Width Stamp

Menu items to show and hide the Width Stamp panel can be found in the main menu under Window > Astute Graphics > Width Stamp. If the Width Stamp object is created using one of the main menu Object > Width Stamp > Make… items, the panel will be automatically shown if it is not already open.

Width Stamp Panel

1. Flyout menu

See Width Stamp Panel: Flyout Menu.

2. Panel banner

The Width Stamp panel banner has a help button on the right which opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first. 

3. Make With Top Object button

When the selection consists of artwork that is eligible to be turned into a top-object Width Stamp (at least two art objects, and the topmost object is a path or a group that contains at least one path), the Make with Top Object button will be available. Clicking Make with Top Object creates a Width Stamp object from the selected artwork, using the parameters that are currently specified on the lower area of the panel. The bottom object is used as the grayscale source, while the path(s) above it, which must have a stroke, are used as the contours and will have their widths changed to reflect the grayscale values, according to the width settings and curve on the panel.

Width Stamp Make with Top Object Example

To edit the contour paths that were in the top object once the Width Stamp object has been created, either release the Width Stamp (see Release button) or click the Edit Contours button (see Edit Source Art/Contours buttons).

A Width Stamp (from top object) can also be made using the main menu item Object > Width Stamp > Make With Top Object….

4. Make With Preset button

When at least one piece of artwork is selected, the Make with Preset button will be available. Clicking Make with Preset creates one Width Stamp object for each selected piece of art, using the parameters that are currently specified on the lower area of the panel (to make a single Width Stamp object from multiple pieces of art, group them first). The contours are not created from existing art, but are generated algorithmically, their geometry determined by the type of preset (see Preset Menu below).

Width Stamp Make with Preset Example

A Width Stamp (from preset) can also be made using the main menu item Object > Width Stamp > Make With Preset….

5. Edit Source Art/Contours buttons

When at least one Width Stamp object is selected, the Edit Source Art button and the Edit Contours button will be available. Only one of the two buttons can be active at any time; the active button is distinguished by a darker border. When Edit Source Art is active (which is the default after a new Width Stamp object is created), the source art, which provides the grayscale values, is editable (although it will appear empty), while the contour paths are visible but not editable. When Edit Contours is active, the contour paths are visible and editable, while the source art is hidden and cannot be edited.

Width Stamp Edit Source Art vs. Edit Contours

Note: If a Width Stamp object that was made with a preset is active when the Edit Contours button is pressed, its contour paths become normal editable paths, and the preset parameters will no longer be available to change (in other words, it is as if the Width Stamp had been made using a top object). 

6. Link/Unlink button

When at least one Width Stamp object is selected, the Link/Unlink button will be available. Clicking it toggles between linked and unlinked states. When linked, transformations (moving, scaling, rotating) made to the source art will similarly affect the contour art, and vice versa. When unlinked, transformations can be made to either the source art or contour art independently (however, if the Width Stamp was made from a preset, the Edit Contours button must be pressed before the source art and contour art will become unlinked). 

Width Stamp Edit Linked vs. Unlinked

Note: Illustrator’s Real-Time Drawing and Editing (when using GPU preview) does not properly handle the case of moving the source art when linking is disabled: it appears to move both the source and the contours together, until the mouse button is released. Pressing Shift while moving the source art usually rectifies this.

7. Release button

Clicking Release restores all selected Width Stamp objects to their original component object or objects, which may then be edited and, if desired, made into Width Stamps again.

Width Stamp Release Example

Width Stamps can also be released using the main menu item Object > Width Stamp > Release.

8. Expand button

Clicking Expand “flattens” and removes all selected Width Stamp objects; the resulting variable width paths can subsequently be edited like any other art objects. Each expanded Width Stamp is placed into a group.

Width Stamp Expand Example

Width Stamps can also be expanded using the main menu item Object > Width Stamp > Expand.

9. Width Value 1

(This control may not visible if Hide Curve has been chosen from the panel flyout menu.) Because it is at the top, this value can be thought of as the “maximum” value, although it can be set to any value. When the graph curve is set to the default (a straight line rising from lower left to upper right), it controls the width of the contours where the underlying art is darkest. 

10. Width Value 2

(This control may not visible if Hide Curve has been chosen from the panel flyout menu.) Because it is at the bottom, this value can be thought of as the “minimum” value, although it can be set to any value. When the graph curve is set to the default (a straight line rising from lower left to upper right), it controls the width of the contours where the underlying art is lightest.

11. Graph

(This control may not visible if Hide Curve has been chosen from the panel flyout menu.) The graph specifies the relationship between the width values and the grayscale values in the source art. The horizontal axis represents grayscale values (from white to black), while the vertical axis represents the width amount, specified by the “maximum” and “minimum” value inputs. With the default diagonal line, the relationship is a linear one. 

Width Stamp Graph Examples

Nodes on the curve may be moved simply by clicking and dragging them. A new node may be added by clicking at a spot along the curve which does not already have a node. Nodes (except the ones at the beginning and the end of the curve) may be deleted by dragging them off the graph area. The graph can be returned to its default linear state by holding down Shift and clicking on the thin gradient band underneath it. 

12. Fidelity

Controls how accurately the grayscale levels of the source art are translated to width markers along the strokes of the contours. The value can range from 1 to 10. High values internally rasterize the source art at a higher resolution, and more closely space the width markers along the contours.

Width Stamp Fidelity Examples

13. Smoothing

When using high Fidelity values on a noisy image, the resulting variable width contours may appear “jagged” as their widths change abruptly over small distances. To alleviate this, the Smoothing setting can be enabled. Smoothing acts as a sort of Gaussian blur on the width markers, smoothing the width changes of adjacent markers: 

Width Stamp Smoothing Examples

14. Trim Contours at Min Width

When enabled, contours which reach the “minimum” width (the width specified in the lower Width Value 2 control) are trimmed off at that value. For the typical curve which has a node at the bottom left, this has the effect of removing contours where the underlying image or artwork is white:

Width Stamp Trim Contours

When using Trim Contours at Min Width, a high Fidelity setting is often necessary to keep the shape of the trimmed edges smooth. 

15. Hard

When Trim Contours at Min Width is enabled, and Use Tapering is not enabled, the tips of the contours do not always look pleasing when the underlying grayscale values change from a dark to white in a sharp manner (thereby creating two markers of relatively high width followed by a single marker of zero width at the end of the path). To remedy this, the Hard parameter can be enabled, which forces the contour trim point to be at the next width maker past the minimum width one: 

Width Stamp Trim Contours Hard

16. Use Dashes

When enabled, contours which would normally be below a threshold width will not get any thinner, but will instead change to a dashed appearance, with the dashes getting shorter as the underlying grayscale values get lighter. Dash length depends on the Fidelity and whether Dash Reduction is enabled (the latter setting is not available directly on the panel but can be accessed through the All Settings... dialog).

Width Stamp Use Dashes

The threshold value is specified as a percentage of the minimum-to-maximum range. For example, a threshold value of 25% means the contours will become dashed whenever their calculated width falls in the last quarter of that range. Use Dashes and Use Tapering cannot both be enabled.

17. Use Tapering

When enabled, all contours will have ends that taper to zero width, using the specified length: 

Width Stamp Use Tapering

Use Tapering and Use Dashes cannot both be enabled. 

18. Preset

The popup menu allows a choice of eight different presets, each of which creates contour lines with a different geometry controlled by preset-specific parameters. The presets are Half Grid, Grid, Waves, Zigzag, Concentric Circles, Concentric Squares, Circular Spiral, and Square Spiral: 

Width Stamp Presets

a. Half Grid

The Half Grid preset creates contours that consist of one set of parallel straight lines. The lines can have their spacing and angle specified. 

Width Stamp Half Grid Preset Parameters

b. Grid

The Grid preset creates contours that consist of two sets of parallel straight lines. Each set of lines can have their spacing and angle specified independently. 

Width Stamp Grid Preset Parameters

c. Waves

The Waves preset creates contours that consist of roughly parallel lines which curve back and forth like a wave. Their spacing and angle can be specified, as well as the amplitude and frequency of the waves. 

Width Stamp Waves Preset Parameters

Width Stamp Waves Preset Examples

d. Zigzag

The Zigzag preset creates contours that consist of parallel lines in a herringbone pattern. Their spacing and angle can be specified, as well as the amplitude and frequency of the “zigzags.” 

Width Stamp Zigzag Preset Parameters

e. Concentric Circles

The Concentric Circles preset creates contours that consist of closed, circular paths (or sections thereof) with the same center point. The circles have equal space between them, the value of which can be specified. The diameter of the innermost circle is equal to this spacing value. 

Width Stamp Concentric Circles Preset Parameters

f. Concentric Squares

The Concentric Squares preset creates contours that consist of closed, square paths (or sections thereof) with the same center point. The squares have equal space between them, the value of which can be specified (as well as their angle). The side length of the innermost square is equal to the spacing value. 

Width Stamp Concentric Squares Preset Parameters

g. Circular Spiral

The Circular Spiral preset creates contours that consist of an Archimedean spiral, where each revolution of the spiral lies a fixed distance from the previous one. This spacing value can be adjusted, as well as the angle at which the spiral initially heads, and whether the spiral is in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 

Width Stamp Circular Spiral Preset Parameters

Width Stamp Circular Spiral Preset Examples

h. Square Spiral

The Square Spiral preset creates contours that consist of a square spiral (also described as a 4-angle spirangle). Its spacing value and angle can be adjusted, as well as whether the spiral is in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 

Width Stamp Square Spiral Preset Parameters

19. Color

The color of the preset contours. Clicking the color chip will bring up the standard color picker dialog. To customize the colors (e.g. use different colors for different contours, or use a gradient or pattern for the strokes), convert the preset contours to ordinary paths by clicking the Edit Contours button.

20. All Settings...

In order to remain at a reasonable size, the Width Stamp panel only contains controls for the most-commonly used settings. After clicking the All Settings... button, the Width Stamp Settings Dialog opens, which offers controls for all of the panel settings as well as for several additional lesser-used settings.

Width Stamp All Settings... Dialog

1. Dash Reduction

Available when using dashes, this setting is on by default with a value of 4. It has the effect of combining groups of n consecutive dashes (where n is the setting value, from 2 to 100) into a single dash, to keep the majority of the dashes from becoming too tiny:

Width Stamp Dash Reduction Examples

Higher dash reduction values will often be needed when using Fidelity values of 8 or more.

2. Ignore segments < ___ long

Available when using tapering, this setting keeps contour segments with lengths less than the specified threshold value from being tapered, because tapered short segments may adopt odd shapes due to the way the variable width stroke mechanism works.

3. Split Long Contours

Older versions of Illustrator sometimes had problems rendering variable width strokes on long paths (such as those created when using the Circular Spiral preset), and this setting (enabled by default) breaks long contours into shorter pieces to reduce the problem. It may be necessary to disable the setting when using contours with sharp corners and Miter Joins, as some corners may display a notch if they lie at a path break point.

4. Use Undercoat

When enabled, this convenience function places a filled path with the same shape as the source art (as outlined) underneath the contours; the path has the specified color, which can be changed by clicking on the color chip to bring up the standard color picker. 

Width Stamp Use Undercoat

5. Overprint

This setting is generally only useful in four-color (CMYK) documents destined for print media. When it is enabled, the preset contours will have their “Overprint Stroke” setting turned on.

Width Stamp Overprint

6. Origin

Allows the origin point of the preset contours to be specified either as Relative to Object (the default) or Relative to Artboard. In the latter case, several objects could have Width Stamps with different parameters (such as color) but their contours would look continuous, as if they were created from a single object:

Width Stamp Preset Origin

The origin point is obvious only with the presets Concentric Circles, Concentric Squares, Circular Spiral, and Square Spiral, as these have a clear “center.” 

7. Alignment

Specifies the alignment of the origin point of the preset to either the art object (if the origin is set to Relative to Object) or artboard (if the origin is set to Relative to Artboard), using the standard nine-block control.

Width Stamp Preset Alignment

8. X Offset

Specifies the horizontal offset of the origin point of the preset (after alignment).

9. Y Offset

Specifies the vertical offset of the origin point of the preset (after alignment).

10. Preview checkbox

When enabled, making changes to any of the parameters will immediately update the selected art on the artboard; otherwise, it only updates when the OK button is clicked.

11. Settings Manager pop-up menu

Provides access to the same settings-related menu options as the panel flyout menu (see Width Stamp Panel: Flyout Menu). 

Width Stamp Panel Flyout Menu

1. Hide Curve

The upper section of the panel (containing the width value input boxes and graph) can be shown or hidden using this menu item, to save space. When the controls are hidden, the menu item will change to Show Curve.

2. Recall Last Used Between Sessions

When enabled (check mark appears), the Width Stamp panel’s state will be retained between launches of Illustrator.

3. Width Stamp Preferences...

Brings up the Preferences dialog (see Width Stamp: Preferences).

4. Save Settings...

Captures all of the current parameter settings on the panel to a file, which can be instantly recalled later (either in the current file session or a later one). A dialog will appear through which the file name may be specified. 

5. Manage Settings...

Brings up a dialog through which existing settings files may be renamed or deleted:

Width Stamp Manage Settings Dialog

A. Settings List: Shows all user-saved settings. One or more settings files can be selected for use with the buttons at the bottom of the dialog by clicking on them in the list, with Shift pressed to select contiguously or Command/Ctrl pressed to select discontiguously, as normal.

B. Rename Button: If a single settings file is selected, allows it to be renamed, through a separate dialog. If the Cancel button is used, the original names will be restored.

C. Delete Button: Removes the selected settings file(s). The files are not permanently deleted until the OK button is clicked.

D. Import...: Imports a previously-exported settings package file of type “.wss” using the standard operating system open file dialog.

E. Export...: Exports the selected setting(s) into a settings package file of type “.wss” using the standard operating system save file dialog. This file could be used as a backup or passed to another user.

6. Settings Files

User-defined setting files will appear below the built-in [Default Settings] menu item. Choosing a settings menu item will load the panel with the settings it had when the file was saved; the Width Stamps applied to any selected art will be updated to match. 

Using the flyout menu item of the Width Stamp panel will bring up the Width Stamp preferences dialog:

Width Stamp Preferences Dialog

1. Automatically Optimize After Expansion

When enabled (the default), then after a Width Stamp object is expanded (using the Expand button on the panel or the main menu item Object > Width Stamp > Expand, but not the native Object > Expand... menu item), the width markers are optimized (thinned), making it easier to subsequently manually adjust the variable width strokes. 

Width Stamp Automatic Optimization

2. Optimization Amount

When Automatically Optimize After Expansion is enabled, this value is the amount of optimization to perform, from 0.1 to 10, with a default of 3. Higher values will remove more width markers, but may result in more changes to the strokes’ width profiles.

3. Help Button

Opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first.