Adobe Illustrator Tutorial : LARC 440

Adobe Illustrator provides a number of ways to draw objects, from simulated paintbrushes to detailed pen strokes. This tutorial focuses on drawing using the Pen Tool because it will give you the most control over your vector artwork.

Paths

A path is any line or shape that you creat using the Illustrator drawing tools. A simple line, a rectangle, or the detailed edge of a drawn leaf are all paths.

In Illustrator, line segments, anchor points, and direction lines work together to create to create paths. Once you draw a path you can edit it by changing its size, shape, location and color

The first and the last points on a path are referred to as endpoints.

Path Types

There are two kinds of paths, open, and closed. Open paths have a distinct beginning and end, (think Line), while closed paths loop and have no end, (think circle).

To create a closed path use anchor points to loop a line around so it is heading towards an endpoint, or some other anchor point at the position you want to close the path. Position the pen tool over this anchor point and click when you see a small open circle form next to it. This will join the first and last anchor points.

Note: After creating a closed path the next time you click with the pen tool a new path will begin.

Joining Paths

In order to create a line which begins from an existent anchor point position the pen tool over the anchor point and click when a small slash forms next to it. This will combine the two anchor points.