sketch a line a certain distance larger around an existing sketch

[Joe-mama]

I have some text that is on my part. I've already converted the text to a sketch. Now I want to make a larger outline around each letter where the outline is a fixed distance from the nearest point along the perimeter of the original text sketch. I plant to select the area between the letter and the new outline to extrude. I hope that makes sense. Any ideas how I would go about that?

 

[roldy]

You should be able to right click the text and select dissolve sketch text. Then you can offset each closed profile.