I want to warp text in a custom shape but I don't want it to be distorted

Question

In the logo I'm making, there is a circle which has text wrapped around it on the upper half. I used the warp tool but it distorts the text and doesn't give the desired effect.

I can't use the type on path tool because that is not the effect I want.

I want the individual letters to be straight and the only way I can think of doing that is to mannually edit each letter to sit around the circle. I was wondering if there was another, more efficient way to fo that.

Answer 1

Here a solution, you should make some vector retouches at the end for sure.

• Make as many vertical rectangles as letters your logo has
• Make the circle, in the image it is semi-transparent just to show the intersection with the rectangles
• Select all the rectangles, Menu Object > Compound Path > Make
• Select the rectangles and the circle, from the Pathfinder Panel apply Minus Front
• To this shape Menu Object > Compound Path > Release
• To this shape Menu Object > Ungroup
• Transform the bottom points to the left and right shapes to Corner Points to avoid extreme distortion: selecting each, from the Top Options Panel click on Convert Selected Anchor Point to Smooth first and Convert Selected Anchor Point to Corner after.

• To the text, Menu Type > Create Outlines

• To this outlined text Menu Object > Ungroup

• Select the first letter together with the first shape, Menu Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Top Object

• Do the same with the other letters and shapes

• Once it's done, Menu Object > Expand to enable the vector work on each letter
• For fixing the left and right bottom strokes, this depends on the used letters, use the same circle with an outside stroke the same size as the letter stroke
• Expand appearance

• Select the circle togheter with the letter, activate the Shape Builder Tool and pressing Alt, delete the surplus polygons

  

Result:

Answer 2

I found something that may lead to your solution. If you look at "Text warping with envelope distortion," I've discovered that it accomplishes much of your requirements.

The example provided describes creating the text and converting it to outlines. A rectangle is then created around the text, followed by both objects being selected.

Object, Envelope Distort, Make with top object.

The linked example distorts the rectangle in various ways, none of which involve a circle.

I created a circle to use as a guide, but is not integral to the distortion, added a few anchor points to the rectangle and warped the rectangle to approximate the top half of the circle.

The result is thus:

The stair stepping feature is pretty slick, something I learned new today, but doesn't address the varying change of letter height. I would not suggest that my example is a perfect example, but it provides a method of some value. I should have used all caps to allow for a uniform top line as you've described in your comment.

I added only one anchor point on the bottom of the rectangle. I would expect far less distortion with additional anchor points to better adjust the text.