Creating sleek and neat lines is a key technique for any graphic designer. This article will show you how to achieve perfect smooth lines using Adobe Illustrator, both with and without the Smooth tool.

How to Create Smooth Lines Using Illustrator’s Smooth Tool

To begin, open your document in Illustrator and locate the toolbar on the left of the screen. A variety of different tools will be displayed, but for creating smooth lines, opt for either thePaintbrush,Pen, orCurvaturetool.

If you are new to the program and want to practice simple designs first, you may begin bycreating simple shapes like triangles in Illustratorbefore moving on to more complex creations which might need more manual adjustments.

Screenshots of Adobe Illustrator, highlighting the Pen, Curvature and Paintbrush tool in Illustrator

Click and drag while using thePaintbrushtool to create a line. Likewise, click separately in the direction you want your path to follow when using thePenorCurvaturetools.

Note that the first part of the drawn segment won’t appear until you create a second anchor point when using thePentool.

Two adobe Illustrator screenshots, showing a path before and after using the smooth tool. The before is jagged and the after is clear and smooth.

Once you have your line drawn, select it using theSelectiontool at the top left of the toolbox. Then click on theSmoothtool, found by holding down theShapertool icon, if not already visible.

Click and drag over your line multiple times to smooth the path. If the tool is either too weak or too strong, double-click theSmoothtool icon and change theFidelityoption in the pop-up box to increase or decrease its strength.

A screenshot of Adobe Illustrator, with the smoothing fidelity pop-up box highlighted

How to Get Smooth Lines Without Using Illustrator’s Smooth Tool

Another way of achieving smooth lines in Illustrator without using the Smooth tool is by selecting your line and going toObject>Path>Simplify.

TheSimplifypop-up option will appear, which you can drag down to your liking to simplify your path. In the case of unsteady lines, simplifying the path will make them smoother and will account for the complexity of the different anchor points you used when originally making the line.

An adobe illustrator screenshot showing the options drop down in front of an unsteady line pathway, leading to the simplify tool.

you’re able to adjust this option manually or click on theAicon displayed next to an arc shape in the pop-up box to simplify your path automatically. If this method of smoothing lines surprised you, there are manyother hidden tools in Illustratorthat might also prove unexpectedly useful for your next project.

Whether for illustration or graphic design work, these tools will rid your work of uneven and shaky lines. Enjoy smooth sailing in Adobe Illustrator from here on out, especially when it comes to line work.

An adobe illustrator screenshot, showing a now smooth line behind the simplify tool box, with the option dragged down to the most extreme amount of simplifying.