How Do I Change the Shape of a Picture in Illustrator?

Modifying the shape of an image in Illustrator can be easily accomplished using tools or commands. Images can be scaled, sheared, and masked to give it new shapes. Using commands such as scaled and sheared will reshape the image horizontally or vertically. Choosing to use any of the shape tools with the clipping mask command will allow the image to take that shape. Just as easy as it is to alter the shape of an image, the changes can be undone.

Images can be modified into various shapes using Illustrator's clipping mask command

Scale Image

Step

Select the Selection Tool and click on the image. A bounding box with six square nodes appears around the image to transform it.

Step

Move the Selection Tool over any corner node. An arrow will appear that allows the image to be scaled in or out.

Step

Click on a corner node. Hold the "Shift" key and drag the arrow diagonally inward to make the image smaller.

Step

Hold "Shift" and drag the corner nodes diagonally away from the image to enlarge it.

Scale Multiple Objects

Step

Select the Selection Tool. Drag Select all images on the artboard.

Step

Click on the "Object" menu, and "Scale." The scale window will open.

Step

Type a percentage of 50% in the uniform section. This will scale all selected images by half while maintaining the images' proportions.

Step

Click "OK" or click "Copy" to scale a copy of each object.

Clipping Mask

Step

Select the Ellipse Tool and draw an ellipse around the image. Make the ellipse smaller than the image.

Step

Click on the image and the ellipse.

Step

Go to "Object," "Clipping Mask" and "Make." The image inside the shape of an ellipse.

Step

Click the Direct Selection Tool. Click on the image to reposition it inside the ellipse to create a striking image. The same effect can be accomplished using any shape tool and the clipping mask command. Undo a clipping mask by right-clicking on the image and selecting "Release Clipping Mask."

Shear Images

Step

Select the image or images to be sheared. Using the shear command will give the image a diagonal slant along the horizontal or vertical axis.

Step

Go to "Object," "Transform," then "Shear." The dialog box for the shear command will open.

Step

Type in a shear angle between -359 and 359 degrees where it reads "Shear Angle" at the top of the dialog box.

Step

Click on horizontal or vertical to determine the angle at which to slant the image. Check the preview box to view the image. If no other changes are needed, click "OK."