Bend
Curve the layer around a movable bend point, on either axis.
Bend curves the whole layer along an arc. Text bends into a rainbow, a rectangle becomes a ribbon, a straight line becomes a bow.
Unlike Corner Pin, it is a genuine curved deformation — the geometry follows the arc, so the edges stay smooth however far you push it.
When to reach for it#
- Arched text and banners.
- Ribbons, waves, and flags.
- Curving a straight edge to sit against a round object.
How it works#
Bend rewrites the layer's outline as a path, so it works on shape and vector layers, on Boolean cutters, and on Morph targets — anything that resolves to a path. It rides the same operator chain as Offset Path and Zig-Zag, which means the order you stack them in changes the result.
Angle is the total bend across the layer. Axis picks whether the bend runs along the layer's width or its height. Limits restrict which part of the layer actually bends, so you can arch only the top half and leave the base flat.
Resolution controls how many segments the outline is cut into before bending. Low values leave visible facets on a strong bend; high values cost a little more per frame. Around 24 is invisible for most shapes.
Parameters#
Total degrees of bend across the layer. 0 is flat. 180 curls the ends round to meet each other. Beyond that the shape starts overlapping itself, which is a legitimate look but rarely an accident.
Whether the bend runs along X (width) or Y (height). For a wide text layer you almost always want X.
Rotates the plane the bend happens in, without rotating the layer. Use it to bend diagonally.
Where along the layer the bend is centred. At 0 the middle stays put and both ends curve. Push it to one side and that side stays flat while the other does all the bending.
Shifts the bend toward one end without moving the origin. Positive concentrates the curvature at one side, which is how you get an asymmetric hook rather than a symmetric arc.
Narrows the layer along the bend. Positive tapers toward the far end. This is what turns a bent rectangle into something that reads as a ribbon rather than a bent plank.
Restricts bending to a slice of the layer. With the low and high limits set to 50 and 100, only the top half bends and the bottom stays rigid.
What happens beyond the limits: extend keeps going straight in the direction the bend was heading, so the unbent part stays attached at the right angle.
Off, bending shortens the layer slightly as the ends pull in. On, the outline keeps its original length and the arc grows instead. Matters for text, where letters shrinking is obvious.
Segments the outline is divided into. Raise it if you see flat facets on a strong bend; lower it if a very complex path is costing frames.
Recipes#
Arched banner text
- Type the text and convert it to a vector layer.
- Add Bend, Axis X.
- Raise Angle until the arch looks right — 60 to 90 for a gentle curve.
- Turn on Preserve arc length so the letters do not compress.
- If the arch is lopsided, adjust Origin X rather than nudging the layer.
Text on a Path is the better tool if you want the letters to follow a curve you drew by hand. Bend is the right choice when you want a clean symmetric arc and one number to control it.
Things that catch people out#
Bend works on shapes, vectors and converted text. On an image or a raw text layer there is no outline to rewrite, so nothing happens. Convert to vector first.
A 150° bend at Resolution 6 shows flat sides. The fix is Resolution, not Angle.
See also#
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