Adobe Illustrator for Windows

Author

Shape Help

theno1kid

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

I cut my teeth on graphic design in Corel Draw and I am just
now getting to know Adobe Illustrator. One thing I cannot figure out
how to do is add points or delete points or grab a point and move or
"shape" an object. In Corel I just use the shape tool and I can
change any shape node by node. What am I missing?
theno1kid

Piggy

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

In illustrator, those r called "Anchor Points".

There r some tools in the tool box to play with anchor points.

[1] Pen Tool (P) :: to draw paths (lines) point to point.

(in side pen tool (click on pen tool and hold a whlie) there are 3 more
tools.)

[1.1] Add anchor point tool (+) :: add anchor ponts on a path
[1.2] Delete anchor point tool (-) :: delete anchor points
[1.3] Convert anchor point tool (Shift+C) :: select this tool, then
click on an anchor point
and drag to reshape the path.

[2] Direct selection tool (A) (press & hold Selection tool) :: to
select & move anchor points

[3] Lasso tool (Q) :: select many anchor points at once (mark (draw)
area to select ancor
points)

[4] Reshape tool (press & hold Scale tool) :: click on a path and drag
to reshape. bit
similar to Corel Draw's Shape tool.

[5] Object > Path > Join (Ctrl+J) :: Select 2 anchor points and "Join"
to combine anchor
points
[6] Scissors Tool (C) :: divide a path from any place.

Hope these will useful to u, i figure out ur issue. :)

bydavia

2006-02-12, 7:32 pm

That's useful !
and i wanna learn Corel Draw

theno1kid

2006-02-20, 3:37 am

On 5 Feb 2006 22:09:45 -0800, "Piggy" <srishanu@XXXXXXXXXX> wrote:

>In illustrator, those r called "Anchor Points".
>
>There r some tools in the tool box to play with anchor points.
>
>[1] Pen Tool (P) :: to draw paths (lines) point to point.
>
>(in side pen tool (click on pen tool and hold a whlie) there are 3 more
>tools.)
>
>[1.1] Add anchor point tool (+) :: add anchor ponts on a path
>[1.2] Delete anchor point tool (-) :: delete anchor points
>[1.3] Convert anchor point tool (Shift+C) :: select this tool, then
>click on an anchor point
> and drag to reshape the path.
>
>[2] Direct selection tool (A) (press & hold Selection tool) :: to
>select & move anchor points
>
>[3] Lasso tool (Q) :: select many anchor points at once (mark (draw)
>area to select ancor
> points)
>
>[4] Reshape tool (press & hold Scale tool) :: click on a path and drag
>to reshape. bit
> similar to Corel Draw's Shape tool.
>
>[5] Object > Path > Join (Ctrl+J) :: Select 2 anchor points and "Join"
>to combine anchor
> points
>[6] Scissors Tool (C) :: divide a path from any place.
>
>Hope these will useful to u, i figure out ur issue. :)
>
Thanks so much for the help. I t takes a little practice but I think
I can get the hang if it now. Just one question, what makes the
"shape" accessible to the tools? Sometimes I can click on a particular
tool and it has no effect on the shape other than to move it's
location and then I change to another tool 2-3 times and it can be
reshaped again. I am not sure what I am clicking on to make it go back
and forth like that.
Again, thanks for the help. It really did make a difference in being
able to not only create but adjust shapes.

Piggy

2006-02-20, 3:37 am

Your question is not very clear, but i think u need to learn more about
the AI tools.

you can use Illustrator Help (F1) for this, it's very useful & cleverly
done and can b understand by anybody.

In the Help > Contents > Looking at the Work Area > Using tools and
commands > Using tools

This'll help u alot.

Also read all the topics under "Looking at the Work Area", it's the
path to be a Guru in Illustrator!

(try to rate posts by clicking on the STARS below. :)