Transform an object’s patterns
When you move, rotate, reflect, scale, or shear an object that is filled with a pattern, you can transform just the object, just the pattern, or both the object and pattern. Once you transform an object’s fill pattern, all patterns that you subsequently apply to that object are transformed the same way.
- To specify how you want to transform patterns when using the Transform panel, select an option from the panel menu: Transform Object Only, Transform Pattern Only, or Transform Both.
- To specify how you want to transform patterns when using a transform command, set the Objects and Patterns options in the corresponding dialog box. For example, select Patterns and deselect Objects if you want to transform the pattern but not the object.
- To transform patterns but not objects when using a transform tool, hold down the tilde key (~) while dragging. The borders of the object appear to be transformed, but when you release the mouse button, the borders snap back to their original configuration, leaving only the pattern transformed.
- To prevent patterns from transforming when using transform tools, choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (Mac OS) and deselect Transform Pattern Tiles.
- To return an object’s fill pattern to its original state, fill the object with a solid color, and then reselect the desired pattern.