Illustrator Pen Tool Tutorial for Beginners: Draw Smooth Curves + Practice Files, by Design With Kellie on YouTube. 11 min 52 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 52 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 6
What you need
Steps
Open a new Illustrator document, select the Pen Tool from the toolbar or press P, then set Fill to None and Stroke to black so you can see the path.
Click once on the artboard to place your first anchor point. Click again to add a straight segment. Hold Shift while clicking to keep lines at 45-degree angles.
For a smooth curve, click and drag at the first point to pull out direction handles. Release, then click and drag at the next point. The handles shape the curve between them.
To switch from a curve to a sharp corner, hold Alt on Windows or Option on Mac and drag the handle before placing the next point. This breaks the handle pair.
Close a shape by clicking the first anchor point. To finish an open path, press Enter. Check the path with the Direct Selection Tool by pressing A.
Drag anchors or direction handles with the Direct Selection Tool to refine the shape. Use the Convert Anchor Point Tool, Shift+C, to change a smooth point into a corner or back again.
Tips and common mistakes
Place anchor points only where the direction of the line changes; fewer points usually give smoother curves.
Keep direction handles short at first. Long handles make wide curves that are harder to control.
If a curve looks wrong, undo with Ctrl or Cmd + Z and redraw the handles instead of adding more points.
Zoom in before placing points so anchors sit exactly on the edge you are tracing.
Questions
Do I need a drawing tablet to use the Pen Tool?
No. A mouse or trackpad works fine for drawing paths. A tablet is optional and can make freehand tracing feel more natural.
Why does my Pen Tool path fill with color?
The Pen Tool uses the current fill and stroke settings. Set Fill to None before you start drawing so only the path outline appears.
How do I edit a path after drawing it?
Use the Direct Selection Tool, A, to move anchors and direction handles. Use the Convert Anchor Point Tool, Shift+C, to switch between smooth and corner points.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
