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ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS2
User Guide
Pencil tool options
Double-click the Pencil tool to set any of the following options.
Fidelity Controls how far you have to move your mouse or stylus before Illustrator adds a new anchor point to the
path. For example, a Fidelity value of 2.5 means that tool movements of less than 2.5 pixels aren’t registered. Fidelity
can range from 0.5 to 20 pixels; the higher the value, the smoother and less complex the path.
Smoothness Controls the amount of smoothing that Illustrator applies when you use the tool. Smoothness can
range from 0% to 100%; the higher the value, the smoother the path.
Fill New Pencil Strokes Applies a fill to pencil strokes you draw after selecting this option, but not to existing pencil
strokes. Remember to select a fill before you draw the pencil strokes. (See “To apply a color, pattern, or gradient to
an object” on page 224.)
Keep Selected Determines whether or not Illustrator keeps the path selected after you draw it.
Edit Selected Paths Determines whether or not you can change an existing path with the Pencil tool.
Within: _ pixels Determines how close your mouse or stylus must be to an existing path in order to edit the path with
the Pencil tool. This option is only available when the Edit Selected Paths option is selected.
Drawing with the Pen tool
To draw straight lines with the Pen tool
The simplest path you can draw with the Pen tool is a straight line, made by clicking the Pen tool to create two anchor
points. By continuing to click, you create a path made of straight line segments connected by corner points.
1 Select the Pen tool .
2 Position the Pen tool where you want the straight segment to begin, and click to define the first anchor point.
If direction lines appear, you accidentally dragged the Pen tool; choose Edit > Undo and click again.
3 Click again where you want the segment to end.
4 Continue clicking the Pen tool to create additional straight segments.
The last anchor point you add appears as a solid square, indicating that it is selected. Existing anchor points become
deselected as you add more anchor points.
5 Complete the path by doing one of the following:
• To close a path, position the pen pointer over the first (hollow) anchor point. A small circle appears next to the
Pen tool when it is positioned correctly. Click to close the path.
• To leave the path open, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) anywhere away from all objects,
choose Select > Deselect, or select a different tool in the toolbox.
See also
“Drawing tool gallery” on page 145
“Keys for drawing” on page 527
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