Are you tired of sharp, harsh corners in your Illustrator designs? Rounded edges can give a softer and more polished look to your artwork. Fortunately, there are simple ways to round corners in Illustrator that even beginners can master. In this article, we’ll explore some easy techniques using different tools that will help you achieve smooth curves and add a touch of elegance to your designs. Let’s dive in!
How to Round Corners In Illustrator?
Rounding corners in Illustrator is a very useful technique that can add a touch of professionalism and elegance to your designs. Fortunately, there are several methods you can use within Adobe Illustrator to achieve this effect.
One way to round the corners of an object in Illustrator is with the Rectangle Tool. With the rectangle tool selected, click on the canvas and a dialog box will appear where you can input corner radius values. Once you have chosen your desired value, simply draw your shape as normal.
Another method for rounding corners is using the Shape Builder Tool. To do this, select all parts of your shape then click on “Effect” at the top menu bar, choose “Stylize,” then finally select “Round Corners.” You may now adjust how much you want each corner rounded off by changing its options.
The final method involves using Pathfinder Tools’ Round Corner function which allows you to quickly create smooth edges without having to manually edit each point individually! Simply go up into Object > Path > Join or use Ctrl/Cmd + J key shortcut after selecting paths!
In summary, these three methods provide simple ways for designers looking for easy techniques when creating shapes with rounded edges in illustrator!
Rounding Corners with the Rectangle Tool
Rounding corners with the rectangle tool is an easy way to give your shapes a softer and more organic look. To do this, first select the rectangle tool from the toolbar on the left-hand side of your screen.
Next, draw your rectangle shape by clicking and dragging your mouse across the artboard. Once you’ve created your shape, go to the top menu bar and click on “Effect”, then choose “Stylize” and finally “Round Corners”.
A new window will appear where you can adjust how much you want to round each corner. Play around with different values until you find one that suits your design.
If you need to edit or adjust a rounded corner later on, simply click on the direct selection tool (the white arrow) in the toolbar and then click once on one of the anchor points in your shape. You’ll see that two handles appear which allow you to adjust or reshape that particular corner.
Using this technique is great for creating designs such as badges or logos with smooth edges rather than sharp ones. It’s also useful when working with geometric shapes like rectangles where rounding just one or two corners can add some visual interest without drastically changing their overall form.
Rounding Corners with the Shape Builder Tool
Another way to quickly and easily round corners in Illustrator is by using the Shape Builder tool. This tool allows you to merge or subtract shapes, but it can also be used for rounding corners.
First, select the shape that you want to round the corners of. Then, select the Shape Builder tool from your toolbar. Next, hover over one of the corners that you want to round until it turns blue.
Click and drag towards the center of the shape to create a rounded corner. You’ll see that this action has created a new anchor point on either side of where you clicked and dragged.
Repeat this process for each corner that you want to round. If at any point you make a mistake or change your mind about which corners should be rounded, simply hold down Alt/Opt on your keyboard while hovering over a previously rounded corner with your Shape Builder tool selected.
Utilizing the Shape Builder tool is an efficient way to quickly achieve perfectly-rounded corners in Illustrator without having to use multiple tools or layers.
Rounding Corners with the Pathfinder Tool
Another great way to round corners in Illustrator is by using the Pathfinder tool. This tool is especially useful if you need to round only specific parts of a shape, rather than all of its corners.
To start, select the shape that you want to modify and go to “Object” > “Path” > “Offset Path”. In the dialog box that appears, enter a positive value for the offset distance and check the “Round Joins” option.
Once you click “OK”, a new copy of your shape will appear on top with rounded corners. Now, select both shapes and go to “Window” > “Pathfinder”. From there, click on the third icon from left in the bottom row (“Divide”).
This will divide your two shapes into multiple smaller ones based on their overlapping areas. Simply delete any unwanted pieces and voila! You now have a customized shape with perfectly rounded corners.
Using this method allows for precise control over which corners are rounded while keeping other parts of your design intact. It’s also much faster than manually rounding each corner individually.
Conclusion
Adobe Illustrator offers several easy and efficient ways to round corners in your designs. Whether you prefer using the Rectangle Tool, Shape Builder Tool or Pathfinder Tool, each method provides a simple solution to creating smooth edges on shapes.
Remember that rounded corners can add a subtle but impactful touch to your designs. So next time you’re working on a project in Illustrator, don’t shy away from incorporating this technique to enhance the overall look and feel of your creations.
With these tips and tricks at your disposal, you’re ready to start rounding those corners with ease!