Get to know the drawing tools

Learn what each drawing tool—including the Pen tool, Pencil tool, Curvature tool, Paintbrush tool, and Blob Brush tool—does best.

Published December 10, 2025

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00:01

Introduction

One thing I absolutely love - about Illustrator is how many ways you can be creative in it.

You can create simple shapes that become building blocks - for whatever you want to create.

In Illustrator there are a lot of tools - you can use to make the shapes you just saw - that make up that artwork.

But what if we want to create - more freeform looking or what we call hand-drawn artwork like this or this?

That's where a wide range of other tools, - what we call our drawing tools come into play.

Your drawing tools are found here - in the Toolbar on the left and the main drawing tools are - the Curvature Tool, the Paintbrush Tool, the Blob Brush Tool, the Pencil Tool and a tool you may have heard of before - the Pen Tool.

Now, just because I say drawing tools doesn't mean you need to be - a professional artist to use these.

They're here to make fantastic artwork - in Illustrator easier.

You might be asking yourself, - why do we need so many drawing tools?

Each of these tools - lets you create differently, as you'll see.

But you can use them together - to make anything.

Let me take you on a quick tour - of these drawing tools.

01:04

Overview of Illustrator drawing tools

We'll begin with something - that you can get creative with right now.

We'll start with the Pencil Tool.

It's over here in the Toolbar - under the Paintbrush Tool.

01:09

Drawing naturally with the pencil tool

Using it, - is like drawing with a pencil on paper.

These butterfly wings you see here, - those were drawn with the Pencil Tool.

Now, with some drawing tools, you can start by setting Tool Options - to work the way you like.

You can then draw what you want and even redraw parts.

Not only can you draw curvy lines - with this tool, but you can also draw straight lines - by pressing the Alt or Option key.

Like the other drawing tools, - Pencil Tools make what we call a path.

Now, one of my favorite drawing tools - is the Blob Brush Tool.

01:42

Creating freeform shapes with the blob brush and paintbrush tools

I love the name.

These flowers were created - using the Blob Brush Tool.

This tool is also - for creating freeform shapes, but you can use it like a marker - or even a crayon to fill in areas and merge shapes to create new ones.

The next tool is called - the Paintbrush Tool.

You can see it here.

The great thing - about the Paintbrush Tool is you can apply a brush to a path - before you even draw to give that path some texture.

It's also for drawing more freeform patterns - like you saw with the Pencil Tool.

Now these tools are fun, but what if you want to control - what you're drawing with more precision?

Then you need to take a look - at the Curvature and Pen Tools.

Let's start with the easier of the two, - the Curvature Tool.

02:22

Drawing precise paths with the curvature tool

This cupcake was created - using the Curvature Tool.

Now the Curvature Tool - is an intuitive drawing tool.

It allows you to create more precise paths - without having to switch tools.

Instead of just dragging - like the Pencil or Paintbrush Tools, you click to create and edit points.

Where you want the path to change you can add in your point, - or even delete points.

It makes curves by default, - but you can also make straight lines with it.

Now, the last tool we'll look at - is the Pen Tool.

02:52

Mastering precision with the pen tool

It's the most powerful - of the drawing tools and a tool that most people think of - when I say drawing.

This whale was made with the Pen Tool.

Now, with the Pen Tool, - you can make and edit points to create paths - like you saw with the Curvature Tool.

But with the Pen Tool - you press and drag to make curves.

You have total control over the path using these little handles - called direction lines.

Like I said earlier, - all these tools can be used together to make an edit paths - depending on what you need.

As you learn some of the drawing tools, - you'll gravitate toward your favorites but know that they all - create paths and shapes each just has special characteristics - that make them unique.

Now it's your turn.

Start exploring these drawing tools.

Take your first steps toward - creating something amazing in Illustrator. -

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What you learned

Understand what the drawing tools create

All of the drawing tools create paths. Paths come in the form of a closed path like a square or circle or an open path like a line. All paths—closed or open—are made up of anchor points, which control the direction and shape of the path, and line segments (or paths) that connect those anchor points.

Paintbrush tool

The Paintbrush tool, similar to the Pencil tool, is for creating more free-form paths. The great thing about the Paintbrush tool is that you can select a brush, like a calligraphy brush or texture, applied to the path you draw.

Blob Brush tool

The Blob Brush tool, found by pressing the Paintbrush tool in the Toolbar, creates filled, compound paths. New shapes painted with the Blob Brush tool will merge with existing shapes with the same appearance settings.

Pencil tool

The Pencil tool, found by pressing the Paintbrush tool in the Toolbar, creates more free-form paths—similar to drawing on paper with a pencil.

Curvature tool

The Curvature tool is a more intuitive drawing tool that allows you to create paths with great precision without switching tools. With the Curvature tool, you focus on adding, editing, and removing anchor points to control the look of a path.

Pen tool

The most powerful drawing tool found in Illustrator is the Pen tool. With the Pen tool, you can create and precisely edit anchor points to make paths.

Instruction by: Brian Wood
Adobe Stock Contributors: Cienpies Design; anatolir

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