Practice creating with the Pen tool

Introduction

With a basic understanding - of the Pen tool, in this video, - you're going to get some practice, you're going to create some artwork - with the Pen Tool, and you might even learn - a few things along the way.

You'll create this trailer and this car, and you can see - the finished artwork on the right.

To start, you'll make sure - that the Smart Guides are turned off by choosing View, Smart Guides.

And then you'll start - by drawing this trailer.

Drawing straight paths with the pen tool

Now, it's mostly a lot of straight lines, - so select the Pen Tool And I'll zoom into it.

To quickly set the stroke and fill - to their defaults of a white fill and a black stroke, you can actually press the letter D - on your keyboard.

Then make sure to remove the Fill so you can see the template - through the path.

Now, you can start.

Start drawing anywhere.

I'll start down here.

Click and release to set a point.

Then move the pointer over - to the next corner.

And the path needs - to be perfectly straight here.

So you'll use the Shift key.

Press Shift and click, - then release the key.

You can move the pointer up here, and to make another - perfectly straight path, Shift-click the next corner point here.

Make another straight line here - by Shift-clicking.

Then move the pointer down here - and press the Shift key again.

This time, just drag the pointer - around a little bit.

You can see it's actually - going to snap to 45 degrees.

Come down here, click and release the mouse, then the key, and you just made a diagonal path.

Work your way around - by pressing the Shift key and clicking.

If you make a mistake, - you can always choose Edit, Undo Pen, and then redraw that last point.

And when you get - to the original point here, Shift-click to close the path.

Not too bad, right?

Making straight lines - should be pretty familiar to you now.

So let's move on to a shape

Combining straight lines and curves

that actually has straight lines - and curves to it.

I'll move over with the Hand Tool.

Now, take your time while drawing this.

Even pause the video if you have to.

Let's start down here - just because it's a simple straight line Click and release to make the first point, then to make a straight path, Shift-click.

Now, the next part of the path is a curve, so you're going to need a direction line - to make that curve.

Move the pointer back over the last point, press and drag away - to create a direction line.

Drag it roughly up here, go past the top of the template curve here - so the path isn't flat.

Then come here - where the next point's going to go.

Controlling curves with direction handles

Press and drag - and make sure the path before looks good.

Then release.

Now for this next path, you need to split the direction lines - to make a corner.

We won't delete the direction line here - because the path is so curved.

So press Option or Alt, and drag the end - of this direction line to the left.

Now, you can think of this curve as sort of similar in shape - to the one over here, but it's on its side.

Release the mouse, and then the key.

Create a new point here - by pressing and dragging.

Make sure the path behind looks good.

Now, you'll need to split - the direction lines since the next part of this path is going to go - in a slightly different direction.

So press Option or Alt and start dragging - the end of the direction line.

Splitting and adjusting direction handles

But let's think about this for a second.

Which way - should this direction line point?

Release the mouse - and the key for a second.

Move the pointer, and you can see that the path - goes to one side of the direction line or the other.

So if the path needs to go - in this direction, the direction line has got to go - somewhere over here.

If I were to move - the direction line over this way, it just won't work, look.

So press Option or Alt, and drag the end - of the direction line over to here.

Release the mouse and then the key.

Now, you can make a curve up here.

So press and drag to make a point.

And as you drag, press the Shift key.

That way, you can strain - the direction lines.

You can make them perfectly horizontal.

When it looks something like this, release the mouse and then the key.

Now, does your path down here - look a little off, it's not following exactly?

That might be because - the direction line's too long like mine.

To edit that, press the Option or Alt key and drag the end - of the direction line here closer to the point so there isn't - so much curve to the path.

There.

Come to the next point, - press and drag.

And the path changes direction so we can either split the direction lines - or remove the direction line.

Let's remove it in this case - because the path isn't super curved here.

So go ahead and click the point - to remove the leading direction line.

Now, to make the bumper.

For the next point, - press and drag to make the point and release.

Notice how it didn't tell you - to go look back at the path as you're drawing it?

Because I'm hoping you're kind of - getting the idea with that now.

You'll split the handles here - since this path has more curve.

So press Option or Alt and drag the end of this direction line - in the direction of the path.

Press and drag here - and make sure the curve before looks good.

Now, the next part - of the path is straight, so we don't need the direction line.

Option or Alt-click the point - to remove it.

Then come over here, - simply click and release.

Now, the next part is a curve, so you're going to need - a direction line to control it.

Press and drag from the point - you just made to make a direction line.

To close this path,

Closing paths and completing the artwork

move the pointer over the original point - you started with, and you should see a small circle - next to the pointer, press and drag to finish the car, and close that path.

If you've gotten this far, great job.

Getting as much practice - with the Pen Tool as possible is the key to getting better at it.

Practice, practice, practice, - that's what I always tell people.

And it will take time.

So, maybe you could try - drawing these two shapes again.

And maybe go over here and see if you can draw this monster shape - for even more practice. -