How to Curve Lines in Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator lets you draw straight lines and curves. You can design bodies, graphics, and logos using these tools.

If you want to learn how to curve lines in Illustrator, read the below guide. Adjust the anchor points, paths, and draw curves from the start.

How to Curve Lines in Illustrator

This article will help you create an Illustrator curve line. You can direct the path where you need it to form the shape you desire. The bezier tool also helps with this process.

How to Draw a Path in Illustrator

Some of the tips you can use when wanting to learn how to draw a curvy body or other curved shapes in Illustrator require a pre-positioned path. You can add lines to your Illustrator project when using the below methods.

Use the “Pen” tool.
Use the “Pencil” tool.
Use the “Curvature” tool. This method is in more detail later in this article.
You can also draw a shape using the “Ellipse,” “Rectangle,” or “Polygon” tool. These features let you create an enclosed group of lines.

Use the Pen Tool

You can read the below steps to learn how to make curved lines in Illustrator using the “Pen” tool. This information will give you a general idea of how the “Pencil” feature works.

Open Adobe Illustrator.
Click on “New Project” or open an existing document.
Press the “Pen” tool in the toolbar on the left side.
Draw the curves you want in your document.

Use the Line Segment Tool

You can also use the “Line Segment” tool to add a straight path to your Illustrator document. After, you can use one of the below methods to curve the line. The “Zig Zag” effect is another method, as shown in the below steps.

Double-click on Adobe Illustrator to open the software program.
Click the “New Project” option.
Press the “Line Segment” tool.
Draw two anchor points to represent where you want the line.
Click on the “Effect” menu at the top of the screen.
Choose the “Distort and Transform” dropdown menu.
Click on “Zig Zag” to automatically curve the line segment in a zig-zag pattern.

How to Make Curved Lines in Illustrator

You can use three methods when you want to draw curved lines in Illustrator. The curvature feature is best for smooth curves. Use the anchor point and direct selection tools to make specific shapes and direct the look of your design.

Use the Anchor Point Tool

You can pair the “Anchor Point” and the “Pen” tools to learn how to curve lines in Illustrator. This method is the easiest, as you only have to click and drag the path in your project. The steps required for using the “Anchor Point” tool are below.

Open Adobe Illustrator on your computer and click the “New Project” option.
Find the “Anchor Point” tool. Hold and press the downward-facing arrow by the “Pen” tool and click on “Anchor Point Tool.”
You can also use a keyboard shortcut, “Shift + C.”
Click on a path in your document.
Move the anchor points to change the shape of the curve.
If you make a mistake, click on the anchor point. It will reset the shape of the line.

Use the Curvature Tool

The Curvature tool is the first feature you can use to learn how to curve lines in Illustrator. You will find it in the toolbar in Adobe Illustrator.

You can start making smooth curves in Illustrator with the Curvature tool by following the below steps.

Open Adobe Illustrator on your desktop.
Click on “New Project” on the left.
Choose the “Curvature” tool in the toolbar. It looks like a pen drawing a curve.
Click on two spots on the artboard to create two anchor points.
Use the “Rubber Band” preview to see the possible path. Hover the mouse over the area you want to see.
Add more anchor points to continue the curve.
Press “Option” or “Alt” and click your mouse to add more anchor points to the same path.
Double-click an anchor point to make a smooth curve.
Move a point by clicking and dragging to further refine it.
Delete excessive points by pressing “Delete” on your keyboard.
Exit the “Curvature” tool by pressing “Esc” on your keyboard.

Use the Direct Selection Tool

The “Direct Selection” tool works in tandem with the above method. It lets you edit the curve of the path you created.

You can also use the “Direct Selection” tool to learn how to curve lines in Illustrator on a sharp corner. The steps for this method are below.

Open Adobe Illustrator and find the project with the lines or shapes you want to curve.
Choose the “Direct Selection” tool in the toolbar on the left.
Click on the anchor point on a corner or in a curve.
Press the circle that appears.
Drag the anchor point towards the middle of the document.
Wait for the curve to form and look for the direction handles.
Click and drag the direction handles to achieve the look you want for your curve.

Reshape Paths with the Pencil Feature

You can change the path’s shape after drawing an Illustrator curve line. The “Pencil” tool is the best feature you can use for this process.

The steps to change your curve are in the list below.

Click on the curved path you want to edit in your Illustrator project.
Choose the “Pencil” tool in the toolbar.
Position the pencil near the path. Wait for a small x to appear.
Click and drag the “Pencil” tool until you achieve the desired shape.

Real-Time Drawing and Editing

Enhance the look of your design after using a drawing curve tool by using the “Real-Time Drawing and Editing” feature. It will help to give your shapes a 3D effect. You can turn on this feature by following the below steps.

Click on the “Illustrator” menu on your Mac. Select “Edit” on a Windows computer.
Choose the “Preferences” option.
Click on “Performance.”
Select “Real-Time Drawing and Editing.”

How to Use the Bezier Tool Illustrator

You can learn how to curve lines in Illustrator with the Bezier feature. This option offers more advanced editing for your document.

When you add a curve with the Bezier tool, you will automatically see changes after specific edits and operations. Your file size will not change.

Quadratic Bezier Tools

There are two types of Bezier tools you can use in your document. A Quadratic Bezier works with specific segments in your curve.

There is only one direction handle for each segment of your curve. You can edit the drawing on each end and in the middle if you have a half-circle.

Cubic Bezier Tools

The Cubic Bezier tool is the second option you can use when wanting to edit curves in Illustrator. There are at least four-direction handles present on your segments and shapes.

You will find one direction handle on each end of a half-circle. In the curve itself, there are two more. This style of Bezier tool lets you make more of a zig-zag pattern.

Using the Bezier Tool

You can use the Bezier tool to learn how to draw a curvy body or another object with the below steps. It works with the “Pen” tool.

Open Adobe Illustrator by double-clicking it on your computer.
Click on “New Project” or open a pre-existing document.
Draw a path using the “Pen” tool.
Press and hold where you want an anchor point. Press “Add Anchor Point.”
Click on one of the anchor points you created.
Drag the anchor point in the direction you want the curve to go.

You can create the shape you need with only a few clicks. Always remember the pathways you can design with a quadratic or cubic Bezier feature.

Q&A

Which Tool Lets You Draw Straight Lines and Curves in Illustrator?

There are several tools you can use to learn how to draw straight lines and curves in Adobe Illustrator.

If you want to design straight lines, you can start with the “Pen” or “Pencil” tool. Draw segments on your document, then adjust the curves later.

You can also use one of the shape builder tools to draw lines and curves. Click on the “Rectangle” or “Ellipse” tool to begin.

Finally, you can draw curved lines in Illustrator using the curve finder tool. Most know it as the “Curvature” tool.

How Do You Warp Shapes in Illustrator?

You can warp shapes after you draw them in Adobe Illustrator. Start with the “Direct Selection” tool. Click on one of the anchor points, and drag it towards the middle of the shape.

You can also warp shapes using the curvature tool. Add curves to lines that already exist or draw shapes that include lines.

Finally, you can use the “Anchor Point” tool to create curves in Illustrator. Click on one of the paths in the shape and drag it to build the document you need.

Curve Lines in Adobe Illustrator

There are several methods you can use to learn how to curve lines in Illustrator. Start with the anchor point tool and adjust the lines of the paths and shapes themselves.

The curvature tool lets you draw curved lines from the beginning. You can click any path, dragging it in the direction you want. Add more anchor points to make it curve more.

Finally, the direct selection tool lets you make curved lines. Click on the anchor points you want to move, dragging them where you want them for your shape.