Enveloping Objects

The Envelope command lets you distort shapes and text, as if an illustration was drawn on a rubber sheet and then stretched.

When an object is in Envelope Edit mode, its bounding box acts like the rubber sheet. Canvas X Draw includes several envelope styles that offer various handles you can use to stretch an object’s bounding box. Using this effect, you can create new shapes, add a sense of motion to an illustration, arrange text so it appears to be painted on a three-dimensional object, or distort an image. (See Envelope Effect.)

The Envelope command distorted the type to match the contour of the ship’s hull

Using Envelope Templates

Canvas X Draw has several envelope templates that you use to instantly distort shapes. The silhouettes in the template scroll list show the distortion created by each template. In addition, you can create your own envelope templates. After you apply the envelope effect to an object, you can acquire the shape of the envelope as a template.

To Apply an Envelope Template:

Select a vector object.
Choose Effects | Envelope to open the Envelope palette.
In the palette, choose Template in the menu.
Select a preview shape in the scroll list to select it, and click Apply.

You can identify whether you are in Curve Edit mode by the Status bar or the following icon in the Properties bar:

To Save an Envelope as a Template:

To store an object’s envelope as a template, you must first use the envelope effect on the object. (See To Apply an Envelope Effect:.) You can’t acquire a standard vector shape, such as a circle, unless you first apply the envelope effect.

Select an object that has been edited using the envelope effect. The object cannot be in Envelope Edit mode.
Choose Effects | Envelope to open the Envelope palette.
In the menu, choose Template.
Click Acquire; a preview of the envelope shape appears in the scroll box.

To Delete an Envelope Template:

In the Envelope palette, choose Template in the menu.
Click a preview shape in the scroll box to select it, and click Delete.

Using Envelope Styles

In addition to envelope templates, Canvas X Draw has six envelope styles that let you edit shapes in different ways. Each style moves and changes the bounding box in a particular way. See Envelope Styles and Editing Options for information on the attributes of each style.

To Apply an Envelope Effect:

Select a vector object.
Choose Effects | Envelope to open the Envelope palette.
Choose an envelope style in the menu and click Apply.
Drag the envelope handles that appear on the bounding box of the object to edit the shape.

Envelope Styles and Editing Options

Example	Style	Number of handles	Envelope behavior
	Warp	Enter the number of horizontal and vertical handles in the text boxes.	Each handle behaves like a path anchor point and can move in any direction.
	Distort	Four	Each side of the envelope edit box is a straight line; handles can move in all directions. This style is useful for creating perspective.
	Straight Line	Eight	All handles are connected by straight lines. Corner handles are constrained to right-angle movements; side handles can move in all directions.
	Single Cusp	Eight	Side handles form convex or concave curves between corner handles. Side handles can move in any direction; corner handles are constrained to right-angle movements.
	Double Cusp	Eight	Side handles form S-shaped curves between corner handles. Side handles can move in any direction; corner handles are constrained to right-angle movements.
	Bézier	Eight	All handles behave like smooth anchor points and can move in any direction.

Enveloping Objects

Enveloping Objects

Enveloping Objects

Using Envelope Templates

To Apply an Envelope Template:

To Save an Envelope as a Template:

To Delete an Envelope Template:

Using Envelope Styles

To Apply an Envelope Effect:

Envelope Styles and Editing Options

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