If you want to give your artwork - a more free-form look in Adobe Illustrator, - you can use drawing tools like the Paintbrush or Pencil Tool.
Using the Paintbrush in Pencil Tools, - you draw a path like you would - with an actual paintbrush or pencil.
With the other drawing tools - like the Curvature and Pen Tools you draw paths by making points.
Let's explore the Pencil - and the Paintbrush Tools by finishing this butterfly.
Now both tools - let you draw a path the same way, but with the Paintbrush Tool, you can change the appearance of your path - by selecting or creating a brush even before you draw.
With the Paintbrush Tool selected, click the Brush menu - in the Properties panel over here and select the Brush you like.
Now to change how the tool works, I usually set - at least one tool option to start double click the tool.
To make the paths smoother you draw - and so they have fewer points, drag this Fidelity slider - all the way to the right and then select this Keep Selected option so the path you draw is still selected in case you want to edit it - when you're done.
Then click OK.
Notice that the paintbrush pointer - shows an asterisk next to it.
For any drawing tool, that means - you're about to create a new path.
So in the document, why don't you try - drawing this butterfly antenna following the gray guide path.
After you release the mouse, - the brush you chose is applied to the path.
Now, if you want to edit the path, - you can easily redraw parts right now.
Move the pointer over the path and when the asterisk goes away, drag.
You can also always change the brush - applied to the path.
Try choosing something different - from the Brush menu over here, maybe to experiment a little.
If you don't want the brush applied, - you can also remove it here.
Or if you want to find some more brushes - to experiment with, you can click here.
To make the path, - you drew a little thinner why don't you try changing the Stroke weight - to something like 0.5.?
Then try drawing the other antenna.
Now you'll experiment with the Pencil Tool.
To select it, - it's under the Paintbrush Tool, press and hold on the Paintbrush Tool and you can see it in the menu there.
Like the Paintbrush Tool, - the Pencil Tool creates free-form paths, but you can also create straight lines - with the Pencil Tool Once again, to edit the tool settings, - double click the Pencil Tool To make the paths smoother, drag the slider to the right, then click OK.
You should see the asterisk - next to the pointer, since you're about to draw a new path.
Start anywhere in the template path - and drag to draw this wing.
Once you come back to where you started, when you see a circle next to the pointer - release and it closes the path.
Notice that the brush - is not applied to the path as you draw with the Pencil Tool.
Brushes can actually be applied - to just about any path you create, But you do it in a panel - called the Brushes panel.
To redraw parts of the path - like you did with the Paintbrush, move the pointer over the path, and drag to redraw the path - when the asterisk disappears.
Make sure you end up back on the path - in this case.
To change the Fill color - of this butterfly shape so we can see it better, - click the Fill color and select something.
To make the inner part you see here, - you'll copy your wing.
So choose Edit, Copy and then Edit, Paste in Place.
To make it smaller, with the Selection Tool - shift drag the copy from the side.
You might want to change - the color of it then, I chose a lighter salmon pink.
And so that you can still see - the template underneath, let's hide both of the shapes - we just made.
So with the Selection Tool, drag across them and choose Object, Hide, Selection.
Now you'll draw these paths here.
You'll make a few of them straight lines.
Select the Pencil Tool and to set their color first, change the Stroke color - to this salmon pink color and make the Stroke weight - a little thicker.
Press the Option key on macOS or Alt on Windows and draw a straight line to here.
Make sure you release - the mouse button first and then the key.
Go ahead and draw the next curvy path and make sure before you draw - you see the asterisk.
Otherwise you might edit the straight line - you just made.
Then to draw this next straight line, press Option on Mac or Alt on Windows, draw another straight line, then draw these last paths.
When you're finished, - to show everything, choose Object, Show All.
It's really fun to draw and edit paths - with these tools.
Why don't you try practicing in this file?
Maybe draw the wing on the left.
Of course, you could copy what you did, or even use the Mirror feature here - to make a copy for you. -
