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The pencil tool is effective for drawing free hand shapes and curves. When used effectively, you can create smooth lines and curves. The pencil tool is useful for sketching or creating drawings. You do not set anchor points while using the pencil tool. You can only adjust the anchor points after drawing the shape. Preferably, you can get a graphic tablet to help your drawing instead of the mouse which is difficult to use.
Using the Pencil Tool
Select the Pencil Tool using the keyboard shortcut letter N. With the pencil tool selected, position your mouse on the document where you want to start your drawing. You will notice a small x sign. This indicates that you are on free hand drawing. Drag and move to draw. As you draw, you will notice anchor points emerging. You can change the number of anchor points using the settings in the Pencil tool.
Closing Paths using the Pencil Tool
If you want to close a path, select the Pencil Tool and starting drawing. Hold your ALT key when the pencil gets closer to the starting point, a small circle icon appears. If the shape is what you want, release the mouse button but not the ALT key to close the shape
How to Constrain Shape while Drawing to Create Straight Lines
If you want to create a shape where the line is constrained, hold SHIFT key while drawing. This will create straight lines at either at 0, 45 or 90 degree. However if you hold ALT key while drawing, it will create a straight unconstrained line.
Reshape Paths
To reshape a path, select the path you want to reshape. You will notice that the x icon disappear once you get to the path. Use the Pencil Tool to draw till you get to the desired path
Adding Paths with the Pencil tool
Select the path, use the pencil tool to click at the end point of the path and drag to continue the path
How to Make Rough Lines Smooth
Due to the free hand nature of our sketch with the Pencil tool, the lines will look a bit rough. To make it smooth, hold ALT key, it will turn the tool to smooth tool. Draw over any area you want to make smooth, it changes automatically
Pencil Tool Options and Preferences
To see options and settings about pencil too, double click on the Pencil Tool icon, a dialog box appears
Fidelity: This property determines how far you move with your pencil tool before an anchor point is added. The Smooth at the right end means your lines will be smooth. It is a good setting when you are not good with drawing with mouse. The Accurate at the left is good for drawing paths. There are five points you can chose from in the fidelity
Fill New Pencil Strokes: If you chose this setting, the lines you create will have a fill color
Alt Key Toggle to Smooth Tool: With this setting, you can switch the pencil tool or brush tool to smooth tool by using the ALT key
Close Paths when Ends are Within: If you specify the pixels like say 5 pixels, it means that when drawing with the pencil tool, it will automatically close the two paths when they are close within 5 pixels
Edit Selected Paths: You can merge or edit a path when you are within the pixel distance you specified
Within: If you unchecked Edit Selected Path, this setting will be grayed out. They work together. This setting determine how close you place your mouse to an existing path to be able to edit it
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