AI question: text outlines

[Felsir]

Hi,

I usually work in Visio for my vector artwork, however there is one thing Visio isn't very good at: text  
I've been experimenting in AI to create an effect and I can't get what I want. My question is how to achieve the following effect in vector?

I made the image in Gimp by typing text, selecting the text and 'grow' the selection. Then I stroked the selection white and filled it with a gradient (colours are also for the sample they're not in the image to be pretty   )
I couldn't find a way to 'grow' or 'expand' a vector selection in the similar way in AI. I also searched the web for a turorial but couldn't find it...
Any ideas?

[simplygriff]

This may not be what you're looking for but if you select the object you want to grow then grab one of the corners while holding shift and alt it will enlarge from the center while maintianing the same aspect ratio.  In order to do this with the same objects you'll have to make copies and align them to their centers.  I dont' think you can really grow a "selection" in AI as you can in say Photoshop.  Just the differnt paths and objects.  Hope this helps.
-G

[mahuti]

(all commands below are for a mac... pc equivalent is probably the same, except using control key)

Select text.
Copy text.
Lock text.
Paste text in back (command b)
Convert text to outlines (command shift o)
Set outline to a very large size... approximating your "grow" size (you may have to adjust the miter limit)
Merge text into one object
Select "outline stroke" from "object > path" menu
Remove any compound paths, etc.
Now you have a "grown" object

That should get you close. Sounds like a lot to do... I do most of this with key commands all the time, so I don't notice it. Maybe there's an easier way now, but that's the way I've been doing it since version 5.

[simplygriff]

Mahuti's solution would probably work better.  I wish I had AI here at work.
-G

[HaRuMaN]

bah...  get SodiPodi...  it's better, plus its free

[rdagger]

Select "outline stroke" from "object > path" menu

Works for me with Object-Path-OFFSET PATH.

[Felsir]

Thanks! That is what I was looking for!

[Felsir]

After a bit of testing I managed to make this (see attachment). It's based on this logo.
I'm going to experiment a little more to create a decent design for my own.

[simplygriff]

Cool.  Did you draw that arcade font or is that just one that could be downloaded?  I really like that.  I've got one like it called Juice but that looks a little more hand drawn.
-G

[Felsir]

I downloaded the font from DaFont. The font is called Searfont, you can download it here (bottom half on the page).

[simplygriff]

Nice!  Muchas Gracias!  Nice site too.  Haven't seen that one before.  Might have to go on a font collecting spree again.
-G