Adjust center of FishEye

I like Mo's workaround because it keeps the effect non-destructive so that you can edit the text. However, there is a destructive option that would let you determine the center using the Bloat Tool. It's nested with the Width Tool. Set your text however you want it. You don't have to add any additional characters for the spacing. Convert it outlines (Type > Create Outlines or Shift + Ctrl + O). Select the Bloat Tool. It's a brush, so you'll see the outline of the space where it will be applied. Double-click on the Bloat Tool to open its settings. Change the Width and Height to be large enough to enclose the type. Adjust the intensity to apply however much distortion you want (you can click and hold when applying it to increase the amount). In Bloat options, I'd recommend turning up detail to 10 to get smoother curves from the straight parts of the characters. I'd also recommend turning off Simplify to maintain the integrity of the characters. Make sure Show Brush Size is selected. Click OK. When you hover over your text, you'll see the crosshairs indicating the center of the brush. If it helps, you might add guides to where you want to make the center of the distortion. Then click with the Bloat Tool to apply the bloat to your text.

What about trying the "bulge" effect, instead of fish eye?

HI,

Whilst there is no way to move the content around like a gradient stop, you have two workarounds.

1. Hit retuen ater the fiirst word so you have twodisticnt lines of copy. You can then play with spacing before and after paragraph to get the text to shift.
2. Option two is more drastic in its changes. place a period followed by a return before the first line. So now you have ., line 1, line two. slect the period and remove its fill colour. You can tweak its size and leading, and its spacing after to further push the text in the direction you want.

Good luck

.mj