Mirror
Flip a copy across an axis for instant symmetry.
Mirror reflects the layer across a line you position, and draws the reflection alongside the original. Move the original and the reflection tracks it, so you can build a symmetrical shape by drawing half of it.
Radial mode does the same thing around a point instead of a line, alternating mirrored and rotated copies. That is the kaleidoscope.
When to reach for it#
- Logos, badges, and any mark that has to be symmetrical.
- Drawing half a character or ornament and letting the other half follow.
- Kaleidoscope backgrounds from one small motif.
How it works#
The mirror line runs through Centre X / Y at Mirror angle. Everything is a reflection of the live layer, not a snapshot, so animating the original animates both halves in step — which is exactly why symmetrical animation is so cheap here.
Radial mode ignores the angle and divides the full turn by Sides. Odd-numbered copies are mirrored, even ones are only rotated, so adjacent wedges always meet as reflections and the seams line up.
Parameters#
Horizontal flips left-right. Vertical flips top-bottom. Both axes gives you four quadrants. Radial spins copies around the centre with alternating reflections.
Radial only. The number of wedges in the full turn. Even numbers give clean mirror seams; odd numbers leave one seam where two identical edges meet instead of two reflected ones.
Where the mirror line sits, in percent of the canvas. Drag it and the reflection swings; put it at the edge of the layer and the two halves touch.
Tilts the mirror line. At 45° a horizontal flip becomes a diagonal one. Ignored in radial mode.
Turn this off and you see only the reflection. Useful when you want the mirrored version to be the artwork and the original was just scaffolding.
Recipes#
Symmetrical logo mark
- Draw the left half of the mark only.
- Add Mirror, mode Horizontal.
- Drag Centre X until the two halves meet where you want the join.
- Keep drawing on the left half — the right updates as you go.
Work at the join last. Shapes that cross the mirror line get reflected onto themselves, which reads as doubled strokes.
Things that catch people out#
A mirrored text layer is backwards, because that is what a mirror does. If you want readable text on both sides, mirror the ornament and place the text separately.
Anything overlapping the line gets drawn twice, once each way. Strokes look thicker and semi-transparent fills go darker there. Keep the artwork on one side of the line.
See also#
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