Using the Perspective Grid

Using the Perspective Grid

The perspective grid gives you a very powerful set of tools for quickly and easily creating graphics that maintain a consistent perspective. Essentially, it allows you to create perspective envelopes tha 111k105b t automatically adjust as they are moved around the page.

To view the Perspective grid:

Choose View > Perspective Grid > Show. The grid appears on the page.

To attach objects to the Perspective grid:

Choose the Perspective tool from the Tools panel

Figure 18. The Perspective tool in the Tools panel.

Use the Perspective tool to drag an object to the desired place on the grid.

Tap one of the arrow keys on the keyboard as follows:

o        Left arrow attaches the object to the left grid.

o        Right arrow attaches the object to the right grid.

o        Down arrow attaches the object to the floor grid, oriented to the right vanishing point.

o        Up arrow attaches the object to the floor grid, oriented to the left vanishing point.

To move an object on the Perspective grid:

Use the Perspective tool to move the object around the grid. As the object changes position it changes its shape to conform to the perspective grid

Figure 20. As a circle is copied to different places on the perspective grid, it changes its shape.

TIP

Hold the Opt/Alt key to copy an object while dragging it on the grid with the Perspective tool.

TIP

Hold the Shift key to constrain its movement to the grid axes.

To define a Perspective grid:

Choose View > Perspective Grid > Define Grids. This opens the Define Grids dialog box

Figure 21. The Define Grids dialog box sets the attributes of the Perspective grids in the document.

Click New to add a new grid to the list.

Double click to change the name of the grid.

Use the Vanishing Point list to set the number of vanishing points in the grid

Figure 22. A 1-point grid (top), a 2-point grid (middle), and a 3-point grid (bottom).

Use the grid cell size to set how large the cells should be. A larger cell size creates fewer grid lines on the page.

Click the color wells to set the color for each portion of the grid.

Use the Delete button to delete grids.

Use the Duplicate button to make a copy of each grid.

Click OK to accept the setting and return to the document. The grids you define can be selected from the bottom of the View > Perspective Grid submenu.

To modify the page characteristics of a grid:

Choose the Perspective tool. Modify the elements of the grid as follows

Figure 23. Drag the Elements of a grid to change the characteristics of the grid on the page.

To change the height of the grid, drag the diamond control up or down.

To change the position of the vanishing point, drag the point to the right or left.

To change the angle of a grid, drag the grid lines.

To hide or show a left or right grid, double-click the grid's vanishing point.

To hide or show the floor grid, double-click the horizon line.

TIP

To protect a grid configuration, duplicate the grid in the Define Grid dialog box before you make changes.

To keep objects aligned as you modify a grid:

Select the objects.

Hold the Shift key as you modify the grid.

Objects aligned to a grid are inside envelopes. As with other enve lopes, you can release an object leaving it distorted.

To release objects from the grid:

Select the object you want to release.

Choose View > Perspective Grid > Release Perspective.

You can also remove an object from the grid and return it to its original shape.

To remove objects from the grid:

Select the object you want to release and restore to its original shape.

Choose View > Perspective Grid > Remove Perspective.

TIP

You can also choose Modify > Envelope > Release or Modify > Envelope > Remove as well as the Release and Remove buttons on the Envelope toolbar to release or remove objects from the grid.