Help Editing A Font With the Pencil Tool Adobe Illustrator

[skye_4158]

I am trying to create custom font my editing existing typeface on my iPad. I am able to turn it into an outline, ungroup it and select it, but when I draw it always goes on top of the existing letter, it doesn't change the letter directly. 

What am I doing wrong and how can I fix it? I know how to do it on a PC but not an iPad. 

[Bobby Henderson]

Drawing over the top of a letter shape will only create a new object stacked on top of that letter shape. Editing vector-based objects is very different from drawing on a pixel-based canvas, such as a document in Photoshop.

Tools like the Direct Selection tool and the Pen Tool can modify the path of an existing vector object, such as a letter shape from a font. Pathfinder tools can be used to weld two or more shapes together, or use one shape to cut through another one. Many methods can be used to modify vector objects.

[skye_4158]

So how would you best recommend I can edit the font on iPad to add flicks and custom embellishments? Sorry I'm really new to Adobe Illustrator and am still learning

[Monika Gause]

On the desktop version you can set up the pencil tool to edit selected paths. I don't remeber if the setting exists on the iPad.

As Bobby said: use the Pathfinder functions on the iPad. Be careful: they only create groups. If you are done with it, you have to convert it to a path incase you want to send it to a plotter.

[skye_4158]

How do you find the pathfinder settings? Sorry I'm really new to AI.  

[Monika Gause]

Like this. Sorry for the German interface, commands are in the same places in other languages. https://youtube.com/shorts/1iVh25rBrnY