scriptographer 2.

5
user guide
 Scriptographer is a scripting plugin for Adobe
Illustrator™. It gives the user the possibility to extend
raster scripts
Illustrator’s functionality by the use of the JavaScript scripts that create graphics based on the
language.
pixel data of bitmap raster objects
The user is no longer limited to the same tools that
are used by most graphic designers around the
globe. Scriptographer allows the creation of mouse
controlled drawing-tools, effects that modify existing
graphics and scripts that create new ones. general scripts
Scriptographer.com is also a webpage on which scripts that generate or modify
users can exchange scripts and ideas. graphic objects

Scriptographer gives the tool back into the hand of

the user and confronts a closed product with the
open source philosophy.
interactive tools
interactive, mouse controlled
drawing tools
 These instructions explain the steps to install Scriptographer
on Mac and PC.
installing
1. Make sure a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on for Adobe Illustrator CS3 & CS4
your system. MacOS X already includes Java out of the box. On
4. Start Illustrator. You should now see a new entry in the Window
Windows, you need to make sure a JRE is installed. If there is
menu, that opens the main Scriptographer palette window.
none, download Java SE 5.0 from http://java.sun.com/ or a
similar JRE and install it first.

2. Download the Scriptographer plugin.

3. Unzip the downloaded Scriptographer archive and place the

whole Scriptographer folder in Illustrator's Plug-ins directory.
 creating a graphic based on a bitmap image
1. Place an image into Illustrator, and embed the image
raster scripts
tip: the image concept
you bring into
illustrator must taking an image or pattern and rebuilding it
have a high
contrast of color with a set stroke or object, some common scripts:
or grays to be
rastered colorizer color raster object rotation raster object multiple
correctly, modify object raster raster stroke raster stroke rotation raster
it in photoshop cropped image
using the
brightness/
1.5”x1.5” 4. Select both the raster
contrast & image and the graphic item
shadow/
original image 5”x5” and press play at the bottom
highlight tool,
you may even
of the Scriptographer panel.
consider Then select a grid size and
cropping the 2. Create a graphic item object scale, such as the one
image down to a
smaller section
shown below, and hit OK.
at no more than Then wait.
2”x2” in size

3. Find this button on your right toolbar. Next click on the

raster folder. Select a script from the list, such as object raster.

+ =
 tip: copy the image and hit
ctrl + f to paste in front, then
live trace the image and
raster scripts
expand it to expose the vector
lines, then hit colorizer and it
examples
will recolor the vectors
according to the image behind
image 1.5”x1.5”

colorizer object rotation object multiple

stroke raster stroke rotation raster raster raster object raster

color raster
 tip: you can also download user
made scripts at:
http://scriptographer.org/scripts/
general scripts
common examples: concept
taking a graphic object and modifying it
based on a fluctuated set of parameters
growth
1. Create a line or shape.

2. Click on the scripts folder within the Scriptographer panel.

1 1 2
3. Select the shape and hit any of the scripts within the folder.

4. Adjust the parameters according to what you see fit,

spiro
experiment as much as you need to.

tip: There is a lot of experimentation with Scriptographer as you can change the attributes with
each script. however with some scripts you will find that a larger grid size and a smaller object
1 1 2 scale will yield better results or vise versa depending on each case.

A lot of times you need to keep the object scale small and then after the script is finished you will
need to scale down the new graphic. Make sure to double-click on the scale button on your
stitch left toolbar and select “Scale Strokes & Effects” to ensure the vectors will scale down when
you size the graphic.

Also, a lot of computer will really slow down when using scriptographer. You can always hit esc if
you sense a crash is about to happen, then rerun the script with less straining parameters.

1 1 2
common examples:
clouds cube cylinder fizzle master3000
interactive tools
concept
freehand drawing pen that allows a script to be
executed while you draw and manipulate

friction growth random scribbler raster 1. There is no need to create an object or raster
before using these tool.

2. Click on the tools folder within the Scriptographer panel.

3. Select a script and hit the play button.

square square rounded stitch tree 4. Look on your left toolbar for the pencil button
shown to the left.

5. Start drawing, any way you want.

wall blazer2.0 wave weed/rounded zebra downloaded script:

spiderwebs
image live trace + expand attributes

extracted
vector shape