Draw tools help you to draw and edit objects and paths, and create perspective. You can also add symbols and graphs to your artwork.

Before you work on your artwork, you need to select some or all of its elements. Select tools let you not just select, but move, rotate, scale, and transform your artwork, with varying degrees of precision.

Navigate tools let you set your focus on an area of the artwork. You can perform basic actions like zoom in or out, rotate the view, drag artwork, or add grids to work on the canvas.

Text tools help you to add and edit text (type) in your artwork. Apart from plain text, you can also add text on a path or in an area, and apply the desired text effects.

Illustrator offers a fine collection of vector brushes with which you can apply fills and strokes to elements in your artwork. You can also add blends and build complex shapes to get the desired visual effect.

Use advanced Modify tools in Illustrator to manipulate objects and paths.

Pen Tool

The Pen tool lets you manually draw freehand lines, shapes, and straight or curved edges. You can modify these paths and shapes with anchor points and handles.

1. Click the Pen tool or press P.

2. Click anywhere on the artboard to set the anchor point. Move the pointer and click again to draw a line or Shift - Click to constrain the angle of the segment to a multiple of 45°.

3. Draw a curve:

• Drag the Pen tool on the artboard and release it to create direction handles of the anchor point.

• Drag again to set the slope of the curve segment and then release.

4. Complete the path by closing the path or leaving it open:

• Close the path: Position the tool over the first (hollow) anchor point and click.

• Leave the path open: Position the tool away from the object and press Cmd + Click (macOS) or Ctrl + Click (Windows).

Pencil Tool

The Pencil tool lets you create freeform shapes and lines in your artwork.

1. Click the Pencil tool  or press N.

2. Drag to draw your freeform shape on the artboard.

3. Drag the anchor points that appear on the path to define the shapes.

Add Anchor Point Tool

The Add Anchor Point tool lets you create anchor points along paths.

1. Click the Add Anchor Point tool   or press +.

2. Click anywhere along a path to add an anchor point.

Delete Anchor Point Tool

The Delete Anchor Point tool lets you remove anchor points from paths.

1. Click the Delete Anchor Point tool    or press -.

2. Click any anchor point along a path to remove it.

Anchor Point Tool

The Anchor Point tool lets you manage the direction and curve of paths.

1. Click the Direct Selection tool  on the toolbar and then click a path to see its anchor points. Click a point to select it.

2. To convert smooth anchor points into angled anchor points, click the Anchor Point tool   or press Shift + C.

3. To add anchor points, press and hold the Pen tool   and then click Add Anchor Point    or press Alt + (Windows) or Option + (macOS).

4. To delete anchor points, press and hold the Pen tool   and then click Delete Anchor Point   or press Alt – (Windows) or Option - (macOS).

Curvature Tool

The Curvature tool lets you draw and edit paths and shapes using smooth and anchor points.

1. Click the Curvature tool   or press Shift + ~. 

2. Click anywhere on the artboard to set the first point. Click again to create a second point. A line segment is created. Now, move the pointer to preview the resulting path.

3. Click further to add points and create a shape. Close the path to complete the shape. 

4. To draw straight lines by adding corner points, press and hold Option (macOS) or Alt (Windows) and click.

5. Edit smooth and corner points: 

• Click anywhere on the path to continue adding points to the existing path, or click the point and press Delete to remove it.

• Drag the point to move it. 

• Double-click any point to toggle between a corner point and a smooth point.

• Press Esc to stop drawing.

Line Segment Tool

The Line Segment tool lets you draw straight lines in any direction you drag your pointer.

• Click the Line Segment tool   or press \.

• Drag to create a line on the artboard.

Rectangle Tool

The Rectangle tool lets you create rectangular and square shapes in your artwork. 

1. Click the Rectangle tool   or press M to select it.

2. Drag on the artboard to draw a rectangle. Press and hold Shift while you drag to draw a square.

3. Press and hold Alt while you drag to draw a rectangle from the center.

4. Press and hold Shift + Alt (Windows), Shift + Opt (macOS) to draw a square from the center.

5. To specify dimensions in points, select a rectangle and enter height and width values in the Rectangle section of the Properties panel.

Rounded Rectangle Tool

The Rounded Rectangle tool allows you to draw squares and rectangles with rounded corners.

1. Click the Rounded Rectangle tool  .

2. Drag to draw a rounded rectangle. To constrain proportions and create a square, press and hold Shift while you drag.

3. Drag any of the corner handles within the shape to make them more or less rounded. 

4. To modify the shape's dimensions, select the object and enter values for Height and Width in the Properties panel.

Ellipse Tool

The Ellipse tool lets you create ellipses and circles in your artwork.

1. Click the Ellipse tool   or press L.

2. Click and drag on the artboard.

3. To specify the ellipse dimensions, select and enter the height and width values in the Properties panel.

Polygon Tool

The Polygon tool lets you create polygon and triangle shapes in your artwork. 

1. Click and hold the Rectangle tool   and then click the Polygon tool  .

2. To align the edges of the polygon, press Shift and then drag the pointer.

3. Press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to add and remove sides from the polygon.

4. To customize polygon dimensions, select the polygon and specify height and width values in the Properties panel.

Star Tool

The Star tool lets you create pointed shapes in your artwork.

1. Select the Star tool  .

2. Drag on the artboard to create a five-pointed star.

3. To change the number of points, use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys while dragging.

4. To create a star manually instead, click anywhere on the artboard and enter values for Radius and Points.

PaintbrushTool

The Paintbrush tool lets you draw a path with a brush stroke applied so that you can create expressive freeform drawings whose shape and appearance are easy to adjust.

1. Click the Paintbrush tool   or press B to select it.

2. Choose a brush from the Brush menu of the Properties panel.

3. Drag to draw a path.

4. To draw a closed path, press and hold Option (macOS) or Alt (Windows) while you drag.