Distortion effects are not applied

Symptoms

If one or more of these match what you are seeing, you are on the right page.

• •The distortion controls cannot be found on a selected shape
• •The filter is listed but produces no visible change
• •The distortion applies to the wrong region of the image
• •A displacement map does nothing

Causes and fixes

Ordered from most to least likely. Work down the list — each cause is paired with what to do about it.

1. 1

   The selected element is a shape, not an image.

   Distortion filters apply to images. For a vector shape, edit vertices directly in Vertex Edit mode, use skew in the transform controls, or rasterize by using the artwork as an image.

2. 2

   The filter intensity is at zero.

   Every distortion filter has a driving parameter — warp mesh offsets, ripple amplitude, twirl angle, bulge amount. Raise it from its neutral value.

3. 3

   The filter is disabled in the stack.

   Each filter row has an eye toggle that disables it without deleting it, and its own opacity control. Check both before assuming the filter is broken.

4. 4

   Filter order is cancelling the effect.

   Filters apply top to bottom. A distortion followed by a heavy blur or a pixelate will have its detail obscured. Drag the grab handle to reorder.

5. 5

   A displacement map has no map assigned, or the map has no contrast.

   Displacement needs both the target and a map image simultaneously. A flat grey map displaces nothing — use one with real luminance variation.

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