Understanding Control Points and Segments

You can use pen tools to create more complex shapes, the same kind of Bezier curves you can build in programs like Adobe Illustrator. But if you’ve never used a pen tool or heard of Bezier curves, it’s time to review some basics.

Bezier paths consist of control points connected by line segments. Control points define each end of a segment; direction lines define the curve of the segment.

Direction lines and handles extend from control points to define and control the curve of a path segment. The length and angle of a direction line influence the shape of the curve. (Imagine that direction lines exert a gravitational pull on the line that enters and exits a control point.) Dragging the end of a direction ...

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