Working With Graphics - Adobe 26001648 - Illustrator CS3 User Manual

Working with Graphics

use the drawing tools in Illustrator to create
vector graphics.
Tip: While using the Polygon or Star tool,
press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys
to add and remove sides from a polygon
or points from a star.
20 F reehand to Illustrator Migration guide
Drawing
Drawing in Illustrator is very similar to drawing in FreeHand; you use the Pen,
Paintbrush, and Pencil tools to draw vector graphics in Illustrator. You can also
draw basic geometric shapes by using tools such as the Rectangle, Ellipse, and
Polygon tools.
Using the Pen tool
The Pen tool is the principal tool for drawing straight lines, Bézier curves,
and complex shapes. In addition to its expected function, the Pen tool also
performs the actions of the following three related tools:
• The Add Anchor Point tool
tool on a segment of a selected path).
• The Remove Anchor Point tool
tool on existing points of a selected path).
• The Convert Anchor Point tool
point or vice versa (or press Option or Alt while using the Pen tool).
You can also find many Pen tool options in the Control panel, including controls
for removing, connecting, and cutting paths, as well as the convert anchor point
options.
Selecting and modifying paths and anchor points
In Illustrator, to select entire paths (with all anchor points selected) you use
the Selection tool . To select individual anchor points, you can also use the
Direct Selection tool or the Lasso tool
anchor points. When you run your cursor over any anchor point, causing it to
enlarge, you can easily see and select it. In FreeHand, selected anchor points are
indicated by a hollow square; in Illustrator, selected anchor points are indicated
by a filled square.
To align and distribute points, just as you would with objects, make a selection
with the Direct Selection tool, and use the alignment controls in the Control
panel (or the Align panel).
adds anchor points to a path (or use the Pen
removes anchor points (or use the Pen
converts a corner point to a smooth
; you can then move and modify