An Adobe Illustrator script that generates a precisely flattened truncated cone template from three measurements — ready to design on and warp back around the cone in one click.
No manual calculations. No guessing the arc length. Run the script, enter three numbers, and you have a production-ready template.
Uses exact cone mathematics — apex height, slant length, and arc angle — to generate a template that fits your physical cup perfectly when wrapped.
Generates a tidy Illustrator document with three locked layers: cone template, artwork safe zone, and instructions. Ready to work in immediately.
After placing your artwork, a single Envelope Distort command wraps it perfectly around the cone. No manual warping or trial and error.
Enter dimensions in millimetres or inches — whichever your workflow uses. The script handles all the conversions.
Cups, glasses, conical labels, packaging — if it’s a truncated cone, this script generates the correct template for it.
Works with Adobe Illustrator CS6 and all Creative Cloud versions. No plugins. No subscriptions. Install once, use forever.
Four steps from opening Illustrator to having a warp-ready cone template with your artwork applied.
Open Illustrator. Go to File → Scripts → Other Script… and navigate to the downloaded Truncated Cone Template.jsx file. Double-click to run.
The script prompts for unit (mm or inches), top diameter, bottom diameter, vertical height, and your artwork bounding box size. Enter each and confirm.
Illustrator instantly generates a new document with your cone template, an artwork safe zone rectangle, and a guide layer — structured and ready to use immediately.
Unlock the Artwork layer, place your flat design inside the dashed rectangle, group it, then select both and run Object → Envelope Distort → Make with Top Object.
The script walks you through each field with a dialog box. Here’s what each one means and what to enter.
| Field | What to enter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Units | Type mm or in | Choose one and use it throughout all fields |
| Top Diameter (d1) | Width across the cup opening | Measure directly with digital calipers |
| Bottom Diameter (d2) | Width across the cup base | Measure directly with digital calipers |
| Vertical Height (h) | Straight height from base to rim | ⚠ Measure straight up — not along the angled side. Slant height gives wrong results. |
| Artwork Bounding Box | Width & height of your flat design area | The dashed safe zone rectangle the script draws on the Artwork layer |
The script creates a structured Illustrator file so you can start designing immediately without any manual setup.
Contains the curved cone path and three structural guidelines — centre, left, and right — for precise artwork alignment. This is the shape your artwork warps around.
Contains a dashed rectangle showing the safe zone for your flat design. Place your artwork inside this area. Group all elements before running Envelope Distort.
A quick-reference text block summarising the warp steps. Hide or delete this layer before exporting or sending to print.
Small habits that prevent the most common mistakes when using Envelope Distort with cone templates.
Always measure straight up from base to rim — never along the cup’s slanted side. The slant height produces a fundamentally different and wrong template.
Select all design elements and group them (Cmd/Ctrl+G) before running Envelope Distort. Ungrouped artwork produces broken or partial warps.
For Envelope Distort to work, the cone path must be the topmost selected object. If it’s behind your artwork, the warp will use your design as the envelope instead.
The bottom Instructions layer contains text. If you forget to hide it, it will appear on your final print output.
Even 0.5mm measurement errors compound across cone geometry. A basic digital caliper costs under £10 and pays for itself on the first job.
When exporting your warped artwork for print, ensure resolution is 300 DPI or higher. Lower resolutions look blurry on the physical cup.
Free. No licence. Works in Illustrator CS6 and all Creative Cloud versions.
Truncated Cone Template.jsx