2D Design: How to Mirror Objects

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Carveco Tutorial: Mirroring Vectors

Mirroring is a great way to quickly reflect vector shapes to the opposite side, whether you're creating symmetrical designs or duplicating elements efficiently.

🔹 Copying Vectors with Ctrl + Drag

  • You can create a copy of a vector by holding Ctrl and dragging it — even without using the Transform Tool.
  • Just select the vector, then Ctrl + Drag with your mouse, to create duplicates easily.

🔹 Using the Mirror Tool

  • Select your vector, then click Mirror Objects from the left-hand toolbar.
  • By default, mirroring will be turned off until you select a direction.
  • You can mirror:
    • Top ↔ Bottom
    • Left ↔ Right
    • Over the model center

🔹 Mirror Over Model Center

  • If your object is centered on the workspace, mirroring over the model will reflect it perfectly across the midpoint.
  • Try different mirror directions (horizontal/vertical) for varied results.

🔹 Mirror About a Selected Line

  • You can mirror using a custom guideline:
    • Draw a line.
    • Select your vector, then Shift + Click the guideline.
    • Choose Mirror in Selected Line from the mirror options.
  • This reflects your object over the exact line you chose.

🔹 Copying vs. Replacing

  • Enable Copy in the mirror panel to keep the original and create a mirrored duplicate.
  • This allows you to quickly generate multiple mirrored shapes, like stars or symmetrical artwork.

🔹 Join Mirrored Vectors

  • If you're mirroring open vectors and the endpoints align, you can enable Join Mirrored Vectors.
  • This will automatically connect the mirrored segments into a single, closed shape.

The Mirror Tool is a fast, powerful way to duplicate and flip vectors with precision — perfect for balanced layouts, repeating patterns, and symmetrical designs.

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