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I am trying to replicate a distortion effect that is seen on a raster image in Illustrator. enter image description here

The Illustrator distortion tool comes quite close to the desired result, especially when creating the envelope using an existing shape. However, the dots don't stay in horizontal lines and the distortion is curved to the right side instead to the left side.

I created a pattern swatch for the dots and adjusted the rectangle using it so that exactly the same number of rows and columns of these dots is used as in the template image.

Is it possible to fine tune the distortion that follows the given shape? Or should I give up the shape-approach and manually distort using a mesh?

Thanks!

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I would use Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Mesh, and set up a 1 x 1 mesh.

enter image description here

It's not easy to adjust; certainly a little tricky to get the curve handles just right. Also there are two Bézier handles on each corner to deal with. You'll probably need to zoom in to adjust them, especially the one that almost comes to a point. The length of handles is also quite crucial to how the distortion is formed.

Example

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The apex doesn't actually come to a point, although you may be able to get it closer than me. I zoomed all the way in to get it pretty close, but still not having the corner points touch, because then editing becomes much harder.

Example

enter image description here

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  • Thanks! How have you solved the issue with collapsing the two corners above into one (forming a triangle)? When I pull the two upper corners together, the contents start to overlap and twist at the upper part.Or have you created a triangle and then applied a distortion mesh to it?
    – strarsis
    May 8, 2021 at 18:04
  • @strarsis - see edit to the answer
    – Billy Kerr
    May 8, 2021 at 18:11
  • I zoomed in very close and then dragged both corner handles very close to each other, I also adjusted the curves on the sides. It starts to look similar, but the upper part looks strange/twisted and cropped: i.stack.imgur.com/nEq3Z.png At the bottom the dots are still on the same line, but towards the upper corner the alignment is lost.
    – strarsis
    May 8, 2021 at 18:31
  • @strarsis Yes, it's tricky. You have a loop forming in your Bézier handles. You'll need to remove it by adjusting the handles. Remember once you get very close up, Illustrator's accuracy starts to break down. Perhaps don't bring the corners quite so close. As I said, it gets hard to edit the closer they get.
    – Billy Kerr
    May 8, 2021 at 19:01
  • Yes, fixing the handles at the top so that the resulting "bow" is on the inside and not twisted to the outside fixed the issue. Thanks!
    – strarsis
    May 8, 2021 at 22:59

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