Expert: Tom Rouze - 6/4/2009

Question
Hi Amy,
I'm a screen printer who needs to distort artwork, so when it prints on a cone-shaped bottle, it will appear straight. I need to "flair" or "fan" the art at the top, but leave the bottom undistorted. For example, if my artwork consists of a  2" square which must increase its width 10% at the top, I need to distort it in a way so as to end up with a new shape that is still 2" at the bottom, but 10% wider at the top (2.2") I've tried Envelope Distort --> Make with Warp --> Shell Upper --> 0 bend/0 horiz distort/-10% vert distort and achieve what I want at the top, but it always pinches the bottom inward the same amount when I need that to stay UNdistorted. Can you suggest another way to achieve my goal?

Answer
Marianne,

I think you accidently emailed me instead of Amy. But I'll still try to help. If this doesn't work resend to Amy, she may have something else that will work for you.

Here's one thing to try.
1. Create the exact shape (this must be a closed shape) of what you want the distorted type to look like and place on top of the type (the shape does not need a fill but it does need to be on top. The box becomes the boundary or holding area.
2. Next select both the shape and the type.
3. Go to Object>envelop distort>make with top object.

Hope it helped.

Thank you,

Tom