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Draw shapes and paths using the Pen tool

The Pen tool lets you manually draw freehand lines, shapes, and straight or curved edges. You can modify these paths and shapes with anchor points and handles.

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Use the Pen tool to draw shapes and paths in a few simple steps.

  1. Click the Pen tool   or press P.

  2. Click anywhere on the artboard to set the anchor point. Move the pointer and click again to draw a line or Shift - Click to constrain the angle of the segment to a multiple of 45°.

  3. Draw a curve:

    • Drag the Pen tool on the artboard and release it to create direction handles of the anchor point.
    • Drag again to set the slope of the curve segment and then release.
  4. Complete the path by closing the path or leaving it open:

    • Close the path: Position the tool over the first (hollow) anchor point and click.
    • Leave the path open: Position the tool away from the object and press Cmd + Click (macOS) or Ctrl + Click (Windows).

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