Illustrator’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide
Tutorial Details
- Program: Illustrator
- Difficulty: Beginner
A few times a each month we revisit some of our reader’s favorite posts from throughout the history of Vectortuts+. This tutorial by Ian Yates was first published on August 19th 2008.
If you use Adobe Illustrator, then it’s almost certain that you use the Pen tool when creating your paths. This comprehensive guide aims to introduce or remind you of features, shortcuts, and methods for working with what is arguably Adobe’s most essential tool.
1. Functions
-
Pen tool : Click on artboard to create paths with straight segments, click and drag to create paths with Bezier curves.
-
Add anchor point tool : Click on a path segment to add anchor points.
-
Delete anchor point tool : Click on anchor point to remove from path.
-
Convert anchor point : Click on an anchor point and drag to create bezier handles where there were none, click on an anchor point with handles to a remove them.
-
Scissors : Not part of the Pen tool group, but definitely associated with it. Click on a path segment to divide into two paths.
2. Keyboard Shortcuts
- Select Pen tool (P)
- Select Add anchor point tool (+)
- Select Delete anchor point tool (-)
- Select Convert anchor point tool (Shift + C)
- Select Scissors tool (C)
3. The Cursors
The pen tool takes on different forms depending on what you’re doing when you’re using it. Each one intuitively makes you aware of the action you are about to perform.
(Caps Lock to toggle between pointer and cross hair)
Prepared to begin path
Whilst midway through creating or editing a path
When mouse is pressed
When hovered over path section; to add an anchor point to path
When hovered over anchor point; to remove anchor point from path
When hovered over begin point of path; to close path
When hovered over endpoint of existing path; to continue path
When hovered over existing anchor point
4. Secondary Mouse Controls (with path selected)
- Pen tool hover over anchor point : changes to Delete anchor point tool
- Pen tool hover over path segment : changes to Add anchor point tool
- Pen tool hover over end anchor point : changes to Convert anchor point tool
Skellie / aetuts_skellie_2123
- Hold Shift to constrain movements to 45°, 90°, 135° or 180° whilst creating or editing anchor points and handles.
- Select anchor point with Direct selection tool and click Delete. Anchor and adjoining path segments are deleted leaving two paths.
- Pen tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Convert anchor point tool.
- Pen tool hover over bezier handle + Command (Ctrl) : allows editing of bezier curve.
- Pen tool + Option (Alt) whilst creating bezier curve : splits curve (unhinges handles).
- Pen tool hover over bezier handle + Option (Alt) : splits curve (unhinges handles).
- Scissors tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Add anchor point tool.
- Add anchor point tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Delete anchor point tool.
- Delete anchor point tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Add anchor point tool.
6. Preferences
(Illustrator > Preferences > Selection & anchor display)
-
Tolerance: Radius of the selection area around anchor points. Must be between 1 and 8 pixels, 1px if you’re deadly accurate with your mouse or have a lot of anchors in close range of one another, 8px if you prefer less precision. 3px is the default value.
-
Object Selection by Path Only : When checked, this option allows selection of objects only by clicking their paths. Clicking on their filled areas is ineffective, comparable to working in Outline mode (View > Outline).
-
Snap to Point: Also checkable via View > Snap to Point, though via the Selection & Anchor Display dialogue the tolerance can also be determined from 1 to 8 pixels. This value again represents the radius around anchor points. When lining up two objects, anchor points from one will snap to points of the other should they be positioned within the specified range.
-
Anchor Point and Handle Display: Determines the way in which your path anchor points and handles are displayed.
-
Highlight Anchors on Mouseover: When checked, highlights anchor points when hovered over with cursor.
-
Show Handles When Multiple Anchors are Selected: When checked, this options displays the handles of points when multiple points are selected. Otherwise, handles of multiple selected points are not displayed.
7. Other Shortcuts and Tips
-
Select the Direct Selection tool before selecting the Pen tool. Press and hold Command (Ctrl) to give you access to the last tool selected (in this case the Direct Selection tool) for editing of paths and handles without deselecting the path.
-
With path selected, use the Spacebar to give you access to the Hand tool. Move your screen without deselecting the path or changing tools.
-
While creating or editing an anchor point, click and hold mouse + Spacebar to alter the position of the anchor point you’re working on.
-
With Direct Selection tool select endpoint and starting point of path. Command (Ctrl) + J to Join.
- With Direct Selection tool select endpoint and starting point of path. Command (Ctrl) + Option (Alt) + Shift + J to join and average simultaneously.
-
To smoothen a path by reducing the number of anchor points open the Simplify dialogue (Object > Path > Simplify) and adjust according to your needs.
- Conversely, should you want more anchor points to improve manipulation go to Object > Path > Add Anchor Points. A new anchor point will appear after every existing anchor point on the selected path.
-
To prevent the Pen tool from changing it’s function when interacting with other anchor points or paths, open the general preferences dialogue (Illustrator > Preferences > General) and check the Disable Auto Add/Delete option. The Pen tool will now only draw paths.
8. Best Practice Suggestions
- Drag handles from the first anchor point when beginning a curved path.
-
Drag your handles around just one third of the curve you’re creating for a smooth path.
-
Position anchor points on a curve where the paths begin to change direction, not in the middle of it’s curve.
- Be sparing with your use of anchor points, fewer points = neater path.
9. The Pen Tool Exercise
This is all well and good in theory, but while these tips are fresh in your mind why not put them into practice? Download the Pen Tool Exercise file and follow the guides to create precise paths, using the hints and shortcuts covered in this article.
Enjoyed this Post?
Subscribe to our RSS Feed, Follow us on Twitter or simply recommend us to friends and colleagues!
By Ian Yates
How to Build a Successful Blog Business
Learn how we built Tuts+ into a successful blog business and how you can create your own blogging business in this straight-forward guide to online publishing.
Join our newsletter!
3D Map Generator Pro – Eas ... only $6.00 
Dimensions - 3D Generator Ac ... only $5.00 
Pandalloon - More
Vector Basix
Just getting started? Start with our basix tutorials on the fundamentals. View All Basix Tutorials
Create a Tutorial, Get Paid!
Have something to teach the world? Want to earn money doing it? Tutorials, screencasts, and articles published here on Vectortuts+ are largely contributed by readers just like you! We'll pay you great money for good content. Find Out More
This is a great tutorial. I have been messing around with the pen tool here and there but rarely got the results I want. This tutorial really helped me to understand the theory behind “where to put your anchors.”
Thanks you!
Hi
I would like to thank u for this splendid tutorial. The approach you use is indeed the dumbest of all can follow. The pen tool has been a huge frustration for me, but after going through this tut, I now see the light and I’ve decided to follow you on twitter.
Thank you a Million times.
I don’t know how to thank you for this spectacular exercise, super neat and professional, KUDOS
Very good! I loved it!
I’ve been familiar with Illustrator for years, but never knew some of the most vital techniques for moving control points and anchors without changing tools. Thanks a bunch!
Very Good practice. Thanks.
This really is a great tutorial. After drawing the “C”, “O”, and “R” a couple of times, I really feel i got a good understanding of the pen tool now. Thanks
Thanks for the excellent practice exercise. More of these exercise files would be really helpful, especially something with more curves.
buenisimo el tuto…gracias !!!! me ayudo mucho
…..thanks a lot!!1 great tut!!
Thanks for your tutorial..
thanxs
Very Very Very Nice tutorial, gave me confidence.
I just stumbled upon this tutorial and I have to say the final exercise was great. I am slowly but surely learning how to use illustrator and that final bit really helped. Step by step guides like that are always good.
Thanks very much
thanks for you use pen tool.
Just an incredible tutorial. I have search high and low for something that was for beginners but yet included some of the advanced methods used through out. Thank you so much for this tutorial. I am going to share it with everyone I know having trouble understanding the Pen Tool.
This was a great tutorial! I have done many pen tool exercises, but this one just summed it up all in one!
This tut came with the files some time back,why has been removed? Anyway it’s nice tut.
Hope it helps those who read it,without having to practice with any file.
Oops i think i goof without,looking at the content on this page carefully. AM SORRY.
Wow, I feel like I’ve been using the pen tool wrong for the past four years. Thanks for the Excercise file, it helped a lot!
I feel like an idiot – When I open the Pen Tut filer in Illustrator it wont let me draw on top of it???
Great tutorial btw – I am completely new to this so sorry if this is a silly question!
Regards.
make a new layer, the layer you have when you open the file is probably locked.
When I opened the file the “Working” layer was hidden. Just click on the left most check box next to the corresponding layer in the layers panel, if you don’t see the layers panel it’s keyboard shortcut F7 or Windows > Layers. Also if there is a lock in the right check box the layer is locked just click the lock to unlock it. Hope this helps.
Great tutorial by the way. Wish I would have found this when I first started using Illustrator. Still a lot to take away from this. Great job on the exercise by the way, such an excellent resource to have for a tutorial of this nature.
Excellent guide, help me with my students, Thx!
Hey man,
Thanks a bunch! Great tutorial, just decided to go pro with illustrator to help with my 3d work.
Great stuff!
What’s the difference in the exercise b/w “hold shift and click” and “click”, thanks.
‘hold shift and click’ Keeps the pen tool at 90 and 45 degree angles.
Thanks very nice tutorial, love the illustrator guide file!
Thank you so much for this. I’ve just started using Illustrator and found the learning curve steep. Tutorials like this one have saved me so much frustration.
great….. good article to follow… and great tips… thanks..
Wow!!..this people never stop to amaze me. Thanks for the great tuts. It’s been very helpful for me to understand the Pen tool.
I love these short practice drills, I’ve always been a bit shy of the pen tool but this is what I’ll be doing at least once per week until I get to a reasonable competency.
One important tip to note – if you option click on a handle (at least for a Mac, can’t confirm on a PC but probably the same), you will break the relationship between the handles so that you can manipulate one at a time. Not what you want to do for smooth curves but handy to make a curved shape that ends in a point!
One thing… Number 78 is missing… I got a little lost when I first did it but soon figured it out.
I’m just starting with Illustrator; this was a big help.
Everybody I know, knows everything there is to know, about all the tools.
But it’s amazing: Whenever I review all the methods and procedures, my work gets easier! It’s like magic!
Great Tutorial .. The pen tool is an awesome, only if u know your way around it.
I rely on the Pen Tool on a daily basis when creating art or recreating low quality logos (why is it that the companies that have logos designed never have vector artwork) for t-shirt printing. This was a great tut for someone that uses the tool on the reg (Kenny Powers reference). Great job. Now who wants to volunteer a great tutorial, for Live Trace, Live Paint, Expand to convert non-vector artwork to something we printers can use. I do it, but I am afraid the experts would have a field day with my inadequacies and work.
Thanks for this tutorial..
excellent tutorial….its really helpful…thanks for sharing
This tutorial is really good…. Thanks for sharing it
Nice tuts, it helped me out alot! Ive been having a lil trouble trying to switch from corewl to illustrator, and my biggest issue was learning the Pen tool (former Bezel tool in corel). Once again AWSOME TUTS!
THANKS A BUNCH.
hopefully ill upload a tutorial one of these days.
GREAT!
I ask myself for years and now I ask you: How can I delete in an easy way vector points that lay on top of each others (after using the Pathfinder-tools), e.g. Five points laying on top of each other in a circle: I’d love to delete four of them and keep the circle form?
haha.. Very nice tutorial.. I really need this tutorial.. so i can fix my error on using pentools.
Many thanks.
Thank you so much. I have just started learning this tool, and I have to tell you, the teachers are incapable of explaining this. They clicked around the place, and said “voila” but your tut is so straightforward, that I feel like weeping with relief!
THANK YOU!
Nice tutorial! I am kinda understanding the pen tool, but it’s still very hard for me..I always make a mess! Do you have online video tuorials regarding the pen tool please? Thanks.
Could anyone explain me if is this definition is correct?
“In vector design there can be only points with no handle (corner point) or points with two handle (smooth point).
If you design a point with just one handle you’re doing it wrong because, the curve behave as a curve line only in the handle “region” while it works like a straight line and doesn’t curve itself in the “no-handle” area.”
There is so much detailed explainations and screen shots that makes learning so easy! Thanks so much!
this was amazinggggggggggggg
Thank you so much for this tutorial..
Thank you for your Guide
Awesome tutorial!
‘The Pen Tool Exercise’ is really helpful. Thank you so much.