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Drawing and editing with the pencil tool


    The pencil tool lets you draw open and closed paths as if you were drawing with a pencil on paper. It is most useful for fast sketching or creating a hand-drawn look. Once you draw a path, you can immediately change it if needed.

    Note: You can use these same methods to draw and edit brushed paths with the paintbrush tool.

To draw a freeform path with the pencil tool:

  1. Select the pencil tool  the pencil tool .
  2. Position the pointer where you want the path to begin, and drag to draw a path. The pencil tool displays a small x to indicate drawing a freeform path.
  3. As you drag, a dotted line follows the pointer. Anchor points appear at both ends of the path and at various points along it. The path takes on the current paint attributes, and the path remains selected by default.

  4. To continue the existing freeform path, make sure the path is selected, and then position the pencil tip on an endpoint of the path and drag.

To draw a closed path with the pencil tool:

  1. Select the pencil tool.
  2. Position the pointer where you want the path to begin, and start dragging to draw a path.
  3. As you drag, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS). The pencil tool displays with stripes to indicate drawing a closed path.
  4. When the path is the size and shape you want, release the mouse button (but not the Alt or Option key). After the path closes, release the Alt or Option key.

To connect a new path to an existing path:

    Select both paths; then Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) from the current path onto the endpoint of the other path.

To change a path with the pencil tool:

  1. If the path you want to change is not selected, select it with the selection tool  the selection tool . Or Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the path to select it.
  2. Position the pencil tool on or near the path to redraw, and drag the tool until the path is the desired shape.
  3. Using the pencil tool to edit a closed shape
    Using the pencil tool to edit a closed shape

    Note: Depending on where you begin to redraw the path and in which direction you drag, you may get unexpected results. For example, you may unintentionally change a closed path to an open path, change an open path to a closed path, or lose a portion of a shape.