Edit vector lines and shapes

To edit lines as you draw:

With the Pen Tool active, press the to move nodes and adjust control handles when fine tuning of your curve is needed.

To change curvature of a segment:

Do one of the following:

Select the node and then drag the control handles.
Drag on the line directly to pull it into position.
-click a segment to straighten it.
-click a segment to delete it, creating two separate curves within one curve object.
-click a segment to delete it, creating two separate curves within one curve object.

Modifier keys

When using the Node Tool, the following modifier keys can be used to speed up the workflow:

The constrains node movement and control handle positioning to 45° intervals. It also extends a dragged control handle while keeping the control handle directions locked.
The changes the node type to a sharp node to create a cusp in the line.
The keeps both control handles locked in position while moving a node.
Pressing left- and right-mouse buttons keeps both control handles locked in position while moving the node.

When using the Move Tool, Pen Tool or Node Tool, the following keys can be used to speed up the workflow:

To decrease or increase stroke width by percentage, use the [ or ] s, respectively. For smaller absolute increments instead, use an additional modifier.

To add nodes:

With the curve selected, click at the point where you want the node to be added.

To split curves with a new node:

Do one of the following:

-click the node at the point at which you want to add a midpoint node to the adjoining node segment and select Split Curve After Node.
Select a node, then click the same option on the context toolbar.

Which segment is split depends on the current curve orientation (indicated by a red-line indicator). Use Reverse Curve to change this curve orientation or reselect an adjacent node to split from.

To delete nodes:

Do one of the following:

To retain the curve's original geometry after deletion: with the Node Tool active, select the node and press the or right-click the node and choose Delete Node from the pop-up menu. This doesn't affect the remaining curve's nodes and control handle positions.
For a 'best-fitting' reshaped curve after deletion: with the Node Tool active, right-click the node and choose Fit To Curve Delete Node from the pop-up menu. This is useful if you want to retain the smoothness of a stabilized curve, perhaps drawn with the Pencil Tool.

To close curves:

Do one of the following:

With the Node Tool active, right-click the end node and select Close Curve.
With the Node Tool active, select the curve and click Close Curve on the context toolbar.
With the Node Tool active, drag the end node and drop on top of start node when the pointer changes.
With the Pen Tool active, hold down the , right-click the end node and select Close Curve.

To break curves:

Do one of the following:

With the Node Tool active, right-click the node at the point at which you want the curve to break and select Break Curve.
With the Node Tool active, select a curve and one of its nodes, then click Break Curve on the context toolbar.
With the Pen Tool active, hold down the , then right-click the node and select Break Curve.

To join curves:

With the Node Tool (hold down the if using the Pen Tool), hold down with the and select both curves.
Click Join Curves on the context toolbar.

To reverse curves:

Do one of the following:

With the Node Tool active, right-click any node and select Reverse Curve.
With the Node Tool active, select any node and then Reverse Curve on the context toolbar.
With the Pen Tool active, hold down the , then right-click the node and select Reverse Curve.

The start node will be toggled from clockwise to anticlockwise. With a closed curve selected, this direction can be viewed when Show Orientation (on the context toolbar) is toggled on (default). With an open curve selected, the direction of the curve is swapped, ready for further drawing from the opposite end of the curve.

To convert nodes to a different type:

Do one of the following:

With the Node Tool active, right-click the selected node(s) and select Convert to Sharp, Convert to Smooth or Convert to Smart.
With the Node Tool active, select the node(s) and click an equivalent Convert option on the context toolbar.
With the Pen Tool active, hold down the , right-click the selected node(s) and select Convert to Sharp, Convert to Smooth or Convert to Smart.
Hold the and click on the node to convert it to a Sharp node.

To copy control handle length/direction from another curve's node:

Drag a node from one curve directly over another on a second selected curve until the cursor changes to two overlapping squares, then wait until the node's handles adjust to their new positions.

To change a curve or shape's stroke width:

Do one of the following:

On the Stroke panel, adjust the Width via slider or input absolute values, expressions and formulas (percentages).
Use the [ or ] s (decrease or increase width, respectively).

SEE ALSO: