What is Adobe Illustrator?

Illustrator is a design-software where you can

ʻdrawʼ on the computer. Whatever that is drawn
on Illustrator can be ʻstretchedʼ and blown up to
any size without losing any quality. This is one of
its main features.
It is called a ʻvector-basedʼ design software.

This is a comprehensive list of all the tools in the toolbar (you guys should explore on your
own!), but this is the toolbar of an old version of Illustrator. CS5 is slightly different from this
one, but all the essential information is here.
Pen Tool
Drawing straight line-segments using Pen tool:
1. Select the Pen tool and position it where you want the straight segment to begin.
2. Click to define the first anchor point (do not drag).
3. Click again where you want the segment to end.
4. Continue clicking to set anchor points for more straight segments.
5. To complete path, position the Pen tool over the first anchor point and click on it. This is a
complete shape now.

Drawing curves using Pen tool:

A. Position Pen tool

B. Drag with mouse button pressed
C. Drag more to extend the lines.

A B C

D. Start to drag second smooth point.

E. Dragging away from the previous
direction line, creating a curve.
F. Result after releasing mouse button.

D
E F

G. Start to drag new smooth point

H. Drag in the same direction as the
previous direction line, creating an ʻSʼ
curve
I. Result after releasing the mouse.

G H I

Combining these two, you can create anything using the pen tool. You can trace images to convert
them into ʻvectorʼ form, outline them, etc. The pen tool is one of the most important tools in
Illustrator, and it gives it the characteristic of being a software that helps to ʻdrawʼ.
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