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majanation
majanation
Participant
November 21, 2016
Question

Tips to grabbing bezier handles and points?

  • November 21, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 1886 views

I've been using illustrator for over 20 years now, and I've wondered if there are some tips to grabbing bezier handles or points.  I get so frustrated when I click and click and can't grab a point.  So is there a setting or something to keep me from pulling my hair out?

Years ago, I used to use the pen tool and on the fly I could hold command or cntrl (I forget) and it would change the mouse to a hallow arrow, so I could change the bezier and then I could keep going with the pen.  This feature seems to be missing, I wonder if there's a way to do that also.

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    3 replies

    majanation
    majanationAuthor
    Participant
    November 21, 2016

    Yes.  Alt on PC.  good deal.  I'll check the preferences.  thanks.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 21, 2016

    You should set up the larger sizes of handles and points  in Preferences > Anchor & Selection

    Then set up the Snap to Point in the View menu

    And maybe check the Smart Guides as well. Try them out, if they help you.

    Kurt Gold
    Community Expert
    Kurt GoldCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 21, 2016

    Which version of Illustrator are you using?

    The Cmd modifier key should still work. First select the Direct Selection tool, then the Pen tool and start drawing. Holding down Cmd will temporarily activate the Direct Selection tool.

    Doesn't that work for you?

    M
    MichaelR-ACI
    Participant
    November 21, 2016

    Hi Monika!

    Great Being a TA with you at AdobeMax. Just a heads up: I noticed Illustrator's pen tool behavior is different these days, you no longer have to select the direct select tool before selecting the pen tool. The Command/Control key automatically defaults to the direct select option no matter which of the selection tools was last used. Welcome change, but having been in the habit of selecting the direct select tool first it took me a while to notice.

    Cheers

    Michael

    Michael Riordan

    Owner/Adobe Certified Instructor

    Digital DesignLab

    Oak Park, IL

    http://www.learnadobesoftware.com

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