illustrator · HeyBraza shows you
how to use the pen tool in illustrator
HeyBraza shows you the click-vs-drag difference and where the anchor and handle controls hide as you draw.
the pen tool is the hardest thing to learn in illustrator because clicking makes corners and dragging makes curves - and nobody tells you that. here's the small set of moves that turns it from frustrating to predictable.
or do it yourself
- 1select the pen tool (p), then set fill to none and a visible stroke so you can see the line as you draw.
- 2click once to drop a corner anchor point, then click again somewhere else to draw a straight segment between them.
- 3to make a curve, click and drag - the direction handles that appear control how the curve bends.
- 4hold alt/option and drag a handle to break the curve and start a new direction (a corner-to-curve transition).
- 5close the path by clicking back on your very first anchor point, or press enter to leave it open.
let HeyBraza do this with you
HeyBraza is a tiny on-screen guide that points at the right buttons and talks you through it, on windows and mac.
downloadcommon questions
how do i move an anchor point after placing it?
hold ctrl/cmd to temporarily switch to the direct selection tool, then drag the point or its handles.
why does my pen tool keep making sharp angles instead of curves?
you're clicking instead of click-dragging - dragging is what pulls out the curve handles.