Illustrator 101 - The Twirl Tool
The twirl tool is a great tool that can make complex and eye-catching objects in no time. Here's one way to use it.
Here’s what we are going to get to. It is a simple wallpaper design.
![Twirl Tool Preview](/images/articles/swirl_preview_500.png)
With the Twirl Tool the effect is very simple.
Using the twirl tool ¶
Simply draw a circle on the canvas and then select the Twirl Tool. This is tucked away within the Warp Tool.
![Finding the Twirl Tool](/images/articles/warp_tool.jpg)
Hover over the edge of the circle and then click and hold. The longer you hold your click the more the shape will twirl. You will see a Twirl created on the edge of the circle like this:
![image](/images/articles/warp_and_circle.jpg)
Repeat the process over and over and you start to build up complex shapes. To vary the options double click on the tool in the toolbar. You will see this:
![Twirl Tool Options](/images/articles/twirl_tool_options.jpg)
This allows you to control the twirl and how big it is and at what angle it is drawn. Play around with the options - sometimes it can look really bad but other times you will get it right.
If you select multiple objects on the canvas you can twirl them together - the tool will blend the shapes for you.
![Multiple Twirls](/images/articles/multiple_twirl_shapes.jpg)
So in no time you can create something like this.
![Twirl Tool Preview](/images/articles/swirl_preview_500.png)
If you’d like to have the desktop you can get a copy for your screen resolution below:
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See Also
-
Illustrator 101 - The Blend Tool
The blend tool is a great way to build out shapes and design elements in Illustrator. Here's a quick overview of how it works and some techniques to apply. -
Illustrator 101 - Opacity Masks
Opacity Masks are all over the web. Here's a short tutorial on how they work in Illustrator and how you can use them in your designs. -
Glossy badges in Illustrator
The star tool and opacity masks make it easy to make eye-catching glossy badges for websites and user interface designs. Here's an example of how to do it, including a downloadable Illustrator file to work with.