Infinity Sign

[neftin]

I wanted to make infinity sign for a poster but I just started studing Adobe Illustrator. Do you have some kind of template that I can use as a starting point. If I make something of my own I will submit it as well. Also, I wanted to mention that www.hplearningcenter.com gives free, mentored courses in Adobe Illustrator. It would be a good idea to learn how to make images.

Jean Neftin

[TraceyS]

Hi Jean,

What version of Illustrator do you have?

The infinity symbol is found in most fonts, and the easiest way to find it is to use the Character Map. (Go to your Windows Start Menu>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Character Map.) I'm not sure if there is a Mac equivalent?

Scroll through the Arial font, and you will find the infinity symbol about two thirds of the way down. Copy the character and paste it into your illustrator file.

NOTE! This will only work in Illustrator CS! This latest version of illustrator uses a new text engine that is much more functional than the old one. (For more info, read this post about the new text engine in the Adobe Illustrator Forum.) Illustrator 10 does not appear to support the infinity symbol as a text element and it will appear as a question mark.

Once you have the symbol in the illustrator file, you can keep it as text, or you can make it into a compound path by right clicking on the text box and selecting "Create Outlines."  This then lets you select the anchor points and move them around - play with the text a little.

If you wanted to practice making symbols, you could trace around the outside of the infinity symbol using the 'pen tool' and the 'convert anchor point tool'.

Let me know if you have Illustrator 10 and I can send you a file with a compound path version of the infinity symbol in it.

Hope this helps,
Tracey

[neftin]

Dear Tracey,

I have both 10 and CS. I got CS because I wanted to learn how to make 3D shapes. They talk abou it on the tutorial website I mentioned before.

Thank You Very Much For Your Help!

Jean Neftin

[neftin]

This is strange. I tried "copy" infinity in CS version and came out as a question mark. I think there is something wrong with my Illustrator.

Let me to play around with it. Maybe I can figure something out.

Jean

[TraceyS]

Hi Neftin,
Have you figured out what is happening with your infinity sign?
Have you checked that you are using the right font? (The default is myriad and I'm not sure whether that has an infinity sign or not, but I know that Arial does.)
Just let me know if you want me to post a non-text version for you.
Cheers,
Tracey

[neftin]

If it is not too much trouble, can you please post non text version ?

I have one more "smart" question. Do you use pen table like ones sold by wacom? I was thinking of buying one to help me trace pictures. What do you think?

Again, I am sorry for troubling you.

Sincerely,

Jean Neftin

[TraceyS]

Hi Jean,

I have attached a file with the non-text version of an infinity symbol for you.

NB: There are two files for each post, a .gif (for preview purposes only) and an .ai file. You need to download the .ai file.

I don't use a graphics tablet, but I've definitely been thinking about getting one! I've been using the pencil tool more often lately for symbols (or parts of symbols) that don't need to be exact, and a tablet would make using that tool a lot easier.

Hope this helps,
Tracey

Edit: Vector version now available at:
http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/displayimage-6591.html

[neftin]

Thank You very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Jean Neftin