How to Master the Pen Tool

Conquer the most powerful tool in Illustrator by learning how to place anchor points and manipulate Bezier curves.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Step 1: Select the Pen Tool (P) and click once to create a corner point.
2. Step 2: Click and drag to create a smooth curve with direction handles.
3. Step 3: Hold Alt/Option and click an anchor point to break the direction handles.
4. Step 4: Hold Shift while clicking or dragging to constrain angles to 45 degrees.
5. Step 5: Close your path by clicking the first anchor point.