Stroked circle array

[Daf57]

Hey gang!

I'm wondering if there is a quick and easy way to create an array of decreasing diameter stroked cirles. I've attached an image of my attempt and you can get an idea of what I'm after. The way I did it was to create the initial circle path, stroke it, then duplicate the layer and use shift+alt to scale the new layer. The problem with the way I did mine is that scaling a duplicate of the original layer also decreases the stroke size. I'm wanting all the strokes to be the same size. I'm wondering if there is a way to automate it for both ease and for precision as I would like each subsequent circle to be the same distance from the previous. Precision is important in this application (3D bump map for circlular tiled floor).

Additionally ... looking for method of cross sectioning said circle pattern like a pie, from the center.

I have both PS and Illustrator so if it's easier in one that's fine.

Thank you so much for any ideas!

Daf

 

[Tom Mann]

Turn on the grid ( edit / preferences / guide,grid & slices).

Set the spacing so that the number of the number of grid lines is greater than about 3x or 4x the number of circles that you want. This ensures you have enough grid lines to snap to.

Make sure "snap to grid" is on (... under the view menu)

Keep hitting shift-U till you activate the ellipse (path) tool.

In the settings for this tool, select "shape", no fill, whatever type (ie, solid, dashed, etc.), width, and color of stroke that you want, hit the "gear" button and select "circle" and "from center".

Move your cursor to the intersection of the center of the canvas, and pull a circle out from the center.

Make the radius of the circle snap to successive guides. If you are having problems getting a good "snap", turn off all other "snap to's" except "snap to grid".

Repeat the last two steps till you get the number of circles that you want.



HTH,

Tom

 

[Tom Mann]

PS #1 - The procedure is almost identical in PS and AI, so it doesn't really matter which you use.

PS#2 - When you say "cross section like a pie", do you mean that you just want to add some radial lines (say, every 30 degrees), or do you want to pull each of the slices of the pie radially outward a bit so the "pieces" look separated?

Tom

 

[Daf57]

Hi Tom - thanks!!

I'm using Photoshop CS5.5 Extended ... I can't seem to find the settings for the Ellipse tool there, or rather there is no option for no fill with the shape layer. Was that part of the new shape tools with CS6? Maybe I should use illustrator?

Yes, just radial lines every nth degree, please.

Thanks again!

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Daf -

In CC 2014, these options are here:



Unfortunately, I don't have cs5.5 on any of my machines, so I can't be absolutely certain, but to the best of my memory, I don't think these options (or their location) have changed much between 5.5 and CC2014.

Tom

 

[Daf57]

I don't seem to have much of that. Not the gear for sure. Screen below

 

[Daf57]

Arrgg - don't see this bit in Illustrator - hit the "gear" button and select "circle" and "from center". I can pull out a elliptical shape but it's oriented to the direction I pull. Will keep trying tho ... thanks!

 

[MrToM]

The problem with the way I did mine is that scaling a duplicate of the original layer also decreases the stroke size.

Strange.

The normal behaviour when transforming a layer with a stroke is that the stroke stays constant.
Effects are independent of the pixels on the layer in terms of 'quantity'.....a 4px stroke applied to a square will still be a 4px stroke regardless of that square being 100x100px or 2000x2000px.

You can use Layer > Layer Style > Scale Effects to adjust any layer effects afterwards to counteract the fact that effects do not automatically scale with transforms but this is more like a 'get out of jail card' really.

I'm wanting all the strokes to be the same size.

Well, unless you have 'rasterized', 'flattened' or 'merged' the layer then this is exactly what should happen....the stroke should stay constant.

For some reason the 'normal' operation isn't working for you so in answer to your question:

Method #1. Apply stroke before transform.
1. Create your circle by whatever method you choose.
2. Apply a 'stroke' effect to that circle.
3. HOLD Ctrl/command + Alt/option and press 'T'.
4. HOLD Shift + Alt/option and drag any corner control handle of the transform to scale the circle inward, or type in the values in the tool bar.

The stroke should stay constant.*

5. Accept the transform by pressing enter or clicking the 'tick' at the top of the workspace.
6. HOLD Ctrl/command + Alt/option + Shift and press 'T' again.....this should repeat the previous transform.
7. Keep pressing 'T' for as many circles as you need.

* If this doesn't work then try this instead:

Method #2. Apply stroke after transform.
1. Do steps 1-7 as above but OMIT STEP 2.
2. Once you have your concentric circles apply the stroke effect to one of them.
3. HOLD Alt/option and click + drag the 'fx' icon on the right hand side of the layer with the stroke effect, to another layer.
4. Repeat this for all the layers where you need a copy of the stroke effect.

This is the quickest way I know to repeat a transform, as to the stroke scaling, well, method 1 should work, method 2 definitely should.

As Mr Mann has already mentioned, its unusual for behaviour like this to change between PS versions.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[hawkeye]

Unless I am not understanding your goal, it seems to me that the blend tool in Illustrator would be the easiest approach. Draw an inner circle and an out circle, then with the blend tool set the number of steps or the specified distance.

 

[Daf57]

Thank you so much everyone! The blend tool worked perfectly and was easy enough for a rookie, like me, to handle.

 

[Hoogle]

Polar grid tool in illustrator select it drag it out tap left arrow on keyboard to remove cross sections tap up arrow to increase circles

 

[ALB68]

Hawkeye..you da man!
Some of the other comments are like asking what time it is and getting an explanation of how to build a Timex watch. Speed and simplicity here,,1 minute tops.

 

[IamSam]

I'm late to post in this thread but I did have one thing to add for anyone who may view this thread later down the road.

There's no doubt that Illustrator is the better way to create this image/effect. You have had some great suggestions here.

This can certainly be done in Photoshop. My issue was that using a stroke left me with many layers that in CS6, I could not combine (i could make it smart object, but this limits the ability to edit). I preferred to create a single SHAPE layer.

I used the grid (as Tom Mentions) setting the spacing to the width I desired for my circles/rings.

I then created a shape in the size of the largest of the rings.



Reduced it's opacity so I could see the grid....



I set the Path Operations to 'Subtract Front Shape'.........



.......and created the next ellipse shape to the next grid line. This of course removes the center leaving a ring.



Change the Path Operations to "Combine Shapes'.



Create a new shape to the next grid line.....



Repeat until done.

Change the opacity back to 100%. Turn off the grid.
Now I have 1 shape layer.......no strokes.



Then I used the Line Tool and a step and repeat process to create my pie shape separator....



Highlighting the two shape layers I subtracted the front shape.

 

[hawkeye]

Polar grid tool in illustrator select it drag it out tap left arrow on keyboard to remove cross sections tap up arrow to increase circles

Good call.

 

[ALB68]

or you can double click on the tool icon and set the options there..number of elipses, make them a compound path,number of radial dividers.

Polar grid tool in illustrator select it drag it out tap left arrow on keyboard to remove cross sections tap up arrow to increase circles

 

[Daf57]

Thanks again everyone! Got some great replies here and I really appreciate it!!