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Use a Distort Effect on Images in Adobe Illustrator CS6

Edited by Freya, VisiHow, Eng

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Steps

Video: Use a Distort Effect on Images in Adobe Illustrator CS6

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You're watching VisiHow. This tutorial will show you how to apply a "Distort" effect to an image in Adobe Illustrator CS6 in Windows 7.

Apply A Distort Effect To An Image On Adobe Illustrator CS6.mp4-canvas164 599.jpg

Steps

1
You should have Illustrator open and a document ready
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A photograph is used, but you can use digital or even scanned drawings. Either way, try to use high-quality images.

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2
Click the "Selection Tool" black arrow at the top-left side of the toolbar
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You can also use different selection tools if you are working with more complicated shapes.

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3
Click the object that you want to distort
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When you click on the object, a thin blue frame and anchors will appear, which mean that your object is now ready for editing.
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4
Click "Effect" at the top of the window
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There is a "Photoshop Effects" section. It is useful to have "Photoshop Effects" within Illustrator, because you do not have to keep switching between the programs when you are working..

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5
Move the cursor to "Distort"
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A menu will appear where you can select the effect you prefer. There will be three options.
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6
Let's click "Diffuse Glow..."
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This effect applies a foggy glow to your image and intensifies light and dark areas. A large dialogue box will appear with a preview on the left side.

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7
You can zoom into and out of the preview by clicking the plus and minus icons in the bottom-left corner
.
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8
Alternatively, you can click the arrow next to a percentage
.

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9
Click a percentage for the zoom
.
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10
Click and drag the image to move it
.
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11
Click the drop-down menu on the right-hand side
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There will be many options available.
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12
You can adjust some other settings below the drop-down menu
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The set of settings will depend on the "Distort" effect selected.
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13
You can adjust "Graininess"
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The preview will be updated very subtly. You can adjust the value by clicking and dragging the scroller or clicking along the scroller line. You can also type a number in the input field to the right.
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14
You can adjust "Glow Amount" in the same way
.
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15
You can adjust "Clear Amount" in the same way
.
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16
Once you are satisfied with the changes, just click "OK"
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"OK" is in the upper-right corner of the window, above "Cancel". The changes will be applied.
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17
Otherwise, click "Cancel"
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You will discard the settings.
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18
Press "Ctrl" + "Z" to step back
.
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19
Click "Effect"
.
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20
Move the cursor to "Distort"
.
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21
Let's select the next distortion, "Glass..."
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You will have your dialogue box again. You may notice the difference between this effect and "Diffuse Glow". The "Glass" effect has a frosted glass effect. You may even have a painterly artistic effect without intending the image to look like glass. You will see new settings: "Smoothness", "Distortion", etc. They will be different from the previous settings.
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22
Click the "Texture" drop-down menu
.
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23
Let's click "Blocks" to change the texture of the "glass"
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24
Click the "Texture" drop-down menu
.
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25
Click "Canvas"
.
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26
Click the "Texture" drop-down menu
.
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27
Click "Tiny Lens"
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There is also "Frosted".
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28
As before, you can zoom in and out by clicking the options in the lower-left corner
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Experiment with the settings.
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29
You can change the "Smoothness" value as well
.
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30
You can check and uncheck "Invert"
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31
Click "Ocean Ripple" in the "Distort" section in the middle of the window
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You can access the effects from both "Effects" and the menu in the middle on the current screen. The preview will be updated.
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32
You can continue to play around with the settings on the right
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33
Then, simply click "OK" to apply your settings
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You will return to your canvas. The "OK" button is in the upper-right corner.
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This concludes our tutorial showing you how to apply a "Distort" effect to an image in Adobe Illustrator CS6 in Windows 7. If you have any questions or comments regarding this video or the program used, then just add them to the comment section below. Thank you for choosing VisiHow!

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