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    Understanding pen tool

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Questions and Support
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    • S Offline
      Subpath
      last edited by Subpath

      Hi

      could not resist to bring in my fifty cents
      made with the Pen Tool
      0_1646645691817_Eye.png

      Here the Video
      Eye making in VS

      Win 11
      CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, 6-core.
      GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 5070.

      J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • J Offline
        Jayanta Das @Subpath
        last edited by

        @Subpath Quicker😉
        https://recordit.co/hfYiCDOv8C

        Mac Mini M4 Pro | 24Gb
        WIndows 11 | Intel i5 11Gen
        Wacom Intuos Pro

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        • S Offline
          Subpath @Jayanta Das
          last edited by

          @Jayanta-Das said in Understanding pen tool:

          @Subpath Quicker😉
          https://recordit.co/hfYiCDOv8C

          yes indeed, you are right 🙂

          But I was not looking for the fastest way, looking just for
          another possibility with the Pen Tool and I like the shape
          that emerged

          Win 11
          CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, 6-core.
          GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 5070.

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          • Devil DinosaurD Offline
            Devil Dinosaur
            last edited by

            Talking about the pen tool... Let's say I want to create a drop shape. When I change a symmetry node into a cusp node using the tool bar (A), I still need to erase manually the tangents handles to obtain this result (B). I avoid the anchor point tool that gives me an unexpected and ugly result (C).

            alt text

            I also didn't find how to move separately the 2 handles of a node. In AD or AI I usually press "alt" while moving the single handle but it doesn't work here.

            Fred.
            MacBook Pro (M1) - MacOs Sonoma 14

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            • b77B Offline
              b77 @Devil Dinosaur
              last edited by

              I also didn't find how to move separately the 2 handles of a node. In AD or AI I usually press "alt" while moving the single handle but it doesn't work here.

              If the node is Symmetric and you want to change it to Smooth so that moving one of the control handles doesn't move the other in the opposite direction, select the control handle and press U.

              If you want to change the node to Cusp, select it or any of its control handles and press L.

              To change it to Symmetric, press Y.

              MacBook Pro (Intel) running Monterey 12.6.4

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              • b77B Offline
                b77 @Devil Dinosaur
                last edited by

                @Devil-Dinosaur If you wanted to include an image in your post, it didn't upload.

                MacBook Pro (Intel) running Monterey 12.6.4

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                • VectorStylerV Offline
                  VectorStyler @Devil Dinosaur
                  last edited by

                  @Devil-Dinosaur To void the result in (C) first convert all corner types to Cusp (before converting to lines).

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                  • Devil DinosaurD Offline
                    Devil Dinosaur
                    last edited by

                    Thank you all, I will try.
                    Am I the only one who can see the image I posted ?

                    Fred.
                    MacBook Pro (M1) - MacOs Sonoma 14

                    VectorStylerV 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • VectorStylerV Offline
                      VectorStyler @Devil Dinosaur
                      last edited by

                      @Devil-Dinosaur If you refer to the image with the A, B and C labels, then that is visible.

                      b77B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • b77B Offline
                        b77 @VectorStyler
                        last edited by

                        @vectoradmin Strange… not visible in Brave, visible in Safari and Firefox…

                        MacBook Pro (Intel) running Monterey 12.6.4

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                        • encartE Offline
                          encart
                          last edited by

                          @vectoradmin Photos are not visible on Chrome

                          Windows 11 Home 10.0.22621

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                          • Devil DinosaurD Offline
                            Devil Dinosaur
                            last edited by

                            "L" and "Y" and the C conversion work fine 👍
                            I also use Firefox and Safari, that's why I assumed that everyone could see the picture.🤔

                            Fred.
                            MacBook Pro (M1) - MacOs Sonoma 14

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                            • BoldlineB Online
                              Boldline
                              last edited by

                              Another option is to use the option/alt key on the last point before you let go to complete the loop.
                              Then you only need to adjust the line a little after

                              🍎 macOS Tahoe 26.2, Mac mini (M1, 2020), Chip Apple M1, Memory 16 GB
                              Cintiq 27QHD Display and LG Ultra HD Display

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                              • VectorStylerV Offline
                                VectorStyler @Jayanta Das
                                last edited by

                                @Jayanta-Das In AD when you draw with the pen tool, after the second node how to you retract the control handle? (when the node changes from circle to square indicator).

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                                • J Offline
                                  Jayanta Das @VectorStyler
                                  last edited by

                                  @vectoradmin It is same as VS, just click on the node.

                                  Mac Mini M4 Pro | 24Gb
                                  WIndows 11 | Intel i5 11Gen
                                  Wacom Intuos Pro

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                                  • J Offline
                                    Jayanta Das @Jayanta Das
                                    last edited by

                                    @Jayanta-Das Controls of handes while using pen in AD: Record

                                    • Handles of Second node are controlled by Ctrl key

                                    • Handle of Third node is controlled by Ctrl+Alt keys

                                    Mac Mini M4 Pro | 24Gb
                                    WIndows 11 | Intel i5 11Gen
                                    Wacom Intuos Pro

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                                    • Victor VectorV Offline
                                      Victor Vector
                                      last edited by Victor Vector

                                      @Jayanta-Das, @vectoradmin
                                      I have to admit, using ALT to "break the handles" to convert a newly drawn node to a cusp node is something I really miss coming from AI and AD. It's one of those great features that is so handy to have integrated in the pen tool and greatly speeds up one's workflow.

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                                      • BoldlineB Online
                                        Boldline @Victor Vector
                                        last edited by Boldline

                                        @Victor-Vector @Jayanta-Das I have to admit in all my years using Illustrator I never used the option key for that - I was playing around with it some still trying to figure out how to best use it for cusp nodes.
                                        Typically in Illustrator, I would click again on the node I wanted cusp and then continue onward.
                                        For lack of a better explanation, I get the sense @vectoradmin has a purist mindset in terms of not limiting tools and options with a "quick and dirty" option that may be quick, but limits options. I see this with the node tools where I once advocated for the same quick options (Shift-C was added to VS like it is in Illustrator for example and that was enough for me) I notice it also with things like using the eyedropper to copy attributes
                                        I think the answer is to have options for both quick and dirty and full options

                                        🍎 macOS Tahoe 26.2, Mac mini (M1, 2020), Chip Apple M1, Memory 16 GB
                                        Cintiq 27QHD Display and LG Ultra HD Display

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                                        • VectorStylerV Offline
                                          VectorStyler @Victor Vector
                                          last edited by

                                          @Victor-Vector said in Understanding pen tool:

                                          I have to admit, using ALT to "break the handles" to convert a newly drawn node to a cusp node is something I really miss coming from AI and AD. It's one of those great features that is so handy to have integrated in the pen tool and greatly speeds up one's workflow.

                                          When not closing paths, the ALT key should work in the pen tool to create cusp nodes, in the current version.
                                          The closing path bug will be fixed in the next build.

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                                          • J Offline
                                            Jayanta Das @Victor Vector
                                            last edited by Jayanta Das

                                            @Victor-Vector said in Understanding pen tool:

                                            I have to admit, using ALT to "break the handles" to convert a newly drawn node to a cusp node is something I really miss coming from AI and AD.

                                            ALT key works in pen tool as in AD or AI.

                                            Mac Mini M4 Pro | 24Gb
                                            WIndows 11 | Intel i5 11Gen
                                            Wacom Intuos Pro

                                            Devil DinosaurD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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