The one advantage programs like Illustrator, Corel Draw and Freehand have over raster based programs is their very powerful vector tool set. This article will give you a sampling of the drawing tools that come with Illustrator 9 and how they give designers the power to create complex graphics.

Pencil Tool Options
This tool set has three options . They are the 'Pencil,' 'Smooth' and 'Erase' tools

Pencil Tool
This tool works just like a pencil. You draw across your document and when you release the mouse button or Wacom pen a path is formed with anchor points. To draw a closed path, start drawing your path, then hold down the - Alt - key and when you stop a closed path is created. You can adjust the shape using the 'Direct Selection Tool' . Simply select the path, and then drag the anchor point or one of the 'direction lines' to alter the shape.

Pencil tool	Direct Select tool

You can adjust the sensitivity of the 'Pencil' tool by 'double clicking' it. A preferences window opens giving you the power to change the tool.

Smooth Tool
This tool gives you the ability to smooth out a section of a path by simply running the tool over a curve. If you double click the tool you can adjust its parameters.

Erase Tool
The erase tool allows you to remove a particular area of a path by rubbing across it.

Erase tool

Pen Tool Options
This tool operates very much like the 'Pencil' tool but gives the artist a great deal more control in the paths he creates. There are four tool options , the 'Pen', 'Add Anchor Point,' 'Delete Anchor Point,' and 'Convert Anchor Point.'

Pen Tool
The pen tool empowers designers to create paths that can be straight, curved or a combination of the two.

Straight Lines
Draw horizontal, vertical or 45 degree diagonal lines by holding down the - Shift - key as you create anchor points.

Curved Lines
Put down one anchor point, put down a second point and drag it to form a curve. If you wish to create a curve in the opposite direction hold down the - Alt - key and create a new anchor point.

End Paths
Close the path by clicking the original anchor point or simply click the pen tool again.

Add Anchor Point
Once you have created a path you can still go back and add new anchor points to areas where you want to have more control. Select the 'Add Anchor Point' tool and simply click on parts of the path.

Delete Anchor Point
If you think you have more anchor points then you need select the 'Delete Anchor Point' tool and click those anchor points you wish to remove.

Convert Anchor Point
This tool allows you to convert anchor points and then reshape the curve on either side. This is very useful if you wish to convert a sharp corner and curve it.

Ellipse Shape Options
You have four kinds of tools 'Ellipse,' 'Polygon,' 'Star,' and 'Spiral.'

Ellipse Tool
This tool creates ellipse shapes like circles and ovals. You have several ways of creating these forms. Holding the - Shift - key creates a circle. Holding the - Shift - and - Alt - keys creates a circle from the center point out. Creating an ellipse while holding down the - Alt - key builds an oval from the center point out. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it.

You can also create a precise shape by clicking once on the document. A window appears allowing you to enter precise dimensions for the ellipse shape.

Polygon Tool
The polygon tool Allows you to create multi-sided shapes like hexagons, pentagons, etc. To constrain the shape to multiples of 45 degrees hold down the - Shift - key. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it. To add or reduce the number of sides in your polygon shape press the - Up Arrow - key to add more sides or the - Down Arrow - key to reduce the number of sides. The lowest number is 3 sides.

Several Polygon shapes

You can also create a precise shape by clicking once on the document. A window appears allowing you to enter a precise radius and the number of sides for the polygon shape.

Star Tool
This tool creates star shaped objects. To constrain the shape to multiples of 45 degrees hold down the - Shift - key. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it. To add or reduce the number of sides in your star shape press the - Up Arrow - key to add more sides or the - Down Arrow - key to reduce the number of sides. The lowest number is 3 sides.

Different Star shapes

You can also create a precise shape by clicking once on the document. A window appears allowing you to enter precise radius dimensions and number of points for the star shape.

Spiral Tool
This cool tool creates a spiral like path. To constrain the angle of the shape to multiples of 45 degrees hold down the - Shift - key. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it. To increase or decrease the amount of spiralling in your shape press the - Up Arrow - key to add to the shape or the - Down Arrow - key to reduce the effect.

Spiral Shape	Arrow Up increases segments	Arrow Down decreases segments

You can also create a precise shape by clicking on the document once. A window appears allowing you to enter a precise radius, decay factor, number of segments and style for the spiral shape.

Rectangle Tool Options
The rectangle tools allow designers to create rectangle shapes and rectangle shapes with rounded corners.

Rectangle Tool
This tool works like the ellipse tool. To confine the shape to a equal sided shape hold down the - Shift - key. Holding the - Shift - and - Alt - keys creates a square from the center point out. Creating a rectangle while holding down the - Alt - key builds a rectangle from the center point out. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it.

You can also create a precise shape by clicking once on the document. A window appears allowing you to enter precise dimensions for the rectangle shape.

Rounded Rectangle Tool
This tool works like the ellipse tool. To confine the shape to a equal sided shape hold down the - Shift - key. Holding the - Shift - and - Alt - keys creates a rounded square from the center point out. Creating a rounded rectangle while holding down the - Alt - key builds an rectangle from the center point out. Hold down the - Space Bar - to move the shape as you create it.

You can also create a precise shape by clicking once on the document. A window appears allowing you to enter precise dimensions for the rectangle shape and corner radius.

Text Tool Options
These tools allow you to create text in a number of ways; 'Text,' 'Area Type,' 'Path Type,' 'Vertical Type,' 'Vertical Area Type,' 'Vertical Path Type.'

Text Tool
This is the default type tool . Simply click anywhere in your document and start typing. The text can be edited through the 'Type' menu.

Area Type Tool
Using this tool you can enter type inside a path shape like a rectangle, circle or any other odd shape. Simply place the text tool on the shape and start typing.

Path Type Tool
Adding type to any path like a curve is easy using this tool . Simply place the tool on the path and start typing. Once the type is on the path, it can be shifted around by using the 'Selection' tool to drag the I-beam forward or back.

Vertical Type Tool
The vertical type tool allows you to create type that runs vertically on your document. This text can be edited just like any other text in Illustrator.

Vertical Area Type Tool
Like the Area Type Tool this tool allows you to enter text vertically in any closed shape.

Vertical Path Tool
This tool runs type vertically along a path. Once the type is on the path, it can be shifted around by using the 'Selection' tool to drag the I-beam forward or back.

Paint Brush Tool
This tool operates very much like a paint brush. You can create calligraphy or scatter library items like leaves or patterns along a path.

In Part 2, I will demonstrate how you can use these various tools to create complex graphics