Vector graphic module > Object mode functions Index

Distort object

A function to modify objects in a particular way: You can use it to distort the selected object (or if more than one is selected, all of them). Click on the icon. If you use the function with more than one object selected, the selected objects will first be joined to form a group. This means that a common frame will be drawn around the objects, but in contrast to the Join objects function (see above) the objects all remain stored separately and will keep their own colour, fill pattern and other properties. The group frame will vanish again automatically if you click on a different object subsequently. In any case, after clicking on this icon only one selected frame will be present. Depending on which of the eight grab handles in the frame border you click on, two different functions will be executed:

1. If you click on a corner point, you can move it toward another corner point. The opposing corner point will also move by the same amount toward or away from the one you are moving. With this you can convert a rectangle to a mathematical trapezium, as shown in the following example:

   

2. If you click on a mid-point of the object frame outline, you can move the two corner points of this side in the same direction (but always only parallel to the side – an enlargement of the frame is not possible). This turns the rectangle into a parallelogram:

   

   
   To set the point, simply click for the second time with the mouse. After this the actual distortion process will start. Naturally you can also terminate the operation by clicking the right mouse button. Otherwise all objects that have been joined in the group frame (or the selected object if there was only one) will be distorted in the same manner as the frame. This allows you to achieve a perspective effect, for instance, by making objects narrower at the top (railway-line effect). Of course the frames around the objects will remain as rectangles after the operation, only the paths contained in it will be altered. Let this versatile function inspire you to discover new effects by yourself!