How to create fonts for engraving on illustrator

I was reading in the group how to make this kind of font for engraving and i started to search a quick way to do it. the short version: there is none.

but its possible to improve the speed using actions!, so let’s explain how to do it so you don’t waste time looking for answers. (as a note to myself: this is not the only way to achieve this but i think its the fastest way on illustrator as i know of…)

Step 1:

We choose a bold font to engrave, bold fonts are easy because we can add lots of interior paths, in this case we’ll use Geoffrey Lee’s IMPACT, a 1965’s font made to impact the reader with its bold and compressed shapes to maintain the readers attention.

Step 2:

As we need to offset the font paths, we first need to convert the font to paths too. (go to text > create outlines)

then we invert the colors (click on the icon in the picture)

that way your fonts will look this way:

Step 3:

You’ll gonna download my action for creating offsets here.

then you’ll need to open illustrator actions panel (window > actions) and it will look like mine but in english (sorry, my illustrator is in spanish at the moment.)

after that you’ll search for the knk.aia file that i’ve provided and you will add that to the panel. ( it will look like the following image )

after is loaded in the panel you just need to execute the action with your previously outlined font

click on the action as many times you want to achieve your goal.