Move (Selection Tool)

As mentioned in Chapter 2, the Selection tool operates like the Move tool in Photoshop. However, if you have an object type selected with the Selection tool, whether a shape or a path, when you double-click on the tool in the Toolbars panel you can enter the Move dialog box. This is the same as choosing Object ➤ Transform ➤ Move, or Shift+ Ctrl/CMD+M, while the object is selected. Refer to Figure 3-2.

The Move dialog box, with the preview enabled, allows you to position your object horizontally or vertically, or at a set distance or angle (0°–360°) from the point of origin. Updating one text box updates the others collectively. By default, the options are grayed out for Transform Objects and Transform Patterns. However, if your shape contains a pattern swatch then these options become available, and you can transform the object and pattern collectively or separately.

If you want to move the current object, click OK, or if you want to move a copy of the object, then click the Copy button. Clicking the Cancel button exits the dialog box without the move occurring. Refer to Figures 3-2 and 3-3.

Rotate Tool (R)

Use the Rotate tool on a selected object rather than relying on the Transform panel for rotating. Use the bounding box handles. This is a better tool to use as it results in a more accurate rotation, based on a custom reference point on your object. Refer to Figure 3-5 and Figure 3-6.

When an object is first selected with the Selection tool and then the Rotate tool, rather than just rotating from the center you can click to move or drag your reference point of rotation to a new location on or off the object, and then drag the object to rotate around that point. Refer to Figure 3-6.

Holding down the Shift key while dragging can constrain the rotation to 45° angles. Holding down the Alt/Option key while dragging the object creates a rotated copy around that reference point. To create more copies, make sure to click on the reference point again before you Alt/Option-drag another copy; otherwise, you might reset the reference point by mistake.

You can also double-click on the Rotate tool to enter the Rotate dialog box; this is the same as choosing Object ➤ Transform ➤ Rotate. With the preview enabled, you can set the angle of rotation (0°–360°) as well as enable the options Transform Objects and Transform Patterns, if they are present. Refer to Figure 3-7.

If you want to rotate the current object, click OK, or if you want a copy of the object, click the Copy button. The Cancel button exits the dialog box without the rotation occurring. Refer to Figure 3-7.

Reflect Tool (O)

Use the Reflect tool rather than rely on the Transform panel menu or Properties panel options. Refer to Figure 3-8 and Figure 3-9.

When an object is first selected with the Selection tool and then the Reflect tool, rather than just reflecting over the center, you can click to move or drag your reference point of reflection to a new location on or off the object, and then drag the object to rotate on that axis angle of reflection. Holding down the Shift key while dragging can constrain the reflection to 45° angles. Holding down the Alt/Option key while you drag the object creates a reflection copy around that reference point. To create more copies, make sure to click on the reference point again before you Alt/Option-drag another copy; otherwise, you might reset the reference point by mistake. Refer to Figure 3-9.

As well, you can double-click on the Reflect tool to enter the Reflect dialog box; this is the same as choosing Object ➤ Transform ➤ Reflect. With the preview enabled, you can set the axis of reflection to be either horizontal or vertical, set the angle (0°–360°) in positive or negative numbers, and enable the options Transform Objects and Transform Patterns, if they are present. Refer to Figure 3-10.

If you want to reflect the current object, click OK, or if you want a copy of the object, then click the Copy button. The Cancel button exits the dialog box without the reflection occurring. Refer to Figure 3-10.

Scale Tool (S)

Use the Scale tool when you want to scale by percentage, rather than just relying on your Selection tool’s bounding box handles or the Transform panel. Refer to Figure 3-11 and Figure 3-12.

When an object is first selected with the Selection tool and then the Scale tool, rather than just scaling from the center you can click to move or drag your reference point of scale to a new location, on or off the object, and then drag to adjust the point of scale. Holding down the Shift key can constrain the object’s width and height. Holding down the Alt/Option key while you drag the object creates a scale copy around that reference point. To create more copies, make sure to click on the reference point again before you Alt/Option-drag another copy; otherwise, you might reset the reference point by mistake. Refer to Figure 3-12.

As well, you can double-click on the Scale tool to enter the Scale dialog box, which is the same as choosing Object ➤ Transform ➤ Scale. With the preview enabled, you can set the percentage of scale to be either uniform or non-uniform, with separate options for horizontal and vertical scaling. Other options that can be enabled or disabled include Scale Corners, Scale Strokes & Effects, Transform Objects, and Transform Patterns, if they are present. Refer to Figure 3-13.

If you want to scale the current object, click OK, or if you want a copy of the object, then click the Copy button. The Cancel button exits the dialog box without the scaling occurring. Refer to Figure 3-13.

Shear Tool

Use the Shear tool rather than just relying on your Transform panel when you want to create a custom shear. Refer to Figure 3-14 and Figure 3-15.

When an object is first selected with the Selection tool and then the Shear tool, rather than just shearing from the center you can click to move or drag your reference point of shear to a new location on or off the object, and then drag to adjust the point of shear. Drag in an up-and-down direction to shear vertically, or left and right to shear horizontally. Holding down the Shift key can constrain the object’s width and height, depending on the side on which you are dragging. Holding down the Alt/Option key while you drag the object creates a sheared copy around that reference point. To create more copies, make sure to click on the reference point again, before you Alt/Option-drag another copy; otherwise, you might reset the reference point by mistake. Refer to Figure 3-15.

As well, you can double-click on the Shear tool to enter the Shear dialog box; this is the same as choosing Object ➤ Transform ➤ Shear. With the preview enabled, you can set the shear angle (0°–360°) to be positive or negative, or the axis of shear to be either horizontal, vertical, or by angle (0°–360°), either positive or negative. Other options that can be enabled or disabled include Transform Objects and Transform Patterns, if they are present. Just be aware that if you set the shear angle too large you may get a warning message. Refer to Figure 3-16.

If you want to shear the current object, click OK, or if you want a copy of the object, then click the Copy button. Clicking the Cancel button exits the dialog box without the shear occurring. Refer to Figure 3-16.

Shear can be a useful tool when you want to adjust an object according to perspective or cast a shadow on the ground.

Transform Each

Another way to perform many of these actions at the same time on an object is to select Object ➤ Transform ➤ Transform Each (or Alt/Option+ Shift+ Ctrl/CMD+D).

This brings up another dialog box. With the preview enabled, you can move horizontal and vertical sliders for scaling (0%–200%) and move horizontal and vertical sliders to rotate (0°–360°). Options can be enabled or disabled for Transform Objects, Transform Patterns, Scale Strokes & Effects, Scale Corners, Reflect X, Reflect Y, and Random, for random scaling. You can also set the reference point location. Refer to Figure 3-17.

If you want to apply the Transform Each to the current object, click OK, or if you want to do so to a copy of the object, then click the Copy button. Clicking the Cancel button exits the dialog box without the transformation occurring. Refer to Figure 3-17.

Likewise, if you have multiple selected objects or use Object ➤ Group to group them, you can use any of these mentioned tools and dialog boxes to adjust paths.

Reshape Tool

The Reshape tool may be a tool that you are not familiar with or have not used very often, as it is quite hidden among all the other tools in the Toolbar panel. So, you might wonder how to use it. Refer to Figure 3-19.

Select an object or closed path first with the Selection tool, and then with the Reshape tool. When you click on the path the tool functions like the Add Anchor Point tool in Chapter 2, adding additional points to the path. However, they are smooth and not corner points. This expands the path of the shape. Refer to Figure 3-20.

Hold down the Alt/Option key if you want to duplicate the path after adding points.

Later, you can select points on the path with your Direct Selection tool and modify the path further by dragging points or moving handles. Refer to Figure 3-21.

However, on a selected open path with no fill, you will discover that you have more control of the path with the Reshape tool and do not need the Direct Selection tool. You can just click and then drag the new anchor points. Refer to Figure 3-22.

There are no additional dialog boxes for this tool. This tool would be good to use with paths created with the Pen tool, Line tool, Arc tool, or Spiral tool, all of which we reviewed in Chapter 2.

Free Transform Tool (E)

Instead of using the Transform Each dialog box and Transform panel, you can use the Free Transform tool, which has four options for free transforming. Refer to Figure 3-23.

First select an object with the Selection tool, and then do so with the Free Transform tool.

Constrain and Free Transform

Constrain acts as a link when enabled, keeping your object proportionate while you use the Free Transform button to drag and scale your shape from a corner point. Or you can hold down the Shift key as you drag. Refer to Figure 3-24.

To scale relative to the object’s center point, hold down the Alt/Option key as you drag.

You can also rotate from a side bounding box handle, or shear the object as well, by using a side handle as the pointer changes. Refer to Figure 3-25.

You can move the shape and also the reference point by dragging as you did with previous tools, to adjust for scaling, rotation, and shear. Refer to Figure 3-26.

Disabling the Constrain link allows you to perform the same warp but disproportionately. Refer to Figure 3-27.

Perspective Distort

Using this sub-tool on the object is similar to using Edit ➤ Transform ➤ Perspective in Photoshop, though that tool is not required for this book. By dragging on one of the four handles, you can adjust the perspective or basic shape. You can also rotate using the handles, but you do not have access to the Constrain option here. Refer to Figure 3-28.

Free Distort

Using this tool on the object is similar to using Edit ➤ Transform ➤ Distort in Photoshop. It allows you to move each of the four handles independently, and to rotate the object. You can have the Constrain option enabled or disabled. Refer to Figure 3-29.

You can see how this is much more versatile than just using the Transform panel to distort objects.

Note

We’ll look at the Puppet Warp tool in Chapter 4. In Chapters 9 and 11, we will look at warps in Illustrator that are similar to Photoshop’s Edit ➤ Transform ➤ Warp, and that involve either envelope distortion or alter effects.

Project: Blowing in the Wind, Part 2

Let’s continue with the project that we started in Chapter 2. Recall that it is a landscape, with a girl on a farm.

Go to File ➤ Open Landscape1_2_start.ai and then File ➤ Save As to make a copy, if you want to follow along for practice.

In this file, I created a new layer above the Sun layer and renamed it Bushes. Refer to Figure 3-30.

On this layer, I have added one bush already. Next to that bush is a post to mark the end of the row. The bush in this case is a grouped object (Ctrl/CMD+G), so it could be scaled with all of its parts if we use Object ➤ Transform ➤ Scale, creating a copy each time. We could continue to make a row of trees. However, I will show you a better way to do this in Chapter 6 using the Blend tool. Refer to Figure 3-31.

For now, let’s focus on adding a shadow to the base of the bush and the post. Adding a shadow to the post is quite easy because it is just a stroke created with the Line tool. Refer to Figure 3-32.

In this case, select the line with the Selection tool. Then, go to Object ➤ Transform ➤ Rotate. Refer to Figure 3-33.

Rotate the post to a roughly 326° angle and click Copy. Refer to Figure 3-34.

Then, with the Selection tool, drag the line down to the base of the post. In this example, part of the shadow goes off the artboard. Refer to Figure 3-35.

Set the stroke to black and then give the line an opacity of 78%. Refer to Figure 3-36.

Select the post with the Selection tool and choose Object ➤ Arrange ➤ Bring to Front. Then, Shift+ Click to select the shadow and choose Object ➤ Group. Refer to Figure 3-37.

Then, click off the artboard to deselect the group. Refer to Figure 3-37.

Adding a shadow to the bush takes a bit more work. In this case, with the Selection tool, select the grouped bush. Refer to Figure 3-38.

Go to Object ➤ Transform ➤ Reflect. Choose to reflect across the horizontal axis. Refer to Figure 3-39.

Then, click the Copy button. Refer to Figure 3-39 and Figure 3-40.

Drag the bush copy with the Selection tool to the base of the bush to create the start of the shadow. Refer to Figure 3-41.

Now, let’s solidify the fill of the shadow. While this object is selected, go to Window ➤ Pathfinder panel (which you saw in Chapter 2). Under Shapes Modes, select Unite. In this case, do not hold down the Alt/Option key, as you want it to be one shape. Refer to Figure 3-42.

Change the fill of the bush’s shadow to black with a stroke of none and an opacity of 78%. Refer to Figure 3-43.

OK, that is good. But now we need to twist the shadow so that it looks a bit more in line with the post.

Use the Free Transform tool with the Free Distort with Constrain disabled to move the shadow into the following perspective, which is angled. In other situations, try Perspective Distort. Refer to Figure 3-44.

Afterward, I adjusted some of the points separately with the Direct Selection tool to get the look I wanted. I also moved the shadow’s trunk parts over so that it was more in line with the bush. In your own project, you could use the Shear tool as well to experiment. Refer to Figure 3-45.

Because these bushes are seen at a distance it does not have to be perfect, but try getting the shadow as close to mine as you can. The ground on the farm is bumpy and hilly so the shadow will not lie exactly flat.

Now use the Selection tool to create a rectangular marquee around both the shadow and bush and choose Object ➤ Group. Refer to Figure 3-45.

At this point, lock your Bushes layer.

Save your work. You can see my final file in Landscape1_2_final.ai.

Summary

The Scale, Rotate, Reflect, and Shear tools, along with the Transform panel, allow you to modify and twist all or part of your shape. This can be further enhanced with the Object ➤ Transform dialog boxes. You can use the Reshape tool to modify part of a path and Free Transform tools for additional distortions. In the next chapter, we will look at the Puppet Warp tool, which has similar features to the same tool in Photoshop.