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I'm trying to create two even lines that follow this roughly drawn curve (in red) here:
Here is a rough example of how I want the lines to look, only spanning the entire length of the curvy line above. I made these lines by using envelope distort on 2 lines, and then copy pasting a flipped one below.
This method is obviously kind of obtuse though. I'm totally stumped as to how to accomplish this in an easy way. Any tips?
Make an art brush which contains 2 or more horizontal lines. Here 2 magenta lines are dragged to the brushes collection and defined to be a new Art Brush. That brush is applied to the blue curve:
You can release the magenta curves by expanding (Object > Expand Appearance) and Ungrouping. After them you have as many independent curves as your brush had lines.
The next image has the same as the previous, but the lines have bigger distance:
In the bottom the new strokes are released and more intermediate lines are created by blending (8 steps)
My answer is a bit different - I'd use Offset Path - but as an Effect, and using the Appearance Palette to duplicate the stroke - this makes everything live and re-editable.
You will, if you need the ends open, eventually have to Expand and delete the two end segments, but up until that last choice, it all remains live and editable.
Like so:
Squiggly line:
Appearance Palette>Duplicate Stroke - with that duplicated stroke still selected in the Appearance Palette, go up to the menu bar and Effects>Path>Offset Path:
This then means this is one single editable item, and can therefore easily be changed as needed until you're happy with your final design.
Hope this helps!
