Techniques for placing base and related characters along a path, where the related character is associated with the base character, include determining a position along the path for the base character, the position lying on a segment of the path. An extension of the first segment is defined as extending from and end of the first segment away from the path. The base character is placed at a location corresponding to the position along the path and the related character is placed at a location corresponding to a position along the extension. Placing related characters along the extension maintains a visual relationship between the base and related characters when the base and related characters lie along the path on opposite sides of a corner.