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R
roy5FAA
Participating Frequently
April 30, 2021
Question

How to use distort tool without holding down control point

  • April 30, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 951 views

Hello

 

Is it possible to move a control point in the distort tool without clicking and holding?

 

I need to zoom into the image while making the distortion but this means the control point is no longer visible, I'm wondering if it's possible to activate one of the control points, then move it with the arrow keys (or an alternative) once I've zoomed into the area I need to work on?

 

Regards.

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3 replies

Bojan Živković11378569
Community Expert
Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2021

"I need to zoom into the image while making the distortion but this means the control point is no longer visible, "

 

I just zoomed in to maximum and control point is still visible. Do you want to say that you need to perform zoom while transforming and there isn't any alternative? I have never come to such situation and that is very interesting. Is there any specific reason you can not zoom then transform and repeat if necessary?

R
roy5FAAAuthor
Participating Frequently
May 1, 2021

Hello everyone

 

thanks for your time. I'll try to address each comment as it seems like my OP wasn't entirely clear.

 

JJ, it's not a vector graphic I'm distorting. I've probably used the wrong terminology, the distort tool I was referring to is the distort option, of free transform.

 

Bojan, I need to distort the entire image or layer, it's important that I don't create a localized distortion within the image, so I'm selecting the entire image and moving the anchor points at the edge. I'm using free transform (distort) to align areas of the image (sometimes when stitching, sometimes to correct perspectival distortions). If the image is very large and the area I'm trying to align or adjust is in the centre of the image, I can't see the anchor points anymore.

 

For most purposes I can see how this might seem unnecessary but when stitching, I sometimes find myself zoomed in as close as PS will allow, so trying to go back and forth between the anchor point and the area I'm aligning can be really tedious. If I could activate one of the anchor points then move it remotely with the arrows for example, it would make the process so much easier.

 

Hope this helps, maybe there's an alternative method I hadn't considered.

 

Best regards.

Bojan Živković11378569
Community Expert
Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2021
If you are transforming entire layer or content on it then you can lock
transform anchor to middle for example and to use W or H value in the
options bar to enlarge or reduce object dimensions by single pixel, ten
pixels or any other available unit using arrow keys. Add Shift to arrow for
10x increment.
Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 1, 2021

JJ has told you how it can work with Shape layers, but I don't think there is any way of doing what you ask when transforming a pixel layer.

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 1, 2021

    It sounds to me you are writing about vector tools in general. There is no distort tool I know of in Photoshop. There are features and tools that can be used to distort things in Photoshop.  You can use the Direct Selection Tool(A)   white arrow is the tools icon  to select/target a control point then arrow keys can be used to nudge the control point's position.

    JJMack
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