Pencil and Brush Tools 'Pulled String' Smoothing / Stabilization
I've been using Illustrator for a long time now and one of the things that have bugged me over the years is the fact that there's no brush stroke stabilization like the Pulled String Mode in Photoshop or the Rope Brush in Affinity Designer. Ai has evolved so much over the years and it's been used to create freehand vector art since day one, so I cannot understand why this function hasn't been developed yet as of 2024.
Path Smooth or Fidelity are definitely two options to smooth out lines, but that's done once the path has been created. Stabilization, on the contrary, can give you very smooth lines while you're drawing them and with live feedback. I understand there's a plugin out there called DynamicSketch, but I would like to have this feature integrated directly into Illustrator instead of having to look for it elsewhere.
I must say that I'm beyond impressed at how fluid and accurate the Rope Brush in Affinity Designer is, but unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about Photoshop's Pulled String Mode. Will we see this feature in Ai soon? I hope so.
Daniel
shared this idea
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Kevin Parker
commented
The pencil tool should have a built-in "pulled string" option for stabilization (with a slider to select the length of the string) the way the brush tool does in Photoshop—while keeping all the other features of the tool (path sculpting, etc.)
This feature already exists in Affinity, and a version of it can be added to Illustrator via an Astute Graphics plugin (albeit with worse path results), but this should be a native Illustrator feature that doesn't require a paid third-party plugin, or the use of a competitor's app.
The 'fidelity' levels in the Pencil tool options provide smoothing, but only through repeated trial and error. The 'most accurate' level is quite accurate but overly-captures many anchor points with even the smallest hand shake, and the second-most-accurate level does a decent job of correcting this while maintaining the intent of your drawn input (provided you're zoomed in far enough), but everything beyond those two levels significantly over-smooths the input. Stabilization via 'pulled string' mode would give the best of both worlds, allowing the tool to remain on the 'most accurate' level, with much more fine-grained control for how much natural hand shake is corrected by slightly offsetting the input.
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Angelo Ramirez Villegas commented
Please add a customizable “tension delay” or “string tension” feature to the Pencil, Paintbrush, and other drawing tools — similar to Photoshop Painter’s input lag option — so that strokes mimic smooth, flowing tension, as if a string or spring is gently guiding the cursor.
Additionally, include the ability to adjust stroke width dynamically within the Pencil and Paintbrush tools, allowing for more expressive and controlled line variation.
Why this is valuable:
- Enables smoother, more controlled freehand strokes — ideal for illustrators seeking precise, fluid lines.
- Adjustable tension slider lets users fine-tune responsiveness to match their drawing style.
- Dynamic stroke width adjustment provides greater versatility and expression.
- Improves accuracy, reduces jitter, and enhances the quality of digital freehand drawing. -
Speaking of solutions we currently have, Lazy Nezumi should be mentioned also, a universal helper app that brings stabilization options into any other app.
But — Windows only.
15 days trial, one-time purchase, $35.Both stabilizing options in Affinity Designer are good, and their pulled string works better than Photoshop’s one, to my taste: absolute VS relative value, better depiction of the rope itself.
