Page 44 - CS6_ID_Look_Inside

By default, clicking and dragging creates a smooth, symmetrical point, in which equal-
length handles are added to each side of the point directly opposite each other. As long
as a point is symmetrical, changing the angle of one handle also affects the handle on the
other side of the point.

Click the point and drag Press Shift while you drag to constrain
right to add handles. the handle to the horizontal.

The connected line
bends in the
direction in which
you pull the handle.

4. Click the third point, press Shift, and drag right until the ruler shows that Note:
the cursor is at 4.875″.
The lines that connect
As we just explained, the affected curve gets larger as you drag farther away from the anchor points based on
point. Because you’re dragging exactly horizontally, the horizontal segment on the right the angle and length of
is not curving.
the control handles are
On the left side of the point, however, you can see the effect of converting Point 3 to called Bézier curves.
a symmetrical point. Dragging to the right side of the point adds direction handles on
both sides of the point; the length and position of the left handle defines the shape of the
curve on the left side of the point — which is the one you want to affect in this step.
Converting a point creates The opposite handle Note:
symmetrical handles on affects the shape of
both sides of the point. the connected curve. When you drag direction
handles, the blue lines
preview the effects of your
changes.

Note:
If you move an anchor
point that has direction
5. Choose the Pen tool in the Tools panel. (It is now nested under the Convert handles, the handles don’t
Direction Point tool.)
change angle or length.
When you choose a nested tool variation, the nested tool becomes the default option in The related curves change
that position on the Tools panel. shape based on the new
position of the point.

6. Move the cursor over the left endpoint of the line. When you see a diagonal
line in the cursor icon, click to connect to the existing endpoint.

This icon indicates
that clicking will
connect to the
open endpoint.

54 Project 1: Letterhead Design