How to Distort Image in Illustrator

Distorting any image doesn’t require any difficult method. You can simply use the Free Distort Tool to distort any image. It’s not only the image that can be distorted, you can also distort the text if needed.

You can also watch the below tutorial to learn how to distort images in Illustrator.

Images are distorted and usually to add them in any poster or banner to show the perfect angle and styling of the image. You may have seen on posters or billboards that there are images placed on boxes, LCDs, and many other items like this. So, after this tutorial, you will also be able to distort images easily for use in displaying them on billboards and posters.

If you are new or don’t have the idea of distorting images in Illustrator, then you are in right place. In this tutorial, you will learn how to distort images in Adobe Illustrator.

So let’s start.

How to Distort Image in Adobe Illustrator

Select the image you want to distort. From the Properties > Quick Actions > Image Trace, select High Fidelity Photo. After tracing the image, select Expand from Quick Actions. Select the image and then, from the toolbar, click on Free Transform Tool > Free Distort. Select any anchor of the shape and distort it in any position that you like. You can distort any side by clicking and then dragging it to distort it.

Step 1: Select the image from your artboard that you want to Distort.

If you want to place an image on the artboard, click and drag the image from its location and drop it on the artboard.

Step 2: Select the image using the Selection Tool.

Step 3: Embed the image if a cross sign is showing on the image, by clicking on Embed in Properties > Quick Actions.

The image will be embedded.

Note: You may also need to resize the image sometimes if needed. Because when the image is placed on the artboard it may be of a large size. So resize the image as needed.

Now here is the image that we want to distort.

Step 4: Select the image using the Selection Tool.

Step 5: Now before distorting the image, you first need to Trace the image. Because without tracing the image it can not be distorted. Trace the image by Properties > Quick Actions > Image Trace > High Fidelity Photo.

As you select High Fidelity Photo, the progress will start.

Step 6: Now all you need to do is to expand the photo by Properties > Quick Actions > Expand.

The image is expanded.

Now you can distort the image.

Note: Always keep in mind that you can not distort any image without tracing and then expanding it.

Step 7: From the left toolbar, click on the Free Transform Tool.

Note: If you do not find Free Transform Tool, switch the toolbar from basic to Advance by Window > Toolbar > Advance.

Now, your toolbar will have more tools, and you will find the Free Transform Tool in the toolbar.

Step 8: As you click on Free Transform Tool more tools will appear separately. From the tools, list select Free Distort Tool.

Step 9: Now click on any anchor of the image.

Step 10: Distort the image using the anchor. You can change or distort any side of the image easily now.

Here is the final look of the image after distorting it.

You can see the difference between the two images, one before distorting and the other after distorting.

You have learned to distort images in Adobe Illustrator.

In this tutorial, you have learned to distort images in Adobe Illustrator. You can distort any size of the image using the above-given method easily and quickly. All you need to do is to follow the right steps every time you distort the image.

Have More Questions?

If you have any questions related to distorting any image in Adobe Illustrator, then ask in the comment section below. We have also answered the most frequently asked questions below.

Free Distort Image in Illustrator

To free distort the image first select the image and then under Quick Actions select Image Trace > High Fidelity Photo. Then expand the image. Now go to Free Transform Tool > Free Distort. Now click on any anchor and distort the image freely.

Illustrator Free Distort not Working

If free distortion is not working, make sure to first trace the image. The Image Trace option is available under the Quick Actions and then expands the image. Now distort the image freely using the Free Distort Tool in Adobe Illustrator.

How to keep proportions when scaling in Illustrator

Before scaling, you must make sure to activate Constrain Width and Height Proportions. Because this will help you to keep proportions when you are scaling anything in Adobe Illustrator.

All Done! Enjoy.