How to Contract a Path

[insidedanshead]

In photoshop you can modify a selection by contracting it or expanding it.. how do you do the same in illustrator with a path?

[Gary Newman]

When you contract a selection in Photoshop, you are strating with a selection of pixels and asking PS to make a smaller selection, based on the original selection. So now you have a different selection of pixels. In Illustrator, do you want to begin with a path, and make a new path a certain number of units smaller? If so, try Object - Path - Offset Path.

[Doug Katz]

Gary, dan (whether inside his head or not) would want to set a negative number in the Offset Path dialog to "contract" the path, right?

Also this can be done by reducing the scale of the path, either with the scale tool (and dialog) or in the Transform palette.

[Seventhnick]

Doug.. scale tool it's not necessary, only in self Offset Path You can put a negative number, You try it..

Sorry for My english (i'm Spanish)

[Gary Newman]

Scale won’t work if you have an irregular object (like a non-square rectangle), when you want the new shapee to be a given number of units smaller along each edge.

[Seventhnick]

you right Gary.. :)

[insidedanshead]

Thanks everyone it worked.. offset path that is.. and Gary your last comment is exactly right.. irregular object dont scale down how i want them.. offset works.. thanks everyone!

[Doug Katz]

Yes, I see.