Illustrator edit paths with the pencil tool

Move a point along a path : To move an anchor point along a path when drawing, enable the secondary touch shortcut outer circle ring. Convert corner to a curve : Double-tap on points to convert points from corners to curves and vice versa. Draw with Pencil tool.

In the left toolbar, tap the Pencil tool. To draw a free path, drag the Pencil tool freely on the artboard. If you hold while drawing and then continue from that point, you create a corner point. If you press the primary modifier anytime while drawing with the pencil tool, you create freeform straight-lines. Set smoothing for Pencil. Draw with Paint Brush tool. Collection of default brushes for new or existing paths. Create strokes with artistic patterns on new or existing paths.

Paint Brush tools panel. Here's how you get started with the Paint Brush tool :. Create your own Brush. Create document, art or calligraphic brush. Here's how you create your own brush:.

Apply brush style to a path. Apply document, art or calligraphic brush. Here's how you apply brushes on the path:. Add to Favourites. Here's how you add a brush to your favorites: Tap on the toolbar on your left. Tap again to choose and avail the Paint Brush tools panel. Click the Art or Calligraphic brush option you want to add.

Click on the star icon to save your selected brush in the Favorites section. Paint with Blob Brush tool. Blob Brush settings. How's how you get started with the Blob Brush tool:. Set the size for Blob Brush. Set smoothing for Blob Brush. Stroke Smoothing in Blob Brush. Set Blob Brush options. Blob Brush options. In the Brush settings, Roundness : Sets the roundness of the brush. Drag a black dot in the preview away from or toward the center, or enter a value in the Roundness text box.

The higher the value, the greater the roundness. Angle : Determines the angle of rotation for the tool. Drag the arrowhead in the preview, or enter a value in the Angle text box. Pressure dynamics : Specify the pressure for your stylus Apple Pencil to draw dynamic brush strokes. The thickness of your brush strokes changes according to the pressure you apply on the stylus when drawing your iPad. See also: Manage app preferences.

Merge brush strokes : Tap this option to merge the new strokes drawn over existing ones, if they have the same fill color. Taper ends: Control the impact of brush stroke and modify the begining and end of brush strokes. Follow the below steps to modify the Taper ends: Tap Taper ends to view more options. The last anchor point you add always appears as a solid square, indicating that it is selected.

Previously defined anchor points become hollow, and deselected, as you add more anchor points. You create a curve by adding an anchor point where a curve changes direction, and dragging the direction lines that shape the curve. The length and slope of the direction lines determine the shape of the curve. Curves are easier to edit and your system can display and print them faster if you draw them using as few anchor points as possible.

Using too many points can also introduce unwanted bumps in a curve. Instead, draw widely spaced anchor points, and practice shaping curves by adjusting the length and angles of the direction lines. Position the Pen tool where you want the curve to begin, and hold down the mouse button. The first anchor point appears, and the Pen tool pointer changes to an arrowhead. In general, extend the direction line about one third of the distance to the next anchor point you plan to draw.

You can adjust one or both sides of the direction line later. Positioning Pen tool B. Starting to drag mouse button pressed C. Dragging to extend direction lines. Then release the mouse button. Opposite handles are equal and paired B. Alt-drag Windows or Option-drag macOS direction lines to break out the direction lines of an anchor point.

Reposition the closing anchor point B. Break the paired handles to adjust the closing anchor point. After you click to create an anchor point, keep the mouse button pressed down, hold down the spacebar , and drag to reposition the anchor point. Position the Pen tool over the selected endpoint. In Illustrator, a convert-point icon appears next to the Pen tool when it is positioned correctly. Straight segment completed B. Positioning Pen tool over endpoint C.

Dragging direction point. Dragging direction line C. New curve segment completed. First smooth point of curved segment completed and Pen tool positioned over endpoint B. Dragging to complete the curve. Positioning Pen tool over existing endpoint B. Clicking endpoint C. Clicking next corner point. Reposition the Pen tool and drag to create a curve with a second smooth point; then press and hold Alt Windows or Option macOS and drag the direction line toward its opposing end to set the slope of the next curve.

Release the key and the mouse button. Dragging a new smooth point B. Result after repositioning and dragging a third time. The Curvature tool simplifies path creation and makes drawing easy and intuitive. This tool enables you to create, toggle, edit, add, or remove smooth or corner points. You don't have to switch between different tools to work quickly and precisely with paths. Select the Curvature tool. Drop two points on the artboard, and then view the rubber band preview display the shape of the resulting path depending on where you hover your mouse.

Note: Rubber-banding is turned on by default in the tool. Use the mouse to drop a point or tap to create a smooth point. To create a corner point, double-click or press the Alt key while clicking or tapping. By default, smooth points are created for curves B. To create a corner point, double-click or press the Alt key while dropping a point.

The Pen tool and the Curvature tool display a preview of the path that will be drawn from the previous anchor point to the current position of the pointer. Using the Pen tool or the Curvature tool, click once on the artboard to draw a smooth point, and drag the mouse to create the handles as required. Note: When you draw a smooth point, the opposite handles are always equal and paired. Release the mouse button. When you move the mouse pointer across the artboard, a path is displayed indicating what will be drawn if you choose to drop an anchor point at the location of the mouse pointer.

First anchor point and its handles B. Rubber Band preview of the path between the first anchor point and the mouse pointer. When the preview displayed is the path that you wanted to draw, click the location, and Illustrator draws the path as previewed.

When the preview is on, pressing Esc stops showing the preview and ends the path. If not, you might accidentally delete or join lines. Happy with the line work? You can also change stroke colors, weight, and even stroke styles. The biggest difference between the Pencil tool and Pen tool is that the pencil tool is a free-path drawing while the pen tool is creating precise lines between anchor points. The pen tool is the most precise tool for creating vectors.

You will find it easier to start with because you connect anchor points to create a shape and it works fine with a mouse. The Pencil tool is widely used by Illustrators for creating from scratch, and for creating vivid hand drawings. Your email address will not be published.

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