Deselect all objects.
Learn about how to edit, reshape, smoothen, and simplify paths using different tools available in Illustrator.
Before you reshape or edit a path, you need to select the path’s anchor points, segments, or a combination of both.
Do any of the following:
Do any of the following:
If the path is filled, you can also click inside the path using the Direct Selection tool to select all anchor points.
Select a path or segment using the Selection tool or Direct Selection tool, and do one of the following:
Adding anchor points can give you more control over a path, or it can extend an open path. However, you should not add more points unnecessarily as it makes the path complex. A path with fewer points is easier to edit, display, and print. You can reduce the complexity of a path by deleting unnecessary points.
To add an anchor point:
To delete an anchor point:
Don’t use the Delete and Backspace keys or the Edit > Cut and Edit > Clear commands to delete anchor points. These keys and commands also delete the line segments that connect to that point.
Stray anchor points are individual points that aren't connected to other anchor points. It's good practice to find and delete stray anchor points.
Deselect all objects.
Choose Select > Object > Stray Points.
Choose Edit > Cut or Edit > Clear commands, or press Delete or Backspace on the keyboard.
You can temporarily override or disable automatic switching to the Add Anchor Point tool or Delete Anchor Point tool.
To temporarily override switching, hold down Shift as you position the Pen tool over the selected path or an anchor point. This is useful when you want to start a new path on top of an existing path. To prevent Shift from constraining the Pen tool, release Shift before you release the mouse button.
To disable switching, choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (Mac OS), and select Disable Auto Add/Delete.
Illustrator provides you features to smooth the appearance of paths as well as simplify paths by removing excess anchor points. For more information, see Simplify a path.
Select two or more anchor points (on the same path or on different paths).
Choose Object > Path > Average.
Choose to average along the horizontal (X) axis only, the vertical (Y) axis only, or both axes, and click OK.
You can convert the points on a path between corner and smooth points. Use options in the Control panel to quickly convert multiple anchor points. Use the Convert Anchor Point tool to choose to convert only one side of the point, and to precisely alter the curve as you convert the point.
To use the anchor point conversion options in the Control panel, select relevant anchor points only, not the entire object. If you select multiple objects, one of the objects must be only partially selected. When entire objects are selected, the Control panel options change to those that affect the entire object.
To convert one or more corner points to smooth points,
select the points and then click the Convert Selected Anchor Points
To Smooth button
in the Control panel.
To convert one or more smooth points to corner points, select
the points and then click the Convert Selected Anchor Points To
Corner button
in the Control panel.
Select the entire path you want to modify so that you can see its anchor points.
Select the Convert Anchor Point tool .
Position the Convert Anchor Point tool over the anchor point you want to convert, and do one of the following:
To convert a corner point to a smooth point, drag a direction point out of the corner point.
To convert a smooth point to a corner point without direction lines, click the smooth point.
To convert a smooth point to a corner point with independent direction lines, drag either direction point.
To convert a corner point without direction lines to a corner point with independent direction lines, first drag a direction point out of a corner point (making it a smooth point with direction lines). Release the mouse button only (don’t release any keys you may have pressed to activate the Convert Anchor Point tool), and then drag either direction point.
The Reshape Segment cursor supports reshaping with touch input on touch-based devices and touch workspace. To use it with the Convert Anchor Point tool, follow these steps:
Select the Convert Anchor Point tool, and then hover the pointer over a path segment.
When the Reshape Segment cursor is displayed, drag the path segment to reshape it.
A. Original artwork B. Reshaping a segment with the Anchor Point tool C. Modified shape
To create a copy of the path segment, press Alt / Option while performing Step 2.
To create a semi-circular segment hold the Shift key while reshaping a segment. Holding the Shift modifier constrains the handles to a perpendicular direction, and ensures that the handles are of equal length.
You can erase portions of your artwork
using the Path Eraser tool, the Eraser tool, or the eraser on a
Wacom stylus pen. The Path Eraser tool lets
you erase parts of a path by drawing along the path. This tool is
useful when you want to limit what you erase to a path segment,
such as one edge of a triangle. The Eraser tool
and
the eraser on a Wacom stylus pen let you erase any area of your artwork,
regardless of structure. You can use the Eraser tool on paths, compound paths,
paths inside Live Paint groups, and clipping paths.
Select the object.
Select the Path Eraser tool .
Drag the tool along the length of the path segment you want to erase. For best results, use a single, smooth, dragging motion.
Do one of the following:
To erase specific objects, select the objects or open the objects in isolation mode.
To erase any object on the artboard, leave all objects unselected.
When you have nothing selected, the Eraser tool erases through and across all layers.
Select the Eraser tool .
(Optional) Double-click the Eraser tool and specify options.
Drag over the area you want to erase. You can control the tool by doing any of the following:
To constrain the Eraser tool to a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line, Shift‑drag.
To create a marquee around an area and erase everything inside the area, Alt‑drag (Windows) or Option‑drag (Mac OS). To constrain the marquee to a square, Alt‑Shift‑drag (Windows) or Option‑Shift‑drag (Mac OS).
When you flip a stylus pen, the Eraser Tool automatically becomes active. When you flip the stylus pen back over, the last active tool becomes active again.
You can change the Eraser tool options by double-clicking the tool in the Tools panel.
You can change the diameter at any time by pressing ] to enlarge or [ to reduce.
Angle
Determines the angle of rotation for the tool. Drag the arrowhead in the preview, or enter a value in the Angle text box.
Roundness
Determines roundness of the tool. Drag a black dot in the preview away from or toward the center, or enter a value in the Roundness text box. The higher the value, the greater the roundness.
Diameter
Determines the diameter of the tool. Use the Diameter slider, or enter a value in the Diameter text box.
The pop‑up list to the right of each option lets you control variations in the shape of the tool. Select one of the following options:
Fixed
Uses a fixed angle, roundness, or diameter.
Random
Uses random variations in angle, roundness, or diameter. Enter a value in the Variation text box to specify the range within which the brush characteristic can vary. For example, when the Diameter value is 15 and the Variation value is 5, the diameter can be 10, or 20, or any value in between.
Pressure
Varies in angle, roundness, or diameter based on the pressure of a drawing stylus. This option is most useful when used with Diameter. It is available only if you have a graphics tablet. Enter a value in the Variation text box to specify how much more or less the original value the brush characteristic will vary. For example, when the Roundness value is 75% and the Variation value is 25%, the lightest stroke is 50% and the heaviest stroke is 100%. The lighter the pressure, the more angular the brush stroke.
Stylus Wheel
Varies in diameter based on manipulation of the stylus wheel.
Tilt
Varies in angle, roundness, or diameter based on the tilt of a drawing stylus. This option is most useful when used with Roundness. It is available only if you have a graphics tablet that can detect the direction in which the pen is tilted.
Bearing
Varies in angle, roundness, or diameter based on the pressure of a drawing stylus. This option is most useful when used to control the angle of calligraphic brushes, especially when you’re using the brush like a paintbrush. It is available only if you have a graphics tablet that can detect how close to vertical the pen is.
Rotation
Varies in angle, roundness, or diameter based on how the drawing stylus pen tip is rotated. This option is most useful when used to control the angle of calligraphic brushes, especially when you’re using the brush like a flat pen. It is available only if you have a graphics tablet that can detect this type of rotation.
You can split a path at any anchor point or along any segment. When you split a path, keep the following in mind:
If you want to split a closed path into two open paths, you must slice in two places along the path. If you slice a closed path only once, you get a single path with a gap in it.
Any paths resulting from a split inherit the path settings of the original path, such as stroke weight and fill color. Stroke alignment is automatically reset to center.
(Optional) Select the path to see its current anchor points.
Do one of the following:
For details, see Cut, divide, and trim objects.
Use the Direct Selection tool to adjust the new anchor point or path segment.
We've got you started with the different ways to edit, reshape, smoothen, and simplify paths in Illustrator.
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