The Path Tool will be the hardest tool to learn in Illustrator. It usually take weeks to learn and beginners always end up in frustration while figuring how it works. So don’t give up and practice it every day and soon you will be able to draw any shape.
Drawing Straight Lines
Select the Pen Tool and click once to add the first anchor point. Move your mouse to the next position and click again to create the second point. The two anchor points will be connected together. Continue doing this to create a W shape as shown.To draw a new line, click the Selection Tool(The Black Arrow Icon) and click back the Pen Tool again.
Closing a Path
To close a path, click back the starting point to close the shape.
Drawing a Curved Line
Click and drag to put out the handles to create a smooth anchor point.
Changing Path Directions
Click and drag to create a smooth anchor point. Without releasing your mouse, hold Alt/Option and drag the handle up to change the path direction.
Drawing a Circular Path
Click and drag to create a smooth anchor point. Continue adding points and click back the starting point to close the path.
Adding Anchor Points
With the Pen Tool selected, go near the path where you want to add a new anchor point. A plus sign will appear next to the pen, click on the path to create a new anchor point.
Removing Anchor Points
To remove point, move your Pen Tool close to an anchor. A minus sign will appear next to the pen. Click on the anchor point to delete it.
Converting Anchor Points
To convert a smooth anchor point to a sharp anchor point, move your Pen Tool near the anchor and hold Alt/Option and your Pen Tool will change to an arrow shape. Click on the smooth anchor to convert it to an anchor point. Click and drag on the anchor point again to change it back to a smooth anchor point.
Moving Anchor Points
Select the Direct Selection Tool and click and on anchor you want to move. Click and drag to change positions.
Changing Anchor Directions
With the Pen Tool, you can quickly change the anchor directions. Hold Ctrl/Command to quickly change the Pen Tool to Direction Selection Tool. Select the anchor point you want to edit. The anchor handle will appear. Now release Ctrl/Command and hold Alt/Option to change it to Convert Anchor Tool. Click and drag the handles to change the direction.
Drawing an Old Key
After learning the concepts of how the Pen Tool works, we will apply what you have learnt to create this ancient old key shape. For the right angles, hold Shift before adding anchor point to constrain it to 90-degree.
Final Illustration
This is the final illustration.
Tips for Using Pen Tool
- Use as little anchor points your need to create your shape
- Add anchor points where there is a change in direction of the line/curve
- Use shortcuts like Alt/Option or Ctrl/Command to quickly swap to other tools to edit your path
- Hold shift to lock your path while adding new anchor point for 45-degree increments.
More Training for Pen Tool
I have included more exercises for tracing using Pen Tool. Save it to your desktop and place it in illustrator by going to File>Place. Select the image and make sure Template is ticked. The image will now be faded and placed as a template. Now you can start practicing and don’t give up.
For a more comprehensive guide on using Pen, read this article.
Next Lesson: Using Brushes
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July 19th, 2008 at 11:48 am
This is amazing. Thank you so much for doing this. I have a question though - when drawing an eye - should I just make 2 (left/right) points, then click and drag the handle to make the curve? or should there be like 3 points (one on the top, I mean)?
Hope that made sense.
July 19th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hi Candy, 2 or 3 points are fine. No strict rules, it depends on your preferences. I prefer drawing with 3 points, easier to make it symmetrical by controlling the 3rd point at the top. Try it and you will get what I mean.
July 20th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Alright, I’ll try that. Thanks a lot.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
wow! i love this illustrator walk-through tutorial… i’m learning new stuff about almost every tool so far. today, i learned how to change path directions. i’ve been doing work-arounds that are not nearly as nice. thanks so much!
July 28th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Thanks a lot for this pen tutorial. I’ve been working with photoshop for a few years now but never really understood the whole pen thingy, anyway, keep up the good work. I’m really enjoying the illustrator tutorials!
July 29th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Hello,
I’ve tried to practice drawing the shapes above. But I don’t know how to make the left and right part of the symetri shapes exactly same size and shape. For example the love shape, how to make left and right to be symetri? Could you pls advice…thanks in advance
July 29th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
don’t understand at all……….can record as a video and put on site like youtube, it will be more easy to understand
thank
August 5th, 2008 at 2:35 am
Wow, my key sucks, hahaha. But I’ll keep trying with the basic shapes.
Thanks a lot for this!
August 6th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Wow this was so much fun, I am getting the hang of this pen tool, loved the extra practice sheets and the method for turning them into templates, so useful, thanks again for another superb lesson
I thought I’d share my results of my hands with you teach!
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/chellesky62/Illustrator%20Classwork/pen_hands_csky.png
August 16th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
[...] Day 2: Getting Started in Illustrator Day 3: Drawing Basic Shapes Day 4: Drawing with Pencil Tool Day 5: Drawing with Pen Tool Day 6: Weekend Break Day 7: Weekend [...]
August 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am
I don’t see the ticker to make it a template? Is this a CS3 issue or am I just blind?
August 18th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Hi LadyUranus, Go File>Place. When the window pops up select the jpg you want to make as a template. You can see a checkbox with template under the file name. Should work in Illustrator 10 and above if I’m not wrong.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:49 am
jah rasta blood claat man dis a good lesson aswell
September 6th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I have been dabbling with Illustrator for ages and never relly got the hang of paths, this is the first time I have got my head round it - thanks.
Quick question, is there a way to add points to the end of an open path once it has been finished, ie. to extend it?
Cheerss
September 7th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Hi Richard, A quick way to continue adding point is to use the Pen tool and click once on the last anchor and you can continue to extend your path from there.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Brilliant, thanks for that.
September 12th, 2008 at 12:24 am
This is a great tutorial. I could never wrap my head around the Pen tool and then while i was working on this key everything just clicked! I have made the bone and the heart!
September 13th, 2008 at 7:40 am
This is such a brilliant tutorial, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I have never used illustrator before and find this really useful. However I am kind of stuck now on the pen tool. I can create an anchor point and then another eventually close my square but if I got to make drawing a circular path but when I tried to close the path it would delete the starting anchor point. Any assistance as to what I might be doing wrong would be greatly appreciated.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Hi Kate, make sure the last anchor point is still selected before you click the starting point to close it. Or you can reselect the last point again and click the starting point to close it.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
What an amazing tutorial, Pen Tool is no more a mystery to me!
October 10th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Wow , really wow. This is a real turning point for me. And all thanks to the tutorials and template I’m actually learning the hellish pen tool O.O Easier than I thought as well. The templates are a real big help in learning, so much thanks for providing them. I don’t care how old this is .. it literally rocks regardless.
Much thanks and I hope to learn more as I follow more of the tutorials =)
October 21st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Thank you so much, i have never really understood illustrator, but am now finally getting the hang on this! wish i had this when i was still at uni!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
This tutorial is being very useful for me, thank you for taking the time!
Is there any chance you could upload a video on how to draw rounded figures with the pen? I still don’t get it right… for me it seems to be going the opposite side all the time, am I right?
October 26th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
[...] Ders(Türkçe): Drawing With Pen Tool » Gün 5: Pen Tool ile ÇizmeGün 3: Basit ?ekiller [...]
November 21st, 2008 at 4:35 am
After putting it off so long I am finally getting the hang of the pen tool, thanks to this - my basic shapes are ok and actually look like what they are supposed to.
Thank you!
November 30th, 2008 at 1:51 am
this is a great tutorial and i’m finally getting the pen tool more than i ever had in the past!!!! imitating the shapes is kind of difficult but i bet after more practice i would be good to go.
This site is wonderful by the way!!!! I love all that you’ve done