Illustrator Tip :: The Tools You Need Where You Need Them

When working with the Pen Tool in Adobe Illustrator I find myself going back and forth between the tools found within the Pen Tool’s pullout tray a lot. A great work flow tip is to actually “tear off” the pen tool’s pullout tray and move the tools closer to where you are working on the screen.

Simply click and hold on the Pen Tool to allow the tool tray to appear. From there click the bar on the far right to “tear off” the tools in the list. This can also be done with other tools that have a pullout tray.

Now you are free to move these tools closer to where you are working. This is great for working on a larger screen with a high resolution, allowing you to reach less. I find this method easier than the keyboard shortcuts… Partly because I can never remember the shortcuts. Whoop!