You can also create smoothly curved line segments using the Pen Tool.

In this case, instead of {Clicking}, moving, and {Clicking} as you would with a straight-line segment, you {Click} and drag.  Take note of the Direction Lines that emanate from your point of origin as you drag.  Release your mouse button and your line segment now has a curve.  Move the end of your line segment to wherever you wish it to finish and {Double click}.  You now have a curved line segment.  The segment’s degree of curvature is dependant on how long your Direction Line is.  If you create a very short Direction Line your curve will remain fairly flat no matter where you place the end your line segment.  A long Direction Line will create a pronounced curve. You have a number of options when making curved line segments.  If you’d like to augment a curved line with additional curved segments you simply hold down the right mouse button, after you anchor your first segment, and drag.  Direction Lines will appear and if you drag and release your mouse button an additional curved segment will be added to the original.  If you were to {Click} after creating a curved line segment your next line segment would be straight.  By using combinations of curved and straight lines you can create almost any shape you wish.  You can also close curved line segments in the same way that you can straight lines. 

(Fig 5.5 (a) direction line and resulting curve.) (Fig 5.5(b)Short direction line and resulting curve.)

Long Paths can be modified after they’ve been created. The Sub selection tool allows you to select points along a path and edit them.  If you would like to move a point, {Click} on it to select it, drag, and release your mouse button to reposition it. If you would like to delete a point, select it and hit the [DELETE] key. 

Selecting a point on a curved line segment will highlight both the point itself and its Direction Lines. You can select the point and move it around or you can select a Direction Line and affect the curve of the path. Select a Direction Line by [Clicking] and dragging its handle. The handle is a small blue square at the end of the Direction Line that is very similar in appearance to a point on a path. You will notice that the path is affected on both sides of the point if you move one of its Direction Lines. If you hold down the [ALT] key while moving a Direction Line you limit its affect to one side of the point.  

Two different points applied to the same line

You can change a Corner Point back to a regular point by {Clicking} on it with the Pen Tool. The Direction Lines will straighten and the curvature of the path will become smooth on both sides of the selected Point. You can also add points to your path by {Clicking} on a line segment with the Pen Tool. 

If you would like to move the entire line segment {Click} on it with the Pointer Tool and drag.

Select the Pen Tool from the Toolbox and spend some time drawing and modifying line segments, paths, and closed shapes.  Try adding and deleting curves, corner points and new points to your shape.  Any vector object that you create, be it path or shape, can be edited using the Pen Tool.

 At first using the Pen Tool may seem a bit awkward to use and it will probably  take a while before you get used to using it. You can modify the appearance of your paths by applying Stroke, Fill, and Effect settings to them. We will explore these panels in-depth later in the manual.

The Pen Tool has no options.