Learning the Adobe Pen Tool

Learn how to draw with the Pen tool more effectively in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. The Building Blocks of Path Outlines

• Meet the Black and White Arrow tools
• Anchor points, segments, and control handles
• The three kinds of anchor points

2. Using Anchor Points and Control Handles

• Working with corner points
• Adding and deleting anchor points
• Working with smooth points
• Adding some random wiggle
• Working with cusp points
• Creating cusps by subtracting shapes
• Creating cusp points with the White Arrow
• Turning a circle into a droplet

3. The Many Ways to Use the Arrow Tools

• Getting to the Arrow tools on the fly
• Selecting and deselecting
• Selecting inside groups and compound objects
• Special ways to drag
• Creating cusps in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop

4. Meet the Pen Tool

• Introducing the Pen and precise cursors
• Communicating with the Pen tool
• Extending an active path outline
• Drawing vector-based paths in Photoshop
• Completing an open path outline
• Extending a dormant path outline
• Connecting two open paths

5. Advanced Pen Tool Tricks

• Undoing an anchor point versus deleting it
• Repositioning points and segments as you draw
• Real-world moving and nudging
• Inserting and deleting points on the fly
• Real-world inserting and deleting
• The spacebar versus very small drags
• Four unrelated Shift key tricks
• Converting points with the Pen tool
• Converting multiple points with a single click

Conclusion

• Until next time