from https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/illustrator-cheat-sheet.html

- Tool Gallery

Straight lines (paths)



Anchor points are endpoints. Paths are the lines created by anchor points.

Curved paths



Three anchor points. Control handles adjust the curvature of the path.

Closed paths

• Black arrow (Selection), keyboard short cut "V" -- select whole objects
• White arrow (Direct selection) keyboard short cut "A" -- select and move anchor points/control handles.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Option-drag on the control handle to move one side of the handle
  
  
  
  
  Drag on the curved line itself to change the curvature
  
  

Method 1:

• Click, click, click with the pen tool. Look for the circle mark to close path. Hit esc to end without closing.
• Use the Anchor point tool (Shift-C) to adjust the control handle

Method 2:

• Click-drag. Click to place anchor point, drag to draw out control handle
• Option-drag to split control-handle

Cmd-key to get the last selection tool you used

• Line segment tool
  • Click drag draw
  • Shift drag to add constrait.
• Arc tool
• Curvature tool
  • Cmd-click to draw new curve
  • Click on anchor point to continue curve
  • A small circle next to your cursor indicate you are about to close the path
  • Move the anchor points to change the shape of the curves
• Spiral tool
  • Hold down the Arc tool to reveal the Spiral tool
  • Click and drag to draw spiral
  • What happens if you hold the shift key and draw the spiral?
  • Hit the up and down arrow keys
  • Spiral useful as part of a more complex shape (shape builder, pen tool, pathfinder).
• Rectangle tool (keyboard shortcut M)
  • Shift-key to make perfect square
  • Option-key to draw out the rectangle from the center. (Useful for alignment)
  • Dots on the corner: corner controls. Click-drag to round off the corner
  • Rounded Ellipse tool. Up/Down key to control roundness.
  • Double-click on corner to get detailed properties of shape.
• Ellipse tool
  • Hold Shift-key to create circle
  • Option-key to draw from center. Useful for aligning. (eg. Creating a target)
• Polygon tool
  • Up/Down key
• Star tool
  • Up/Down key
  • Cmd-drag
  • Option-key to reset angle
  • Shift key to constrain rotation
• Pencil tool*
  • Double click on tool icon to control fidelity
  • Turn on "Close paths when ends are..." to make a closed path.
  • Edit selected paths lets you continue drawing on the selected path if you are within X pixels.

• Option-drag with pen tool to bend lines
• Changing drawing modes (in the toolbar). 1. Draw Normal 2. Draw Behind 3. Draw Inside
• Grouping objects and layers

- Vector Masks
- Stroking paths