Pencil Tool in Adobe Illustrator
In previous tutorials, you have learned to draw using Pen Tool and Curvature Tool and in today’s tutorial, you will learn to draw using Pencil Tool.
Table of Contents
· Drawing a straight path
Press N to activate the Pencil Tool. As soon as the Pencil Tool is selected your cursor will change into a pencil and there will be a star (*) sign at the bottom of the pencil.
Place the pencil-shaped cursor on the artboard and then press and hold the Shift key. When you will press the Shift key the start (*) sign at the bottom of the pencil cursor will be changed to a straight line ( _ ). The time when you see this line at the bottom of the pencil cursor along with left click-drag the cursor to draw a straight line.
Drawing a curved path
To draw a curve path using the Pencil Tool, select the tool from the Tool Panel by right click on the Shaper Tool or press N(shortcut key). Now move the cursor on the artboard and start drawing with the help of left-clicking. Move the cursor up and down to create waves or curves. (See the below image)
While drawing by pressing the left click you will see blue lines as shown in the above image but when you release the left click the blue lines will be changed to the shape created with little bit smoothness in the paths. (See the below image)
· Changing the path
The path is drawn with the help of the Pencil Tool can be changed or reshaped by the Pencil Tool itself. Select the path which you need to change and then select the Pencil Tool. Now with the left click, draw the new path near the anchor points of the old path.
When you will release the left click you will notice that your old path has been changed to a new path drawn.
You can see in the below image how the path has been reshaped.
· Erasing a path
While drawing a shape if you have drawn any extra path by mistake and that extra path is making your artwork look ugly, then no need to delete the whole artwork. We have a tool named Path Erasing Tool which will be found under Shaper Tool.
Select the path and then select the Path Erasing Tool and move the cursor over that extra path with the left click. Release the left click and that extra path will vanish.
In the above image you can see how the extra path has been erased will the help of Path Erasing Tool.
Smooth Tool
Under Shaper Tool you will see a tool named Smooth Tool. This tool helps in giving a smooth finish to the paths/shapes.
Draw a shape with the help of the Pencil Tool and then select that shape. Now right click on the Shaper Tool and select Smooth Tool. The cursor will be now a small circle. Move the cursor all over the path/shape along with the left click. After releasing the left click you will notice that the paths have transformed into smooth paths.
See the below image and notice the difference between the two shapes.
Join Tool
The name of the tool is stating its use. Yes, Join Tool is used to joining the paths but only those paths which are close enough.
To join two paths that are close enough, select the paths, and then select the Join Tool. With the help of left-clicking move the cursor from the opening end of a path to the opening end of another path to join them. Release left click and you will see that the paths are joined.
Practice the above tools by drawing with Pencil Tool, giving a smooth finish with Smooth Tool, and by joining paths with Join Tool.
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