

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/56065-script-font-overlap-transparency-issue/

 

This is as regards just the letter overlap on a connecting script.

[graphxlord]

3 minutes ago, MikeW said:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/56065-script-font-overlap-transparency-issue/

 

This is as regards just the letter overlap on a connecting script.

Exactly, I def see this guys issue, unfortunately the issues for me begin when you add a stroke. The Stroke will be visible on the neighboring letter instead of the stroke finding the outer most line of the scripted text.  I hopefully have found the solution as I have described above with the using "erase" in Blend mode.

[MikeW]

But did you see the work-around I posted? It works fine with every script font I use.

[lepr]

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[toltec]

4 hours ago, graphxlord said:

Exactly, I def see this guys issue, unfortunately the issues for me begin when you add a stroke. The Stroke will be visible on the neighboring letter instead of the stroke finding the outer most line of the scripted text.  I hopefully have found the solution as I have described above with the using "erase" in Blend mode.

 

You do need to be careful when using the erase mode. It can erase everything below it, not just the part of the letter, so it is not always a perfect solution.

 

For example, the hole in the b has been set to erase. It has also erased the background. The hole in the a is "normal" so does not.

 

There are also issues with using erase if you export the file as SVG. See what happens below.

 

It is not transparent, but white.

 

 

 

 

 

[MikeW]

Oops. Sorry. I thought that since transparency was fixed with this grouping thing, the outline problem would as well. Should have started the computer and checked before posting. 

 

I did uncover a funky little big, though.

[R C-R]

Hi @graphxlord! Regarding operations that make holes or loops in shapes, this illustration may help:

As it shows, the Add operation just deletes a shape that is fully enclosed by another shape, so that is obviously not what you want. But subtracting a shape from one that encloses it creates a "Curves" layer with the path of the smaller object defining the shape of the hole. This also works if you subtract several shapes from one that incloses all of them, as with the "L" shape. For this to work properly, note that the stacking order in the Layers panel is important: the enclosing shape must be below the enclosed ones.

 

You also must perform the subtraction operation on each set of enclosed shapes & the one that encloses them separately (like the 2 loop shapes & the enclosing 'loopless' one of the "L" shape). So for example, from your first screenshot the W & L outline shape is an enclosing one & the two loops of the L are its enclosed ones that should be subtracted from it. It is hard to tell exactly how your layers are organized, but most likely those three shapes are all part of one "Curves" layer. If so, use the Divide operation on that layer, make sure the 2 loop shapes are above the outline shape, select all 3 & subtract to get that part of the logo into its own "Curves" layer that preserves the loops.

 

It is hard to tell from the screenshot how many shapes are in the "ar" part but the basic procedure is the same: divide any "Curves" it includes as needed to break it down into individual enclosed & enclosing "Curve" layers, place all the enclosed ones above the enclosing one, select them all, & subtract to get a "Curves" layer that preserves the loops. Do the same separately for the "ords" part, & if you want you can group the 3 resulting "Curves" layers (WL, ar, & ords) together to make it easier to edit them as if they were a single object.

 

My apologies if I am covering anything you already know about, but I hope this will help with anything you don't.