Illustrator provides two tools for flipping or mirroring an image: Free Transform Tool and Reflect Tool. These can help create stunning artworks.
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics program used for various forms of design and illustration. With an abundance of tools and features for editing and designing, this versatile program makes the designing and illustrating process much simpler.
Reflect Tool
The reflect tool can save a great deal of time when designing symmetrical designs, yet can be dauntingly confusing to use at first, especially for newcomers to Illustrator. One thing to keep in mind when using it is that only vector objects work with this feature, which means you cannot use it with raster images; another point worth keeping in mind is that its unpredictable results could produce unwanted outcomes if used improperly.
To use the Reflect tool, first select an object you would like to mirror and click on its reflect icon or use keyboard shortcut E. A dialog box will appear which allows you to specify an axis on which to mirror your object as well as choose how its outline shape should look and set round corners if needed.
Once you’ve chosen an axis on which you would like your object reflected, simply press “OK” and your image will be created – it can then be moved around as necessary on canvas.
Alternately, you can create a duplicate copy of an object mirrored using Transform > Reflect > Duplicate command. Although this method requires more work and may take more time, it’s a quick and efficient way to quickly create a symmetrical image.
There are multiple methods available for flipping and rotating objects in Illustrator, but some methods are easier than others. Experimentation will help determine which works best for you. Learning these different techniques will optimize Illustrator workflows and hasten your design process, while mastering these skills allows for faster symmetrical designs – so whether designing logos, advertisements, or simply adding more creativity to your work be sure to experiment with these various ways to flip and rotate objects using Illustrator!
Rotate Tool
One of the easiest and simplest ways to add balance and depth to your designs is by rotating and duplicating objects. This technique can save both time and effort when working with complex shapes; using the rotate tool makes this simple. Here’s how it works:
To rotate an object, first select it before clicking the Rotate Tool icon from your tools panel or pressing O on your keyboard. An anchor point will then appear at the center of your image – this serves as the basis of rotation. If you want to modify this anchor point by shifting its position with click and drag.
Use the Rotate Tool icon or press O on your keyboard to rotate a group of selected objects. Simply select them, click on Rotate Tool icon in your tools panel or enter an angle in Angle text box – positive angle will move counterclockwise while negative will turn clockwise; or apply an angular dilation option which will also rotate objects while maintaining proportions.
Use the rotate tool in the Transform panel to easily rotate an object. Select an item, drag out a box around it, enter your angle of rotation in the Rotate dialog box, and click Copy to complete this step. Repeating this process to create additional copies, or use the shortcut Ctrl+D (Windows)/ Cmd + D (Mac OSX) quickly duplicate and rotate an object is a quick way to flip its design in Illustrator and enhance designs. With these quick tips, flipping objects has never been simpler! Just give it a go and give us your feedback! Feel free to post questions or leave comments below; we would love to hear from you! This site participates in the Envato Affiliate Program, meaning we may earn commission from purchases made via links found here.
Transform Tool
Adobe Illustrator provides several methods of flipping objects horizontally or vertically or adjusting angles, but one easy solution is using the Transform Tool. This tool enables you to move, rotate and resize objects or entire images and can be found under Tools/Transform or using keyboard shortcut V. To use it simply select your object or image then click it – handles will appear around its perimeters which you can drag to resize it with Shift holding down maintaining proportions; or click on curved-double arrow icon which rotates it around its center point!
Mirror and Reflect commands of the Transform Tool offer another means of flipping an object, performing similarly to Rotate Tool but instead rotating an invisible axis. To use this command, select an object or image, choose Mirror/Reflect from the panel flyout menu, specifying where you would like mirroring over an invisible axis to occur based on x/y coordinates for reference points, then enter an angle into Constrain Angle text box which limits rotation to that particular angle range.
Alternately, you can use the Shear Tool to shear layers or selections horizontally or vertically. To use it, select your layer/selection and drag it over where you would like it sheared; optionally set its magnitude manually via Shear Magnitude X/Y input boxes.
Transform Tool’s Rotate and Scale commands can also help you rotate or scale selected objects at the same time. Simply specify either their center point, any four sides, corners, or an arbitrary angle in the Rotate Angle text box for which to rotate them; additionally if any objects feature pattern fills you have control over whether to rotate that as well.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Whatever type of work you do – fashion flats, illustrations or something entirely different – keyboard shortcuts can save time in the long run and increase productivity significantly. They’re easy to learn and significantly boost productivity!
When flipping an object in Illustrator, the most basic method involves selecting it and pressing the Rotate Tool (keyboard shortcut O). With this tool active, a circular shape with an anchor point appears around your selected object allowing you to click-drag the circle in any direction you desire to rotate your selected item.
Illustrator makes it easy to flip an object by providing the Reflect Tool. Similar to the Rotate Tool, this tool enables you to reflect an object horizontally or vertically. To use this tool, select your object before pressing R (keyboard shortcut for Reflect Tool). After pressing this keystroke shortcut you will see a circle with its center point appear around it; click and drag this circle as necessary in order to adjust its direction of reflection.
Use the Reflect Tool to add depth and dimension to your designs with text. Simply select your text before pressing either O or R on your keyboard shortcut for this tool, which will create a circle around it that represents its direction of reflection.
Finally, Illustrator provides another method for flipping an object using the Transform Tool (keyboard shortcut T). While more complicated than the Rotate Tool, using the Transform Tool yields more precise results. To use it, select your object before pressing T and pressing again until a circle with an arrow at its center appears around your selected object; simply move this circle along its edges in any direction to rotate your object!
If you want to gain more knowledge about using Keyboard Shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator, there are various online resources that can provide assistance. But one of the best ways of understanding how these shortcuts can benefit your workflow is attending a class or workshop – giving you hands-on experience while learning all of Illustrator’s tools!
