Did you miss yesterday's class? Download the pen tool practice assignment HERE.
WATCH this video for help using the pen tool.
Try to recreate the shapes in the document that was placed on your desktop. The numbers in the middle will tell you how many points I needed to make the shape.
Tips for using the pen tool:
- ALWAYS FINISH YOUR SHAPE before going back to adjust, add, or delete any points.
- If you want a rounded corner, add a tangent line to the point.
- Anytime you want to make a hard corner, just drop a point (no tangent line).
- If you forget to add a tangent line, or you would like to remove a tangent line, use your CONVERT POINT tool. (It should be "hidden" under your pen tool and it looks like an upside down V.)
- Don't use "a million" points to make a shape (click, click, click, click....). Try to use a minimal amount of points.
- DON'T RASTERIZE! Do not use any of the painting tools on your vector shapes.
- Keep your tangent lines short. They will be easier to control.
- If you would like to adjust your points or tangent lines once you have made them, use your WHITE arrow tool (also called the Direct Selection Tool.)
