How to Use Pencil Tool in Adobe Illustrator Essential Tutorial
Hello there, design enthusiast! If you've been following our Quick Snack series, you know we've walked you through the Pen Tool, selections, and the art of drawing simple shapes. Today, I'm excited to guide you through the basics of the Pencil Tool in Adobe Illustrator. Stick with me, and we'll sketch our way to proficiency!
How to Use Pencil Tool in Adobe Illustrator Essential Tutorial
1. Accessing the Pencil Tool
The Pencil Tool can be quickly accessed by pressing 'N' on your keyboard or by selecting the little pencil icon on your toolbar. Handy, right?
2. Drawing with the Pencil Tool
The Pencil Tool is versatile! Whether you wish to craft open paths or full closed shapes, this tool has got you covered:
For an open path, just sketch your line, simple as that.
To craft a closed path, draw around, and as you approach your starting point, you'll notice a small circle by your cursor. This circle is a heads-up that you're about to close your path. Let go of your mouse, and voila! Your shape is complete.
3. Diving into the Pencil Tool Options
Double-clicking the Pencil Tool icon pops open its options:
Fidelity Slider: Adjusting this determines how the tool corrects your lines automatically. For someone like me, who occasionally has a shaky hand, setting it to smooth ensures my lines aren't jagged.
Keep Selected: This is a personal favorite. It ensures your line remains selected after drawing, allowing you to make quick edits.
Option Key Toggles: A gem of a feature! With this, holding the Option key switches you to the Smooth Tool, letting you both sketch and refine your lines in a single, uninterrupted flow.
4. Enhancing Paths with Color
By default, the Pencil Tool sketches paths without fills. But if you prefer your lines with some color fill:
Head to the Pencil Tool options (double-click that pencil icon again).
Check the 'Fill new pencil strokes' option.
Pick a fill color, and as you draw, your line will be filled with the chosen hue.
5. Mastering Path Closures and Edits
In the Pencil Tool options, you can adjust settings for:
Closing Paths: Define the pixel range for the tool to recognize when to close a shape.
Editing Selected Paths: This option tweaks how Illustrator either edits your existing path or starts a new one when drawing over.
To sum it up, the Pencil Tool is an incredibly versatile tool in Illustrator, allowing you to draw, edit, and fine-tune your sketches with precision and ease.
Eager to learn more? Join me in my Skillshare classes! Click the link below for a free trial. Until next time, happy designing! 🎨
FROM THE AUTHOR
Hi, I am an illustrator and digital brush creator who loves exploring all mediums. I've had the joy of collaborating with some wonderful folks, like Cloud9 Fabrics, and MSU Broad Art Museum, and sharing some tidbits of my creative process through UPPERCASE Magazine. My heart finds joy in food and nature illustrations, and I share my creative process on my YouTube Channel and teach well-designed illustration classes on Skillshare.
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