Illustrator - Add a handle!!

**GiveMeCoffee** · September 30th, 2009, 05:32 PM

I have a line in illustrator. I can easily add an anchor point to the middle of the line, however, this new anchor point does not have handles to curve the line. Can somebody please explain to me how to create a new anchor point with handles?

I know how to make a curved line, but this task is a little different. I just need to pull a point out of the top line of a box and have it curve a little.

Thanks in advance to all.

**jimhere** · October 1st, 2009, 01:51 PM

If you click with the pen tool, it add a corner point. If you press/drag with the pen tool, the point is a curve point. If you want to change one to the other, click the pint with the Convert Anchor Point Tool (press and hold the pen tool in the toolbar for the flyout -- it's the last triangle-thing)

**Amegath** · November 30th, 2010, 11:38 PM

what if you have already a point and you want that to one side stays a straight line and in the other just a curve. I mean, having a line with 3 points and the point in the middle you want to turn it half side curved and the other straight? I struggled a lot with the illustrator because of that feature that i don't know if exists. My problem is that i have already a curve, a straight and a curve. And i want the straight line to become a curve without messing up with the angle i already created in the curves between. Can u help me?

**HalfDog** · December 5th, 2010, 01:02 PM

uhm, I don't entirely understand what your asking but try this:

When making an anchor with the pen tool, hold Alt and move the mouse around. You should be able to move the forward anchor arm around while the back arm stays at whatever curve/straight you set.

Oh and it's Option key for Mac

**beepzta** · January 25th, 2011, 01:38 AM

in older versions of illustrator, when you used the "convert anchor tool" on a point, it left 2 handles on a point that could be used to alter the curves on one side of the point or the other. whenever i wanted to tweak an already existing handle, all i had to do was click the point to reset the handles so there was no curve, and then hit undo (ctl Z) and the curves would reappear, with the handles visible as thin blue lines starting at the point and ending in small blue dots. you could then grab the small blue dot that was the end of the handle and move it using the convert anchor tool, thus tweaking the curve. however, i can't seem to find anyway to make these blue lines appear so i have no idea where my handles are. the only way to find them is to sweep slowly across the screen until the mouse locks onto it, which it only does when within about a millimeter of the handle. what can i do to make my handles show up again?

**beepzta** · January 25th, 2011, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by Amegath

what if you have already a point and you want that to one side stays a straight line and in the other just a curve. I mean, having a line with 3 points and the point in the middle you want to turn it half side curved and the other straight? I struggled a lot with the illustrator because of that feature that i don't know if exists. My problem is that i have already a curve, a straight and a curve. And i want the straight line to become a curve without messing up with the angle i already created in the curves between. Can u help me?

i think i know what you're talking about. if there's only one handle, you can't create a second without messing up the 1st one (At least i don't know of a way to do so). here's what i do: you can mark the location of the first handle with a new point. then, with the convert anchor point tool, click the point on the line that you want to have 2 handles attached to and drag away to create the 2 handles. put the new handle where ever you want it to be, and put the old handle right on the new point you created to mark its spot. you now have 2 curves- a new one, and the old one in the same spot as before.

**kavita123** · February 22nd, 2011, 12:21 AM

I have been searching for these kind of tips on illustrator. Thanks for sharing guys.

**babcockslm** · March 2nd, 2011, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by beepzta

in older versions of illustrator, when you used the "convert anchor tool" on a point, it left 2 handles on a point that could be used to alter the curves on one side of the point or the other. whenever i wanted to tweak an already existing handle, all i had to do was click the point to reset the handles so there was no curve, and then hit undo (ctl Z) and the curves would reappear, with the handles visible as thin blue lines starting at the point and ending in small blue dots. you could then grab the small blue dot that was the end of the handle and move it using the convert anchor tool, thus tweaking the curve. however, i can't seem to find anyway to make these blue lines appear so i have no idea where my handles are. the only way to find them is to sweep slowly across the screen until the mouse locks onto it, which it only does when within about a millimeter of the handle. what can i do to make my handles show up again?

You can use the direct select arrow, click away from object and drag over it (to select all of object) to reveal handles. Or you can select object with select arrow, then go to SELECT then OBJECT then DIRECTION HANDLES to show handles.