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Illustrator’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide

on May 13th 2011 with 207 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Illustrator
  • Difficulty: Beginner
This entry is part 1 of 12 in the Guides to Illustrator Tools Session
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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)

  1. Pen tool hover over anchor point : changes to Delete anchor point tool
  2. Pen tool hover over path segment : changes to Add anchor point tool
  3. Pen tool hover over end anchor point : changes to Convert anchor point tool

Skellie / aetuts_skellie_2123

5. Keyboard Controls
  1. Hold Shift to constrain movements to 45°, 90°, 135° or 180° whilst creating or editing anchor points and handles.
  2. Select anchor point with Direct selection tool and click Delete. Anchor and adjoining path segments are deleted leaving two paths.
  3. Pen tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Convert anchor point tool.
  4. Pen tool hover over bezier handle + Command (Ctrl) : allows editing of bezier curve.
  5. Pen tool + Option (Alt) whilst creating bezier curve : splits curve (unhinges handles).
  6. Pen tool hover over bezier handle + Option (Alt) : splits curve (unhinges handles).
  7. Scissors tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Add anchor point tool.
  8. Add anchor point tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Delete anchor point tool.
  9. Delete anchor point tool + Option (Alt) : changes to Add anchor point tool.

6. Preferences

(Illustrator > Preferences > Selection & anchor display)

  1. 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.

  2. 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).

  3. 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.

  4. Anchor Point and Handle Display: Determines the way in which your path anchor points and handles are displayed.

  5. Highlight Anchors on Mouseover: When checked, highlights anchor points when hovered over with cursor.

  6. 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.

 
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Rollover to read this author's bio or click through to see a full list of posts by this author.

Hi there, my name's Ian and I wander the corridors of Envato, editing Webdesigntuts+ and contributing the odd tutorial here and there as I do so. Check out more of my work on www.snaptin.com :)  

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  • http://trickpedia.com Sid Karwal

    Great Tutorial .. The pen tool is an awesome, only if u know your way around it. :)

  • http://inspirationgear.com Ryan Taylor

    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.

  • http://www.lewaterina.com Ranji

    Thanks for this tutorial..

  • http://www.kishorechocos.com kishore

    excellent tutorial….its really helpful…thanks for sharing

  • http://www.adamshouse.in Paying Guest

    This tutorial is really good…. Thanks for sharing it

  • http://www.ezdesigns.com.br Edson

    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.

  • jk

    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?

  • http://vickydbz.blogspot.com vickydbz

    haha.. Very nice tutorial.. I really need this tutorial.. so i can fix my error on using pentools. :) Many thanks.

  • ozzy

    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!

  • Mohammad Yaseen

    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.

  • VectorDope

    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.”

  • http://123stockimages.com Santhosh

    There is so much detailed explainations and screen shots that makes learning so easy! Thanks so much!

  • LEN gonzle

    this was amazinggggggggggggg

  • savoni

    Thank you so much for this tutorial..

  • Siva Rajendran

    Thank you for your Guide

  • yash3x

    Awesome tutorial!
    ‘The Pen Tool Exercise’ is really helpful. Thank you so much. :)

  • http://www.wix.com/jaymccallum/artwork-by-jay Jay M

    I came across this a long time ago and happened to come across it again. It’s still one of the best pen tool lessons I’ve seen.

  • http://www.harshadkhandare.com Harshad Khandare

    Dear, Ian Yates
    it’s really helpful article.
    I got how to use pen tool in illustrator.
    thanks thanks to you..
    I like to see more articles about inking in illustrator.

  • Jeff L

    Hi Ian,

    I am basically familiar with the Pen tool however I have an issue with CS5. When I select an anchor point with the direct select tool there is a small mouse balloon that pops up showing X and Y coordinates. I am sure that this is helpful sometimes, but more often than not the balloon is in the way of where I want to position the anchor. This is really annoying and I cannot find a way to turn this off. Any ideas?

    Thanks,

    • http://bucketothought.com/loungekat/blog/ LoungeKat

      I haven’t seen that before. Perhaps it’s something in the Preferences?

  • http://www.icipl.co.in flats

    good guide its very useful to beginners

  • Twila

    Thanks! I needed this great help

  • http://www.pissupoosa.com zamaan

    i just completed the exercise ai file. i should say it;s an awesome pen tool training. Thanks a lOt.

  • Andy

    I just get a pen with a black line through it when I start using this tut. I remember doing it a while ago and I had to create a layer or something first? It took me ages to work it out, now I have to try to remember again.

    • Xin

      Hey buddy,

      Open the layer panel and make “working layer” visible, and you are good to go!

  • http://www.dontprintstudios.com Kris

    This may be a stupid question. Can you modify the color of the PATH. I am not refering to the stroke color or the fill color. When working on some designs I often lose track of the path and handles because it’s a bright green. I’d love to change the path color to always be a hot pink or something so that it always stands out.

    I am still in Illustrator CS3.

    Thnx

    • gawky4714

      To change the color that alerts you to a path when you scroll over paths, you have to change the color of the layer the path is on. That is the color that shows on paths. If your layers panel is not visible, click on Window > Layers. Then double click the layer you want to change. In the Layer Options dialog box that comes up, change the color of the layer.

  • Clair

    When starting the outside of the “O”, at number 55, why hold down option/alt also? It seems to work the same holding shift alone as holding shift and option/alt.

  • AK.in

    Awesome tuto….. very useful for beginners like me…..

  • JORGE

    Thanks! Very good explained tutorial! especially the Ai file excercise! THanks a LOT

  • Jr. Jhon

    Hi, I am a Beginner for the illustrator’s. The post is really very great and i found very new styles to use the pen tool. But i have a very important question in the starting of this post i found a link for Bezier curves.

    And i checked the provided article for Bezier curves. but i am very weak in maths. is very important for using the Bezier curves and pen tool. Or any other way to understanding the pen tool Bezier curves?

    if yes should i improve my maths?

    Because i want to see my self in good designer.

    plz help :(

    • http://bucketothought.com/loungekat/blog/ Kate McInnes

      I’m the worst at maths and I use Illustrator all the time! I think the maths is just to explain how the curves work, but you don’t need to know maths to use them :)

      • Jr. Jhon

        Thanks Kate, After use your pen tool guide file i am very confident with pen tool.

        Thanks a lot.

  • ThirdSound

    Thank you Ian for this excellent tutorial, I’ve learned quite a lot with the exercise.
    Regards

  • ruqaiyah

    can i copy and translate this tutorial? thank you..

    • http://chewedkandi.net Sharon Milne

      You’re welcome to translate it for personal use on your own computer, but not uploaded anywhere. I hope this helps :)

  • http://theworksof.me Jon

    Great tutorial, always trying to learn some new tips and tricks of the famous pen tool!

  • moon sun

    i cant draw on the ai file…can any body help me please??

    • Recidivist

      Click on Guide from the Layers palette and you are good to go!

  • http://webstudio316.com Danny

    Really great tutorial for those who are learning – This definitely helped me a lot. Thanks – Keep it up

  • sunny

    l dont understand how to make C and O, please help me!

  • http://webstudio316.com Tannia

    Great post! I helped me to understand pen tool better / keep it up!

  • http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/illustrators-pen-tool-the-comprehensive-guide/ salen

    im wearing a blue top

  • basak

    i use cs5 and i am a beginner. i can’t write on the exercise file??? do you know how i can??

    • n2k

      the working layer is invisible by default. click on the layers symbol on the right side of the working space and check the left box on the working layer to make it visible.

  • basak

    i sorted by placing the file as a bounding box in a new file..thanks anyway :))

  • Dan

    Amazing post! Simple and really helpfull for a illustrator noob like me ;)

  • http://www.facebook.com/vinoth.artistreference Vinoth Kumar Friend

    thank u so much

  • http://www.facebook.com/vinoth.artistreference Vinoth Kumar Friend

    Your tutorials very helpful on my life.

  • jaman

    To the point, helpful tutorial. Thank U.

  • Desmond

    I’ve been wanting to improve my skills with the pen tool since my college was a little vague in my class; thank you for this.

  • Ghislain

    Just turn on the top layer visibility by going in the layer panel and clicking the where th eye icon is.

  • Oliver Burkett

    The exercise file has two #64′s and jumps from #77 to #79.

  • hatatk

    When I finish drawing the outer circle of the “O” in the exercise, the inner circle is no longer visible. Why is this? I’m on Illustrator CS6, if that helps.

    • hatatk

      I ended up reducing the opacity of the paths, which helps me see the instructions that are inclosed in the path already, especially on the “R”. I’m not sure if this is what the tutorial intended though.

  • tharapon

    Thank you so much, this tutorial made me understand the pen tool in a few minutes!

  • Thiru murugan

    Thank you so much….the Vector in pen tool practice is really superb. Again thanks a lot..

  • alr

    Ah, thanks so much for this, Most tutorials do not cover the basics like this does. Pen tool can be tricky and frustrating when you are not accustomed to its features.

  • Melody Hill

    I simply cannot master this essential tool!

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