- Illustrator User Guide
- Get to know Illustrator
- Introduction to Illustrator
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Create documents
- Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
- Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
- Toolbar
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Introduction to artboards
- Manage artboards
- Customize the workspace
- Properties panel
- Set preferences
- Touch Workspace
- Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
- Undo edits and manage design history
- Rotate view
- Rulers, grids, and guides
- Accessibility in Illustrator
- Safe Mode
- View artwork
- Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
- Files and templates
- Tools in Illustrator
- Tools at a glance
- Select tools
- Navigate tools
- Paint tools
- Text tools
- Draw tools
- Modify tools
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Quick actions
- Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
- Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
- Troubleshooting issues FAQ
- Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Create and combine shapes on the web
- Add and edit text on the web
- Apply colors and gradients on the web
- Draw and edit paths on the web
- Work with cloud documents on the web
- Invite collaborators to edit on the web
- Illustrator on the iPad
- Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
- Workspace
- Documents
- Select and arrange objects
- Drawing
- Type
- Work with images
- Color
- Cloud documents
- Basics
- Troubleshooting
- Add and edit content
- Drawing
- Drawing basics
- Edit paths
- Draw pixel-perfect art
- Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
- Draw simple lines and shapes
- Draw rectangular and polar grids
- Draw and edit flares
- Trace images
- Simplify a path
- Symbolism tools and symbol sets
- Adjust path segments
- Design a flower in 5 easy steps
- Create and edit a perspective grid
- Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
- Use objects as symbols for repeat use
- Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
- Measurement
- 3D objects and materials
- Color
- Painting
- Select and arrange objects
- Select objects
- Layers
- Group and expand objects
- Move, align, and distribute objects
- Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
- Snap objects to glyph
- Snap objects to Japanese glyph
- Stack objects
- Lock, hide, and delete objects
- Copy and duplicate objects
- Rotate and reflect objects
- Intertwine objects
- Create realistic art mockups
- Reshape objects
- Crop images
- Transform objects
- Combine objects
- Cut, divide, and trim objects
- Puppet Warp
- Scale, shear, and distort objects
- Blend objects
- Reshape using envelopes
- Reshape objects with effects
- Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
- Work with Live Corners
- Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
- Edit clipping masks
- Live shapes
- Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
- Global editing
- Type
- Add text and work with type objects
- Reflow Viewer
- Create bulleted and numbered lists
- Manage text area
- Fonts and typography
- Convert text within images into editable text
- Add basic formatting to text
- Add advanced formatting to text
- Import and export text
- Format paragraphs
- Special characters
- Create type on a path
- Character and paragraph styles
- Tabs
- Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
- Arabic and Hebrew type
- Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
- Creative typography designs
- Scale and rotate type
- Line and character spacing
- Hyphenation and line breaks
- Spelling and language dictionaries
- Format Asian characters
- Composers for Asian scripts
- Create text designs with blend objects
- Create a text poster using Image Trace
- Create special effects
- Web graphics
- Drawing
- Import, export, and save
- Import
- Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
- Save and export
- Printing
- Prepare for printing
- Printing
- Automate tasks
- Troubleshooting
About envelopes
Envelopes are objects that distort or reshape selected objects. You can make an envelope out of an object on your artboard, or you can use a preset warp shape or a mesh grid as an envelope. You can use envelopes on any object except graphs, guides, or linked objects.
The Layers panel lists envelopes as <Envelope>. Once you apply an envelope, you can continue to edit the original objects. You can also edit, delete, or expand an envelope at any time. You can edit an envelope shape or the enveloped object, but not both at the same time.
Distort objects using an envelope
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Select one or more objects.
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Create the envelope using one of the following methods:
To use a preset warp shape for the envelope, choose Object > Envelope Distort > Make With Warp. In the Warp Options dialog box, select a warp style and set options.
To set up a rectangular grid for the envelope, choose Object > Envelope Distort > Make With Mesh. In the Envelope Mesh dialog box, set the number of rows and columns.
To use an object as the shape of the envelope, make sure the object is at the top of the stacking order for the selected object. If it’s not, use the Layers panel or an Arrange command to move it up, and reselect all the objects. Then choose Object > Envelope Distort > Make With Top Object.
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Reshape the envelope by doing any of the following:
Drag any anchor point on the envelope with the Direct Selection or Mesh tool.
To delete anchor points on the mesh grid, select an anchor point with either the Direct Selection or Mesh tools, and then press Delete.
To add anchor points to the mesh grid, click on the grid with the Mesh tool.
Tip: To apply a stroke or fill to an envelope, use the Appearance panel.
Edit the contents of an envelope
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Select the envelope and do one of the following:
Click the Edit Contents button in the Control panel.
Choose Object > Envelope Distort > Edit Contents.
note: If your envelope consists of grouped paths, click the triangle to the left of the <Envelope> entry in the Layers panel to view and target the path you want to edit.
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Edit it as desired.Note:
When you modify the contents of an envelope, the envelope shifts to recenter the results with the original content.
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To return the object to its enveloped state, do one of the following:
Click the Edit Envelope button in the Control panel.
Choose Object > Envelope Distort > Edit Envelope.
Reset an envelope
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Select the envelope.
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Do one of the following:
To reset or switch to a preset warp style, choose a new warp style and set options in the Control panel. If desired, click the Envelope Options button to open the dialog box and set more options.
To reset or switch to a mesh grid envelope, choose Object > Envelope Distort > Reset With Mesh. Specify the number of rows and columns for the mesh grid. Select Maintain Envelope Shape to keep the warp shape intact.
Remove an envelope
You can remove envelopes by either releasing them or expanding them. Releasing an enveloped object creates two separate objects: the object in its original state and the envelope shape. Expanding an enveloped object removes the envelope, but the object retains its distorted shape.
- To release an envelope, select the envelope, and choose Object > Envelope Distort > Release.
- To expand an envelope, select the envelope, and choose Object > Envelope Distort > Expand.
Envelope options
Envelope options determine how art is distorted to fit the envelope. To set envelope options, select the envelope object and click the Envelope Options button in the Control panel, or choose Object > Envelope Distort > Envelope Options.
Anti‑Alias
Smooths rasters when distorted with an envelope. Deselecting Anti‑Alias can decrease the time it takes to distort rasters.
Preserve Shape Using
Specifies how rasters preserve their shape when distorted by nonrectangular envelopes. Select Clipping Mask to use a clipping mask on the raster, or Transparency to apply an alpha channel to the raster.
Fidelity
Specifies how precisely you want the object to fit the envelope mold. Increasing the Fidelity percentage can add more points to the distorted paths and increase the time it takes to distort the objects.
Distort Appearance
Distorts appearance attributes (such as applied effects or graphic styles) along with an object’s shape.
Distort Linear Gradients
Distorts linear gradients along with an object’s shape.
Distort Pattern Fills
Distorts patterns along with an object’s shape.
note: If you expand the envelope with a Distort option selected, the respective property is expanded separately.