Do you have an unsteady hand like most of us? We understand and know drawing art is a hassle. In Photoshop, anchor points are your best friend and help you to draw smooth lines by joining them. 

To join anchor points in Illustrator, select the anchor points you want to enter and click “Object” on the top menu. Then choose “Path” and click “Join.” You can press “Command + J” on your keyboard to join the anchor points.

Continue reading for a more detailed explanation of how to join anchor points and other procedures with anchor points. 

What Are Anchor Points In Illustrator?

Anchor points in Adobe Illustrator are used to create shapes and paths. Anchor points can be manipulated to create curves and other shapes. Anchor points are the basic building blocks of vector graphics. 

They can be moved and adjusted to change the shape of paths, create curves, and adjust the overall look of a graphic. Anchor points can also be used to create multiple paths.

How To Add Anchor Points In Illustrator?

Add anchor points by:

1. Select the Pen Tool from the Tool Panel.
2. Position the Pen Tool over the path to where you want to add an anchor point.
3. Click and drag to add the anchor point and adjust the handles to refine the path’s shape.
4. Repeat this process as needed until you have achieved your desired path.

How To Join Anchor Points In Illustrator? 

Follow the steps below to join all your anchor points in Illustrator seamlessly.

1. Select the anchor point you’d like to join. You can do this by clicking on the anchor point with the Selection Tool (V) or using the Direct Selection Tool (A).
2. Hold down the “Alt/Option” key.
3. With the “Alt/Option” key still held down, move the mouse pointer over the anchor point you want to join.
4. Click on the anchor point to join the two points. You should now see a straight line connecting the two anchor points.

Refer to this video for more:

How To Edit Anchor Points In Illustrator?

To edit your anchor points for refinement of your shape:

1. Select the anchor point you want to edit using the Direct Selection Tool.
2. Hover your mouse over the anchor point, and it will change to a white square with four arrows.
3. Click and drag the anchor point to its new location.
4. If you want to adjust the handles (the direction lines from the anchor point), click and drag them to their new positions.
5. When you are finished, press ‘Enter’ or ‘Return’ on your keyboard to commit the changes.

How To Delete Anchor Points In Illustrator?

To do so:

1. Select the anchor point you want to delete using the Direct Selection Tool (A).
2. Click on the anchor point and press “Delete” on your keyboard.
3. Repeat the process for any additional anchor points you want to delete.
4. If you want to delete multiple anchor points at once, select them all using the Direct Selection Tool and press “Delete” on your keyboard.
5. Select the entire path and make sure the Smooth Tool (Shift + S) is selected.
6. Click and drag your mouse over the path to smooth out any remaining “jaggies” caused by the deleted anchor points.

What Are Path Segments In Illustrator?

Path segments in Illustrator are the individual points (also known as nodes) that make up a path. They are visible as small boxes when a path is selected and can be manipulated to change its shape. Path segments can be curved, straight, or corner points, edited, moved, and deleted.

How To Edit Path Segments In Illustrator?

You can edit path segments in Illustrator if you need to adjust the shape of an object or an element in a design. This could be useful for creating logos, illustrations, type treatments, and other artwork. Path segments can also create intricate shapes, add depth to a design, or add a unique texture. To achieve these:

1. Select the Path Segment Tool from the Tool Panel.
2. Click on the path segment you want to edit.
3. Move the cursor over the point of the path segment and click and drag to adjust the shape of the segment.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as needed to edit the path segment.
5. When you are finished editing, click the Selection Tool in the Tool Panel to exit the editing mode.

Conclusion

Making complex shapes and taking your art to the next level has gotten easier now. Now you can immerse into logos, drawing images, and much more.