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lesley_hilton
lesley_hilton
Known Participant
June 23, 2018
Answered

How to add an arrow shape?

  • June 23, 2018
  • 5 replies
  • 90807 views

Hi, I'm new here. Just trying to add an arrow to a document. I don't see it in the available shapes.

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Jeff Witchel, ACI

      Take a look at Arrowheads in the Stroke panel.

      5 replies

      KShinabery212
      KShinabery212
      Community Expert
      June 23, 2018

      Or go to Google and find free vector Arrows....

        KShinabery212
        KShinabery212
        Community Expert
        June 23, 2018

        Another way.

        Create your own.

        1. I made a square and deleted one point to make the triangle.  Make a rectangle.

        2. On the Rectangle.... choose Effects>Warp>Arc

        3. On the Rectangle.... Objects>Expand or Expand Appearance

        4, Rotate Square

        5. Place Square

        6. Pathfinder Tool to combine the Square and Curved Rectangle into one object.

          KShinabery212
          KShinabery212
          Community Expert
          June 23, 2018

          Here are some visual aids to help.

          1.) Plot your points with the Pen Tool

          2.) Adjust the curve with Anchor Point Tool.  Click on the center point to adjust.

          3.) Go to Stroke Menu change weight to desired thickness.  Choose what end you want the arrow head.

          Again there are other ways to do this as well.  Just depends.

            KShinabery212
            KShinabery212
            Community Expert
            June 23, 2018

            The other great thing is if you do not find arrow you like in the stroke panel there are other things you can do.

            1.) You can create your own with a Triangle and Rectangle and then use the path tool to combine them.  I usually make my own.

            2.) Go on Google and look up 'Free Vector Arrows'.  In fact there you will probably get more stylized arrows.  I know that some people have designed some really fancy arrows that you can download for free!

            Have fun with it!

              lesley_hilton
              lesley_hiltonAuthor
              Known Participant
              June 23, 2018

              Thanks for your help.

              1) Adding a vector from Google, it won't let me change the color.

              2) In making my own arrow, I made a stem with 2 arcs but I don't know how to group it, or make Illustrator treat it as one object so it will fill it. I can't make it fill the whole thing with one color cause I don't know how to group it.

              -----------------------

              I did this, but Illustrator won't change the color of the arrow I pasted onto the document.

              -----------------------

              I like this, but I want the arrow to be slightly wider at the base of the stem & I don't know how to do that.

              [ triple posts merged - by moderator ]

              Please use the Edit function

              Jeff Witchel, ACI
              Jeff Witchel, ACICorrect answer
              Community Expert
              June 23, 2018

              Take a look at Arrowheads in the Stroke panel.

                lesley_hilton
                lesley_hiltonAuthor
                Known Participant
                June 23, 2018

                OK thanks! I see the Arrowhead menu. Now how do I make the stem of the arrow curved? I used the line segment tool to make the stem, but it seems I can't make a curved line unless I use the arc tool?

                Monika Gause
                Monika Gause
                Community Expert
                June 23, 2018

                Use the pentool to draw any shape you like.

                How to draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool in Illustrator

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