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Dilly_Dally
Inspiring
January 8, 2026
Answered

How would you trace this spear head.

I know this probably sounds a little stupid, but how would someone with more experience choose to trace this spear head?  I tried the pen tool, to trace one side and then duplicated/reflected  it but it doesn't line up.  Then I tried the polygon tool, but trying to resize the triangle base changes everyting.

873499i2EB70E0F9AE96BBE.png

 

 

Jacob Bugge
Jacob BuggeCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 8, 2026

Dilly Dally,

 

For preservation of the shape with a regular stroke, you can trace the middle of the strokes using a narrow(er) stroke in a contrasting colour and no fill and with Round Join (to give the roundings at the corners, I always set Round Cap to go with it even when unnecessary as here), with View>Smart Guides being your friends for snapping, and easier with rotation as shown by Doug:

 

1) For the outer spearhead shape (behind the inner shape which hides the middle of the rounding), with the Pen Tool ClickDrag from the lower right corner and a Handle length about one third of the way, then ClickDrag from the lower left corner and without letting go hold the Alt/Option key and Drag back into the Anchor Point (to make a corner, Smart Guides say origin when you are within snapping distance), then Click the tip Anchor Point, then Click the first Anchor Point to close the path (Smart Guides say anchor);

2) For the shaft, simply create a rectangle with the right width and place it, extending up behind the inner spearhead shape (which hides the top);

3) For the inner spearhead shape in front of the others, with the Pen Tool simply Click the tip and the two lower corners;

4) Adjust as needed with the Direct Selection Tool, moving Anchors and/or Handles;

5) Set the desired Stroke Weight;

6) Fill all the paths, and set the colours as desired.

 

4 replies

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Jacob BuggeCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 8, 2026

Dilly Dally,

 

For preservation of the shape with a regular stroke, you can trace the middle of the strokes using a narrow(er) stroke in a contrasting colour and no fill and with Round Join (to give the roundings at the corners, I always set Round Cap to go with it even when unnecessary as here), with View>Smart Guides being your friends for snapping, and easier with rotation as shown by Doug:

 

1) For the outer spearhead shape (behind the inner shape which hides the middle of the rounding), with the Pen Tool ClickDrag from the lower right corner and a Handle length about one third of the way, then ClickDrag from the lower left corner and without letting go hold the Alt/Option key and Drag back into the Anchor Point (to make a corner, Smart Guides say origin when you are within snapping distance), then Click the tip Anchor Point, then Click the first Anchor Point to close the path (Smart Guides say anchor);

2) For the shaft, simply create a rectangle with the right width and place it, extending up behind the inner spearhead shape (which hides the top);

3) For the inner spearhead shape in front of the others, with the Pen Tool simply Click the tip and the two lower corners;

4) Adjust as needed with the Direct Selection Tool, moving Anchors and/or Handles;

5) Set the desired Stroke Weight;

6) Fill all the paths, and set the colours as desired.

 

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Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 8, 2026

Dilly Dally,

 

I have just extended the introduction and steps 1) & 2) for a more complete description.

 

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Doug A Roberts
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 8, 2026

In an idealised way, or exactly as it is in the image?

I ask because the image isn't symmetrical:

873503iCF74C85C25E3BF7E.png

 

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Dilly_Dally
Inspiring
January 8, 2026

Good point!  I hadn't even noticed that.  I am reproducing an image which can't be changed (it is the emblem of a group), because we need a higher resolution image for reproduction.  So it does need to be as close to the original as possible.  

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