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Create a text poster using Image Trace

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Learn easy ways to convert your handmade text designs into a digital logo, a font, or more.

Watch a quick video tutorial and get started

Watch this 56 seconds video to learn how to create a poster using Illustrator. 

This article covers the design journey of a promotional poster using Image Trace and Text on Path features of Illustrator. 

Reading time: 7-8 minutes
Skill-level: Beginner to Intermediate

Before you begin

Ensure to read these before you start creating your artwork:
Hero image

Digitize your handwriting in 4 easy steps

Step 1: Sketch the text and import into Illustrator

Start with creating the text on a piece of paper. We have created a numbered text using the brush pen.

Then, click a picture of your text or scan your text and import the picture file in Illustrator.

Import hand painted text

Step 2: Trace the image using Image Trace

After the file is imported, do the following to apply Image Trace options:

  • Choose Window > Image Trace. In the Image Trace dialog, do the following:
  • Choose Mode as Black and White.
  • Try out different threshold values using the slider and pick the one that works the best for your image.
  • Select the Preview check box to view the changes in real-time.
  • Select the Ignore white check box in Advanced Options to remove the white background areas of the image.
Image trace

Step 3: Expand the traced image

After you complete the image tracing, you can edit the image. To do this, expand the image using the Expand button in Image Trace options in Control panel.

Expand image

Step 4: Ungroup, combine, and rearrange objects

Ungroup objects

Ungroup the letters

Right-click the image and choose Ungroup to ungroup the expanded object.

Combine objects

Path finder

Combine the stray points of each individual letter using the Unite shape mode in Pathfinder
(Windows > Pathfinder).

Rearrange objects

Rearrange

Rearrange the letters and then place on the background, like the way it's shown in the image above. Change the color to white.

Create more text for the poster

After the traced image is placed on the background, let's add more text to the poster along a circular path.

Step 1: Create a circle

ellipse tool

Long press the Rectangle tool and select Ellipse or press L. To create a perfect circle, press the Shift key and then draw the circle.

Step 2: Create a path 

Type on path

Long press the Type tool and select Type on a Path Tool.

Step 3: Create text along the path

Add your text

Click on the ellipse anywhere and write the text for your poster.

Step 4: Add the text along the selected path

  • Select the path type object. A bracket appears at the beginning of the type, at the end, and at the midpoint.
  • To move text along the path, drag the center bracket along the path. 
  • Flip the brackets to write on the other side of the path.

Similarly, you can create multiple circles and add text along the paths. 

Edit the path

Final artwork

poster

In this article, we explained how to edit your image by customizing the Image Trace options. Alternatively, you can trace an image using a predefined preset and then fine-tune it according to your requirements. Try out the presets to find the one that works best. 

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