How does the Distort Object tool work, and how do I use it to bend vectors and 3D components along curves or onto a circle?

Overview

Distort Object bends and warps vectors or components by manipulating a distortion envelope around them, using the standard node editing tools. You can curve a design to follow an arch, bend a scroll to fit a corner, fit a 3D clipart component onto the arc of a round sign, or stretch an element to fill an irregular space. It works in both the 2D and the 3D view. The 2D view is more direct for precise placement.

Important: you can distort several vectors or several components at once, but you cannot distort a mixture of vectors and components together in a single operation.

The Three Distortion Modes

Mode 1: Bounding Box Distortion

Available for a selection of vectors or components (not mixed). It creates an envelope based on the closest bounding box around your selection, so the envelope starts as a rectangle with four line spans and a node at each corner. Using the normal node editing tools you can modify the envelope as much as you like, and the shape inside is distorted to match.

1. Select the object(s) to distort
2. Open Distort Object and choose Bounding Box Distortion
3. Press N to use Node Editing: drag corners, add nodes and curve spans
4. The object deforms to match the envelope

Use for: general distortion, tapering, skewing, perspective effects and fitting something into a non-rectangular space.

Mode 2: Along a Single Curve

Bends the selected object(s) to follow a single open vector curve. This option is only available if the last item in your selection is an open vector that can define a curve. The distorted objects can be one or more vectors or one or more components, but not both. The distortion curve itself is left unchanged.

1. Select the objects to distort
2. Shift+click the open curve vector last
3. Open Distort Object. The Along a Single Curve option is now available, so choose it.
4. The objects bend to follow the curve

Use for: curving a flat sign design to follow an arch, bending lettering to a curved top, or wrapping a border to a curved edge. After curving a component, Mirror Mode on a Level can fill in the other side of a symmetrical design.

Mode 3: Between Two Curves

This option becomes available if the last two objects in the selection are open vectors. The other objects are distorted between them.

Use for: fitting a design into a non-parallel corridor, tapering elements between converging lines, filling an irregular space, or placing a component in the band between the inner and outer arcs of a ring sign.

Use Rotated Bounds

This option is supported only when a single object is selected. The initial envelope is made along the rotated bounds of the object, which helps when distorting a rotated object onto a rotated curve.

Step-by-Step: Curving a 3D Component onto a Circular Sign

Goal: place a clipart element on the arc of a round sign, bent to follow the circle.

1. Draw the circle that is the sign boundary.
2. Offset the circle inward by the width of the band the element should fill (for example 0.5 inch).
3. Make open arcs covering just the region where the element goes (for example the top of the ring). Use node editing to cut the circles and delete the unwanted parts. A closed circle cannot be used as a guide curve.
4. Place your 3D component (drag it from the Clipart tab, import it, or select it in the Component Tree). It starts straight and rectangular.
5. Select the component, then Shift+click the inner arc, then the outer arc (the outer arc last).
6. Open Distort Object and choose Between Two Curves. The component bends to fill the band between the two curves. (For a single arc, use Along a Single Curve instead.)
7. Close the form.

To repeat the element in other positions: place the distorted component on a Level with a Mirror Mode set (for example Top Left Quadrant, or Left to Right), or use Circular Copy to make rotated copies. In a quadrant Mirror Mode the element is mirrored into all four quadrants dynamically, and you can adjust it in one quadrant while the rest update.

Editing the Distortion Envelope

Once the envelope exists, use the node editing tools to change it:

• Press N for Node Editing
• Add nodes on the envelope spans
• Convert spans between straight and curved
• Drag nodes to reshape the envelope

The object updates as you reshape the envelope.

Baking Distortion

After a distortion, node editing always relates to the distortion envelope. To edit the object directly again you must permanently apply the distortion:

1. Select the distorted object
2. Open Distort Object. The Bake Distortion button is available for an object that already has an envelope.
3. Click Bake Distortion to apply the distortion permanently and remove the envelope
4. You can now distort the object again with new settings, or node edit the shape directly

Components: if you try to distort multiple, grouped or already-distorted components, the software prompts you to bake them into a single object first. Keep safe backup copies first.

Objects on Different Layers

When you distort a selection of objects that lie on different layers, the result is created on the layer of the first object in the selection.

Distort or Text on an Arc?

Text on an arc positions characters along a path. Distort physically warps the geometry to match the curves.

Practical Use Cases

Arched sign design: draw the arch curve, select the sign vectors, Shift+click the arch curve last, and use Along a Single Curve. The whole design bends to follow the arch.

Corner ornament: select a straight decorative border element, use Bounding Box and drag one corner to foreshorten it.

Wreath designs and oval signs: make leaf and berry clipart follow a circular frame, or fit elements to the elliptical arc of an oval sign.

Tapered banner text: two angled line vectors (wider at the top). Select the text vectors and both lines last, and use Between Two Curves.

Common Mistakes

• Distorting vectors and components together (they must be the same type)
• Using a closed circle as the guide curve. It must be an open arc.
• Not selecting the curve vector(s) last for the curve modes
• Not making backup copies before distorting a group of components (it must be baked)
• Trying to node edit the distorted shape directly before using Bake Distortion

For giving a component a perspective or angled look, see the entry on using Distort Object for a perspective or isometric appearance.