Text using an illustration as fill-HELP!

[Bruce_Snelgrove@adobeforums.com]

Good Afternoon

I'm hoping someone will take the time out to assist me.

I have aheadline and an illustraion of a US flag. I would like to use the flag as fill for the text. The problem is when I try to layer it, the text is missing half the flag.

Does anyone know how to use the entire image as fill in a fixed headline?

any help would be appreciated.

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

Embed image. Put in back of type. Select type and image. Command - 7.

[hitpawz@adobeforums.com]

Gary is right, but if you say that the text is missing half the flag, you'll have to adjust the flag to fit the text (or vice versa). I'd suggest modifying the flag.

If the flag illustration is illustrator (vector) art, then use the envelope distort / make with mesh (object menu) to extend it in the areas it's missing the text. I would only use a 1x1 grid and simply stretch the corners. If your form gets whacky, try adding more controls when initially creating the mesh.

If the flag is photoshop (raster) art, then you'll have to edit it there or simply scale/rotate the whole thing to encompass all of the text.

Another option is to create a tile pattern out of the flag, but you'll probably run into some logistical problems with that approach.

Honestly, you can create a perfect flag pretty quickly in illustrator and can use the envelope distort to give it some wave and have it form fit your text.

One more thing to try is put the text on top of the flag and select both and pick envelope distort / make with top object. That "might" give you something interesting enough to go with, but the flag will have to be vector art to work.

I'm not certain that it's imperitive to embed the image to mask it. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

Nope, it can be linked.