How to deform an object in Adobe Illustrator: 8 steps

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Adobe Illustrator is a program from Adobe Systems that allows you to create and modify vector objects. It is currently part of the Adobe Creative Suite, a suite of popular software such as InDesign, Acrobat, and Photoshop. Illustrator is popular with graphic design firms for its ability to create 3D images and work with typography. Illustrator also provides tools for modifying, distorting, and deforming objects and text. The way you change or distort an object or text is different in every new version of Illustrator. They are also often referred to as "group distortion". Creative Suite 5 (CS5) uses the effects menu to select different methods for distorting an object. Read on to learn how to deform an object in Adobe Illustrator.

Steps

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 1

Step 1. Open an existing or new document in Adobe Illustrator

Use the Insert option under the File menu to import an object, or create a new one with the Shape or Rectangle tool.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 2

Step 2. Make changes to the color, border, size or style using the tools on the appropriate panel

Click on the created objects. Before you start deforming an object, make sure to select the correct layer in the Layers panel.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 3

Step 3. Drag the cursor over the effects menu in the upper horizontal bar

Find the word Warp under the Illustrator Effects menu. Move your cursor over a word and wait until a dropdown menu appears on the right.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 4

Step 4. Determine what effect you want to use

For example, you can deform your object into a wave, spiral, arch, or a number of other shapes. Choose a warp effect as desired.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 5

Step 5. Go to the "Window" menu in the top horizontal bar

Scroll down and click on Appearance. The Appearance panel will appear on the right with a list of enabled warp effects.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 6

Step 6. Select a different warp effect

It will appear in the Appearance panel. You can remove any warp by clicking on it in the Appearance panel and clicking on the little trash can in the lower right corner of the panel.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 7

Step 7. Change the warp effect by double-clicking the effect in the list in the Appearance panel

You should see a dialog box listing the warp options. Change the warp and click Preview to make sure you did it the way you want.

Warp an Object in Adobe Illustrator Step 8

Step 8. Save the document as soon as you find the desired warp effect for your object in Illustrator

You can change it at any time from the Appearance panel.

Advice

In other versions of Illustrator, you can deform objects manually using the Free Transform tool. Select your object. Enter “Command” followed by the letter “t” if you are using an Apple computer, or type “Control” and the letter “t” if your computer is running Windows. Right-click on the object and select Warp. After that, a grid will appear. Freely drag and deform the object with the mouse.
In another version of Adobe Illustrator, you can find the Warp tool to the left of the Free Transform tool. The Warp tool is used to create effects that are called "distortion" in other versions. The Free Transform tool appears as a strikethrough rectangle with the cursor in the lower-left corner. Click on an object and select the Warp tool to distort the object using predefined warp functions such as Swirl or Fold.