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Intro to the Major (DMA)

 

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Color & Graphic Design

 

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Digital Design Fundamentals

 

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Digital Design I

 

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Print Design I

 

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Adobe Illustrator CS4

Pen Tool Exercise

 

The Pen Tool allows you to create points called "anchor points". Those points can be connected by either a straight line or a curved line. Whether your line is straight or curved depends on how you control the mouse. If you click with the Pen Tool, you will get an anchor point. If you click and drag (in one step) with the Pen Tool, you will get an anchor point with handles. The handles are what creates the curves.

 

 

EXERCISE: Lines & Curves Exercise

There are 4 basic lines that you can create with the pen tool. Each line requires that you manipulate the mouse by either clicking or dragging.

 

Practice these lines:

 

1. A Straight Line At point 1, CLICK with the mouse to create the first anchor point. At point 2, hold the SHIFT KEY and CLICK to create the second anchor point connected with a straight line.
2. A Right-Curved Line At point 1 (the left side), CLICK with the mouse. This creates an anchor point with no curve. At point 2 (the right side). DRAG DOWN with the mouse to pull out a handle, thus creating the curve on the right.
3. A Left-Curved Line At point 1 (the left side), DRAG UP with the mouse to pull up a handle. At point 2 (the right side), CLICK to straighten out the curve on the right.
4. An Even-Curved Line At point 1, DRAG STRAIGHT UP to pull up a handle. At point 2 DRAG STRAIGHT DOWN to pull down a handle. The result is an even curve