Transforming and Distorting Objects > Creating perspective > Attaching objects to a perspective grid

 

Attaching objects to a perspective grid

To attach objects to a perspective grid and give the object a three-dimensional appearance, you display a perspective grid and then use the Perspective tool. The object retains the perspective even after it's released from the perspective grid.

To attach an object to the perspective grid:

1

Choose View > Perspective Grid > Show to display the default perspective grid.

For instructions on editing perspective grids, see Editing perspective grids.

2

Select the Perspective tool.

3

Select the object you want to attach to the grid, and drag the object to the desired area of the perspective grid. Do not release the mouse button yet.

4

While holding down the mouse button, press and release the arrow key that corresponds to where you want to attach the object to the perspective grid, as follows:

For a perspective grid with only one vanishing point, press either the Left or Right Arrow key to attach an object to the vertical grid; press either the Up or Down Arrow key to attach an object to the horizontal grid.

For a perspective grid with more than one vanishing point, press the Left or Right Arrow key to attach an object to the left or right grid, respectively. Press the Up Arrow key to attach an object to the floor grid, aligned with the right vanishing point. Press the Down Arrow key to attach an object to the floor grid, aligned with the left vanishing point.

5

Release the mouse button
.

To move an object on the perspective grid:

1

Select the Perspective tool.

2

Reposition the object by using one of these methods:

Drag the object to a new location on the perspective grid.

To move an object while constraining it to the perspective grid lines, Shift-drag the object.

To move the grid and clone all attached objects, hold down Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Macintosh) key and drag the grid.

Note: When View > Snap to Grid is selected, objects moved using the Pointer tool snap to the perspective grid but do not automatically obtain a perspective appearance.

To flip an object horizontally or vertically on the perspective grid:

1

Click the object with the Perspective tool. Do not release the mouse button yet.

2

While holding the mouse button down, press the spacebar to flip a side grid object horizontally or a floor grid object vertically.

3

Release the mouse button.

To shrink an object on the perspective grid:

1

Select the object with the Perspective tool.

2

While holding down the mouse button, press one of the following keys on the keyboard to shrink the object by 1 pixel in the indicated directions:

Press 1 for width and height.

Press 3 for width.

Press 5 for height.

To enlarge an object on the perspective grid:

1

Select the object with the Perspective tool.

2

While holding down the mouse button, press one of the following keys to enlarge the object by 1 pixel in the indicated directions:

Press 2 for width and height.

Press 4 for width.

Press 6 for height.

To detach an object from the perspective grid, do one of the following:

To discard perspective attributes, choose View > Perspective Grid > Remove Perspective.

To retain perspective attributes, choose View > Perspective Grid > Release With Perspective.