1. Open Illustrator. Select File > New. Click OK to create a new document. With the Type tool (T) selected, click and drag to create a text box. Type out a word.

2. Next, select the Pen tool (P) and create a shape anywhere on the canvas.

3. This will be the building block to distort the text. The next step is to make the typed word—party in the example shown here—conform to the newly created box. With the Select tool (V), select both the text box and the shape just created. From the Illustrator menu, select Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Top Object. The word will now conform to the boundaries of the shape.

4. The result is shown at left. Note that for this to work, the shape needs to be above the text box. If you create the text box after the shape layer, you will need to send it to the back of the canvas before you continue with the distort.

5. Get creative! You can use this tool for any number of great effects. Here is an example of a music promotion poster with text effects created using Envelope Distort. Be prepared to experiment with different box shapes, as the effect will differ depending on the length of the text and the size of the box.