How to Mirror Image Text in Adobe Illustrator

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By Catherine Chant
eHow Contributing Writer

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(3 Ratings)

Mirror Text Examples

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics program that allows you to work with graphics as a series of points and lines that come together to form shapes and images. Vector graphics can be scaled and manipulated without losing image quality. With Adobe Illustrator you can easily mirror any image or text object using the Reflect command. Objects can mirror along a vertical axis, horizontal axis or on along a custom angle that you define.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Adobe Illustrator

Create the Text Object

Step 1

Adobe Illustrator Opening Screen

Open Adobe Illustrator and start a new document by choosing "Web" or "Print" from the start up screen.
Step 2

The Text Tool

Click the "Text Tool" in the palette on the left.
Step 3

Click in the blank work area and type a string of text you want to mirror.
Step 4

The Arrow Tool

Click the "Arrow" selection tool in the upper left of the tool palette.
Step 5

Selected Text

Double click the text object you just created, hold down the mouse button and drag over the text to select it.
Step 6

Type Menu

Go to the "Type" menu and use the "Font" and "Size" commands to adjust the typeface to the style you desire.
Step 7

Click outside the text to remove the selection.

Mirror the Text Horizontally

Step 1

Click the Arrow selection tool on the text object once to select it as an object instead of text as before.
Step 2

Go to the "Edit" menu and choose "Copy", then choose "Paste In Front". A duplicate of your text object now lies directly on top of the original.
Step 3

Object Menu

Go to the "Object" menu and choose Transform-->Reflect...
Step 4

Reflect Horizontal

Click the button next to "Horizontal" in the "Reflect" dialog box and click OK. A mirror image of your text is now located below the original.

Mirror the Text Vertically Start to Start

Step 1

Create another text object following the steps in the first section or duplicate your original text object and move it to a free area of the workspace.
Step 2

Click the "Arrow" selection tool and click on the text object once to select it.
Step 3

Go to the "Edit" menu and choose "Copy", then choose "Paste In Front".
Step 4

Go to the "Object" menu and choose Transform-->Reflect...
Step 5

Reflect Vertical

Click the button next to "Vertical" in the "Reflect" dialog box and click OK. A mirror image of your text is now located to the left of the original, beginning with the first letter.

Mirror the Text Vertically End to End

Step 1

Create another text object following the steps in the first section or duplicate one of your other text objects and move it to a free area of the workspace.
Step 2

Click the "Arrow" selection tool and click on the text object once to select it.
Step 3

Go to the "Edit" menu and choose "Copy", then choose "Paste In Front".
Step 4

Transform Each command

Go to the "Object" menu and choose Transform-->Transform Each...
Step 5

Reflect X command

Click the button next to "Reflect X" in the "Transform Each" dialog box and click OK. A mirror image of your text is now located to the right of the original, beginning with the last letter.