Way too many anchorpoints after expanding strokes or using the 'Blob Brush' tool
Years and years ago something changed in Pathfinder commands, and when expanding the results contained many more anchor points than in the version before. I submitted a workflow and was told this could not be corrected in the next version and possibly not even in the version after that. It took years to get better, and it was still not as good as in CS2 (yes).
Now, expanding strokes or even using the 'Blob Brush' results in so, so many anchor points that an immediate 'Simplify' is required to create usable designs. Using both the 'Pen' tool and all other tools, I find the intuitive tools such as the 'Blob Brush' crucial to create artwork and to combine functionality.
It feels like going back to when things went wrong. You can't possibly ask people to use 'Simplify' after each stroke, this decreases productivity and creativity.
I attach the result of the 'Blob Brush' in Illustrator 2022 and 2026, and the result of an expanded path in the same versions.
The settings for the 'Blob Brush' tool are the same in both Illustrator versions; set to absolute smoothness, so this really should not happen.
When will this be solved? Please solve this.
Mica M.
shared this idea
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Mica M.
commented
Hi Egor,
Correct: it is width profile number two! 😀
For the 'Blob Brush' settings: here is a screenshot.
I also notice this when Pathfinder is used.If hidden simplification was applied, I can understand why the results are better in older versions. I never really noticed a slower speed though. And in this case it just never happens. The result is sheer horror. If I expand a stroke with a special width profile I create myself it's, well, beyond comprehension at times. I now resort to using a shortcut to immediately apply simplification, but 😬
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The second one is a stroke with the variable width profile 2 applied, correct? This is not all what I get when trying to expand it in Ai 2026 30.0... Same deal with using the Blob brush...
What are the same settings you used for both the Blob Brush strokes? Can you share a screenshot, please?
At some point Adobe inserted a hidden simplification treatment before expanding variable strokes... it resulted in a slower speed, killing off the paired anchors, general smudginess... I raised it up several times, but it was not addressed.
It seems like in your case this hidden simplification step just never happens.
