Pen Tool Practice
How to use the pen tool –
The Pen Tool is essential for drawing complex objects and designs in Adobe Illustrator. Using a series of Points and Handles, you can use the Pen Tool to precisely render perfectly drawn lines, curves and shapes. Once drawn, these graphic elements can be customized and altered to create almost anything an artist can dream of.
Practice Sheet # 1
1 ) Create a new Landscape (horizontal) orientation page in Illustrator
2 ) Click and Drag this image on to that new page.
3 ) Use the Selection Tool (black arrow) to center and resize the image to fill the entire page.
4 ) Use the Pen Tool to draw the outline of these various structures.
5 ) Make sure your colors are set to FILL - NONE and STROKE set to Black.
Using the PEN TOOL Tips>>
1) When drawing your building, click your FIRST point on a corner. DO NOT click and drag your first point, just click once.
2) If you are tracing a straight line - click directly on the opposite end of the line, from the first point that you made.
3) If you are tracing a curve, click on the arc of the curve - DO NOT LET GO of the click of the mouse, and drag the mouse so that the line begins to curve. Drag the mouse around until you match the curve you are tracing, and than let go of the click of the mouse.
4) Before you click your next point after drawing a curved line, CLICK BACK on the point you just made BEFORE going on to the next. This will allow you to control the line easier.
5) Continue tracing the shape until you completely OUTLINE the ENTIRE object. ALWAYS click back to the first point that you made so that the shape is ENCLOSED.
6 ) Once the outline of the shape is complete you can choose a FILL COLOR, and add details such a windows.
Practice Sheet # 2
1 ) Create a new page in Illustrator for every practice sheet
Practice Sheet # 3
1 ) Draw the fish's body as different shapes. For example, break the fish down into it's different colors and trace each color as a shape.
2 ) Use the SHAPE TOOL to draw the eyes.