Text effects may be simple, but they are also a core component of virtually all advertising material, and without them you'd have a very difficult time indeed finding out what each and every advert is actually trying to promote!

In this tutorial we will learn how to use Illustrator's distortion functions to distort text inside a custom shape. As you can probably image, this is a supremely useful technique and its flexibility will come in useful throughout your design career.

Step 1:  Using the Type Tool, type out some text. Simple fonts usually work best, as ornate script-type fonts become utterly illegible when stretched and distorted.

Step 2: Using the Pen Tool, draw a jaggedy path around the text you just typed. Ensure that this is a complete path by joining the two ends together.

Step 3: Select both the text and the jaggedy path and then go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Top Object.

And thats it - your text will now take on the form of your jaggedy path. See, I told you it would be easy! Enjoy!

- Tutorial written by Jacorre

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