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All I want is the Illustrator equivalent of what right-click -> Perspective does in Photoshop. Normally I would just use the Free Transform Tool, but it doesn't appear to let me do it with an imported raster image like it does so nicely on a vector.

I also don't need the Perspective Grid to snap to or anything like that, what am I missing here? Thanks!

2 Answers 2

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Add an Envelope Mesh.

Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Mesh and choose 1 row and 1 column and click OK.

Then you can distort the envelope (which contains the raster image).

Alternatively, for simpler and symmetric perspective distorts you can use Make with Warp and select any warp. If you then adjust Bend to 0 %, you can use the Horizontal and Vertical sliders to adjust the perspective warp. This only works if the vanishing point is on either the horizontal or vertical central axis of the image, though, or compensate with Shear afterwards.

Note: this only works with embedded images, not linked. If you're using linked image files, you'll have to first embed the image.

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  • Excellent! Thank ya sir, a beer is owed, I'll accept in a couple minutes when it allows me. Having to use Illustrator more now days still leaves me in a learning curve sometimes and this is one damn handy tip.
    – Chris W.
    Nov 6, 2014 at 16:41
  • Glad to help :) Be aware.. overly distorting raster images can result in "broken pixels". Illustrator never interpolates raster data (Photoshop always does).
    – Scott
    Nov 6, 2014 at 16:50
  • So maybe instead I should be asking, if I should create my vector stuff in Illustrator, then import it to Photoshop to do my Raster work and then use the result of that as my final print ready files?
    – Chris W.
    Nov 6, 2014 at 18:41
  • That really depends on the project. If it's 20% raster and 80% vector, using Illustrator would be better.
    – Scott
    Nov 6, 2014 at 18:48
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    This only seems to work with embedded images, not linked. I'll maybe go and edit the answer. Jul 4, 2017 at 14:26
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I just go effect - distort and transform - free distort, for quick fix.

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  • Hi elle, welcome to GDSE and thanks for your answer. Unfortunately that doesn't work for raster images inside illustrator. If you have any questions, please see the help center or ping one of us in the Graphic Design Chat once your reputation is sufficient (20). Keep contributing and enjoy the site!
    – Luciano
    May 13, 2016 at 8:17

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