Pen tool.
- To draw a curved line with the Pen tool, click to create the starting anchor point, drag to
set the direction of the curve, and then click to end the curve.
- To convert a smooth point on a curve to a corner point, use the Direct Selection tool ( )
to select the anchor point and then use the Anchor Point tool ( ) to drag a direction
handle to change the direction. Another method is to choose a point or points with the
Direct Selection tool and then click the Convert Selected Anchor Points To Corner
button ( ) in the Properties panel.
- To edit a segment on a curved line, select the Direct Selection tool, and drag the segment
to move it; or drag a direction handle on an anchor point to adjust the length and shape
of the segment. Dragging a path segment with the Direct Selection tool or pressing the
Option (macOS) or Alt (Windows) key and dragging a path segment with the Pen tool is
another way to reshape a path.
- To change the way the Pencil tool ( ) works, double-click the Pencil tool in the Tools
panel or click the Tool Options button in the Properties panel to open the Pencil Tool
Options dialog box. There you can change the fidelity and other options.
- Unlike the Join command, the Join tool can trim overlapping paths as it joins, and it
doesn’t simply create a straight line between the anchor points you are joining. The
angle created by the two paths to be joined are taken into account.