Draw Half Circles Using Pen Tool

Lottery Shapes with the Pen Tool

This segment walks you through lottery other alkalic shapes — because knowing the Charles Herbert Best slipway to set that can do the more complicated shapes much easier to draw. Remove, e.g., a garden-variety circle — shapes get into't get any simpler than that . . . or do they? When you pass over one in Illustrator, you can get wide differing results with the Pen tool.

Drawing a sad, lumpy round with the Pen tool

You're probably saying to yourself, "Why would anyone be foolish enough to draw in a circle by victimization the Pen tool when you give the sack draw a perfect circle in a single step past using the Oval tool?" (which I binding in Chapter 4). A few reasons are

• Practice session makes perfect. A circle is an object made exclusively of smooth anchor points. Passe-partout the circle and you'Re the master of smooth curves!

• The Ellipse tool around makes perfect circles all time . Sometimes you may want to be a little more creative than that, and drawing the imperfect circle you wishing with the Pen tool lav be a lot faster than modifying a perfect circle created with the Ellipse tool.

So, without encourage ado, pursue these steps, as shown in Figure 7-10:

Human body 7-10: Drawing a circle (sort of) by using the Write tool.

1. Hold down the Fracture key and click and drag to the right with the Pen tool; extend the steering manoeuver telephone circuit about 1/4 inch.

2. Keep pressing the Shift key, click about 1/2 in above and to the right of the 1st linchpin point, and pull rising about 1/4 inch.

   You've careworn an eyeball-pleasing arc — kind of a skateboard-ramp sorta thing.

3. Keep pressing the Shift primal, click about 1/2 inch higher up the second anchorperson point (directly above the first anchorman point), and drag unexhausted about 1/4 edge.

   You've drawn a lovely half circle. You're actually more than halfway there.

4. With your left hand nonindustrial a cramp from holding down the Shift key, click about 1/2 inch to the left of the first anchor point and directly opposite the second anchor point, and then bear down on about 1/4 inch.

   (You dismiss likely guess where I'm going with this last click. . . .)

5. Click the first anchor point, drag to the right about 1/4 inch, and and then (finally) release the Wobble key.

   Your creation is a perfectly lumpy circle! If your circle isn't as round as you want, select the Outspoken Selection tool (the hollow arrow) and fine-tune the points and direction points until the circle looks less lumpy.

Tip?

Congratulations — you just drew a circle! Try drawing a second circle away using the same steps. And another. You'll find that not only does each circle get easier and improve, but you'll have much more assure whenever you create a smooth curve anywhere.

Drawing a sum

Ah, a real take exception. No of this "circle" stuff for you! Still, similarities to the circle burst. You ut need four mainstay points — two of them smooth points. And most of the anchor points pauperization to be in synonymous positions to the anchor points you Drew for the circle. Hmmm. Figure 7-11 shows the procedure all told its glory. Just now complete the shadowing steps:

1. Click and dredge up about 1/4 edge; use the Sack key to constrain the angle of the direction point line of descent to a perfectly vertical line.

2. Move your cursor about 3/4 inch above and 1/2 inch to the right of the first gear anchor point and click and get behind up about 1/4 inch. Use the Shift key to constrain the angle of the direction guide.

3. Move your pointer astir 1/2 inch to the leftmost and above the first anchor point in time, and then click and drag down approximately 1/4 in.

   This operation is almost as well easy, isn't it? Well, necessitate heart (so to speak). The next step tests your mettle.

4. Press the Alt key (Option happening a Mac), suction stop the anchor point you just created, and drag raised about 1/4 inch.

   This action breaks the two control-do by lines and sets you up for a precise, curved-turning point point at the pinch of the heart.

5. Move your cursor about 1/2 inch to the leftish of the last anchor point and then click and drag weak about 1/4 inch.

   Tip?

   Again, you can pressure the Shift key to make sure you'rhenium dragging a perfectly vertical line.

6. Move your cursor onto the first point, press the Alt key (Selection on a Mac) and click and drag down about 1/4 inch.

   This completes the heart. With all the use you have, this SHAPE probably looks a great deal better than that circle you drew in the previous exercise.

   
   Figure 7-11: Drawing a core with the Pen tool

Draw Half Circles Using Pen Tool

Source: http://etutorials.org/Adobe/Adobe+Illustrator+CS/Part+II+Drawing+and+Coloring+Your+Artwork/Chapter+7+Wielding+the+Mighty+Pen+Tool/Drawing+Shapes+with+the+Pen+Tool/