Scale Strokes
The Scale Strokes operation allows the stroke weights of the selected art (but not the art itself) to be scaled up or down, in either an absolute or relative manner. A minimum weight can be specified, and final stroke weights can be rounded to a specified precision. Additionally, dashes, brushed strokes, and variable weight strokes can be selectively excluded from the scaling operation.
QuickOps Scale Strokes Overview
Clicking the button brings up the settings dialog:
QuickOps Scale Strokes Settings
Note that stroke weight units are set independently from “general” units in Illustrator’s preferences dialog. Changing the unit of measurement for the document by right-clicking on a ruler will only change the general units, not the stroke weight units.
1. Method
With the Absolute method, each stroke weight is modified by adding a fixed amount to it; this amount can be positive or negative. Weights that end up at 0 pt or less will result in the stroke being removed (unless the Don’t Reduce Below setting is used). With the Relative method, each stroke weight is modified by multiplying it by a specified percentage.
QuickOps Scale Strokes Absolute Vs. Relative
2. Amount
The amount to change the stroke weight(s), either as an absolute amount, like “–2 pt” or “3.5 mm”, or a relative amount, like 75%. Absolute amounts can range from –1000 to 1000 pt. Relative amounts can range from 0.01% to 10000%. When a negative absolute amount causes at least one stroke to end up with a weight of zero or less, and therefore be removed, a small warning icon will appear on the dialog.
While an Absolute value of zero (or a Relative value of 100%) does not directly change any stroke weights, it can still be useful when used with the Round Weights function (see below).
3. Don’t Reduce Below
When enabled, and the Absolute value is negative or the Relative value is less than 100%, strokes will never be made thinner than the specified value. Strokes that originally had weights below that minimum value will remain unchanged.
QuickOps Scale Strokes Don't Reduce Below
4. Round Weight to Nearest
When enabled, all stroke weights will be rounded to the nearest specified fraction, using the current stroke units of measurement. Available fractional rounding amounts are 1.0 (in other words, the nearest integer), 0.5, 0.25, 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01.
For example, a 2.38 mm stroke would be rounded down to 2 mm when the rounding fraction is 1.0, up to 2.5 mm when the rounding fraction is 0.5, and up to 2.4 mm when the rounding fraction is 0.1. Weights that would normally be rounded down to zero are instead rounded up. Similarly, if Don’t Reduce Below is enabled, and a weight would be rounded down below the threshold, then it is instead rounded up.
5. Scale Dashes
When enabled, dash and gap lengths are scaled up or down with the stroke.
QuickOps Scale Strokes Scale Dashes
6. Include Brushed Strokes
The Include Brushed Strokes setting can be turned off to exclude strokes that have a brush applied from being scaled. This applies to all types of brushes (Calligraphic, Scatter, Art, Bristle, and Pattern).
7. Include Variable Width Strokes
The Include Variable Width Strokes setting can be turned off to exclude strokes that have a variable width profile applied from being scaled.
QuickOps Scale Strokes - Include Brushed and Variable Width Strokes
8. Preview
When Preview is enabled, the artwork’s new appearance with its scaled strokes is shown on the artboard, and will update whenever the settings are changed. Turning Preview off will show the artwork with its original stroke weights, allowing you to toggle to quickly see “before and after.”
9. Show Edges
By default, artwork selection edges are automatically hidden when the Scale Strokes settings dialog is up, to make it easier to see stroke weight changes. However, by toggling the checkbox on, they may be shown again.
Scale Strokes: Other Considerations
a. Strokes which are hidden in the Appearance panel are scaled as normal.
b. If an object contains multiple strokes, they are all scaled.
c. If some stroked items are grouped and a stroke is added at the group level, then when the entire group is selected, both the group-level stroke and the group member strokes are scaled.
d. If the type tool has been used to select some text, only the selected characters will be affected.
e. InkFlow strokes do not use the native stroke weight for their appearance, but can be scaled using the Live Effect Parameter Editor.