In this lesson, you’ll learn how to do the following:

• Identify anchor points on an object
• Add an anchor point to a path
• Delete an anchor point from a path
• Convert an anchor point

The art you create, whether it is a rectangle, an ellipse, or a curved line, is made up of paths. Paths are made up of line segments which are marked at their beginning and end by anchor points. This tutorial teaches you how to add, delete, and convert anchor points.

Getting started

In this lesson, you’ll learn about anchor points. Before you begin you’ll need to restore the default preferences for Adobe Illustrator.

1 To ensure that the tools and palettes function exactly as described in this lesson, delete or deactivate (by renaming) the Adobe Illustrator preferences file.

2 Start Adobe Illustrator.

3 Choose File > Open and open the start file, AP.ai.

Anchor Point Basics

As stated before, anchor points mark the beginnings and ends of paths, which make up objects. There are two types of paths, open and closed. Open paths are like line segments or arcs, and their anchor points are called endpoints. A closed path is like a circle or a square.

A – Selected (solid) endpoint B – Selected anchor point C – Curved path segment D – Direction Line E – Direction point

Paths can have two kinds of anchor points, corner points and smooth points. Paths sharply change direction at corner points. Paths appear as continuous curves when using smooth points.

A – Four corner points B – Four smooth points C – Combination of corner and smooth points

In the artboard, use the direct selection tool () and click on the four paths in the section labeled “Checking Anchor Points.” The small squares that appear along the paths are anchor points. Click on these points and, while still holding down the mouse button, drag them to change the objects’ shapes.

Adding an Anchor Point

If you want to make an object more dynamic, one way to achieve this is through adding an anchor point to its path. In the artboard section labeled “Add Anchor Point,” we will add an anchor point to the straight line so that it can bend down to touch the small, gray circle beneath it.

• Click on the pen tool in the toolbar and hold down the mouse button until the pen tool flyout appears. With the mouth button still held down, move the pointer over the add anchor point tool () and let go.

  

• Click once on the straight line, in the portion marked with a small, gray circle labeled A.
• Choose the direct selection tool () and move the mouse over the newly created anchor point. You will know you have located an anchor point, because a small, empty square will appear under the pointer.
• Click on the anchor point and drag it to the circle marked B, so that the two line segments cover the gray lines.

Deleting an Anchor Point

If you want to simplify an object, one way to achieve this is through deleting an anchor point. In the artboard section labeled “Delete Anchor Point,” we will remove an anchor point from the star to create a pentagon.

• Click on the pen tool in the toolbar and hold down the mouse button until the pen tool flyout appears. With the mouth button still held down, move the pointer over the delete anchor point tool () and let go.

  

• Click once on the corner point marked with a small, gray circle labeled A. Make sure to look for the small, empty square to appear beneath the pointer.

If this screen appears, you may have missed the anchor point. Click OK and try again, the zoom tool () is very effective when manipulating anchor points.

• Repeat Step 2 for points labeled B, C, D, and E.

Converting an Anchor Point

If you want to completely change the way an object looks, try converting one or more anchor points. Using the convert anchor point tool () changes smooth anchor points to corner anchor points, and vice versa. In the artboard section labeled “Convert Anchor Point,” we will convert two of the hexagon’s anchor points to create an entirely different shape.

• Click on the pen tool in the toolbar and hold down the mouse button until the pen tool flyout appears. With the mouth button still held down, move the pointer over the convert anchor point tool () and let go.
• Click once on the corner point marked with a small, gray circle labeled A. Hold down the mouse button and drag to the corner anchor point labeled B. Release the mouse button.

If this screen appears, you may have missed the anchor point. Click OK and try again, the zoom tool () is very effective when manipulating anchor points

• Click once on the corner point marked with a small, gray circle labeled C. Hold down the mouse button and drag to the corner anchor point labeled D. Release the mouse button.

Congratulations! You’ve completed the anchor points lesson.

Click here to download a Microsoft Word version of this tutorial.

Copyright © 2005, Bloomsburg University Department of Instructional Technology.
All rights reserved. This material may not be used without written permission.
Contact Dr. Mary Nicholson at mjnich@bloomu.edu