Distortion printing (also known as distortion forming) is the process of printing an image on a flat surface that is going to be formed into a 3-D surface. Distortions begin in prepress where the art is modified to anticipate the stretching produced by thermoforming. Once the distortions are predetermined and calculated, the printing process begins. Once the surface is printed, it is ready to be formed so that subsequent stretching produces an undistorted or clear final image.

Distortion printing is applied to create maximum impact for various thermoforming jobs. Combining the flexibility of printing with 3-D forming brings a thermoformed display to life making it a true attention grabber. Liquor sales, sporting goods, fast-food, video games, and even Hollywood blockbusters—all have benefitted from the use of distortion forming.