Pencil tool options - like on desktop illustrator
Would be lovely to have more control of the pencil tool. I simply tried doing my signature and it was getting all distorted because the points were connecting wherever they pleased... impossible getting line right when working on smaller details. Pencil Tool would be extremely helpful to have for future work. Thank you kindly.

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Existing requests:
Smooth tool like the desktop version — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/931888/suggestions/44889571
Re-draw line in the pencil tool, like in desktop — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/931888/suggestions/41681509 -
[Deleted User] commented
It would be great to have the ability to use the pencil and smooth tool like the Illustrator desktop version. For example, on Illustrator desktop you can easily redraw a line using the pencil tool by drawing over the line you already drew and on the iPad version, the functionality isn’t the same. Additionally, there is not a smooth tool on Illustrator iPad there is only a smoothing feature when you’re using the pencil tool to draw. This is difficult because as an illustrator, I use the pencil tool to draw illustrations then the smooth tool to refine them. To refine a line/illustration, you have to redraw it which seems to take much more time than fixing a segment of the line or drawing and it also takes away from the flowing creativity of the moment because it becomes a really clunky process. Thanks a bunch for considering!
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Mihkel Ronk commented
I open Illustrator for iPad once a year, see that nothing works and go back to Affinity. See you next year.
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Mihkel Ronk commented
And I can't use blob brush to edit/merge other shapes, only brush strokes. This makes zero sense.
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Mihkel Ronk commented
What is the point of this app if I can still NOT edit/redraw the curves with penCIL tool? Please look what Affinity does. They have this functionality like for ages already. This. Is. Essential. Blob brush + erasing does not do the job in this case.
Also the quick pinch for fit to view is super dumb because I just want to quickly zoom. Now I need to zoom very slowly in order not to trigger the fit to view...
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BR commented
It is a pencil, not a shape creating tool. The app is called illustrator!!! Let me illustrate. Whoever is responsible for the product roadmap of this app needs to be made to justify this stupidity. Can’t believe we have to pay a subscription for this rubbish. So much preferred when you could simply pay for the product. Now it is all about making as much as they can whilst no doubt using some usage stats to make build calls rather than common sense.
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carolina commented
it would be so awesome if the pencil tool would work like on the desktop app. I really enjoy being able to go over the path and retrace seamlessly the lines with the pencil, something you cannot do on the iPad. If this feature is added this will be my favourite app of all times!
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David Carroll commented
+1000 for unfucking the pencil tool -- I don't know how this app shipped with busted tools like this.
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Office of BS commented
Here for the same thing. This update really needs to be made, it’s incredibly frustrating to use the pencil tool because of the auto close of paths. Please, we’re begging you.
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Anonymous commented
Agreed. Just need to turn off functionality, not create new!
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Damien G commented
We want turn off the closing path for pencil tool!! Update it ASAP please because it’s impossible to use the pencil…
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Paula Filseth commented
Why is the pencil tool closing paths, and why can't I turn this off? I have lots of lines I need to do that are "open," but they keep closing into shapes uselessly. How do I make this stop?
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ADDIE HANSON commented
I constantly use the pencil and smooth functions on desktop to redraw and adjust existing paths, desperately want this feature implemented in the app just as it works on desktop. Very surprised to see that things like image trace are being implemented sooner than this very essential tool…??
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Anonymous commented
I want to draw a line. I want to NOT draw a circle. Why can I only write a closed path?
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Tomateche commented
Pencil tool without options (like redraw) is unusable, and useless. It's my favorite tool on desktop version, and the iPad version very disappointed me. I can't work with, simply. Please, do something.
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Tomateche commented
@Neeraj Nandkeolyar
For anyone who uses the pencil tool (quick and handrawn) ,the redraw, or smooth path (like the desktop version) is an absolutely must-have option. The pencil tool is unusable for me without it. -
Anonymous commented
@penan while your issue is indeed annoying, your solution isnt complete. The stroke should remain selected so that it can be slightly altered when brushing it again with the pen - in order to get the line shape you want.
But if you draw outside the line (like a few pixels) it should start a new line. That should also solve your problem.
The above is exactly like PC illustrator works so i dont really understand the issue. Just make it exactly the same!!!
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Gidon commented
@penan: exactly!
I posted a similar suggestion here:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/931888-illustrator-ipad-feature-requests/suggestions/41709580-deselect-on-ipad -
Penan commented
While drawing on Ipad, with Adobe Illustrator, I find that the strokes I draw are selected, by default. The last stroke I draw is always selected, and while drawing the next one, this two strokes interact changing their shapes. I don't need this, in fact, this is anoying for me, while drawing, it distorts my drawing...
Is it possible to change this? I would like the strokes NOT to be selected, when I´ve just drawn them.
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Oli commented
Its the same as this one:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/931888-illustrator-ipad-feature-requests/suggestions/41681191-pencil-tool-options-like-on-desktop-illustratorJust write your signature with the pencil tool and you will figure out that its not working great. Check out Apple Notes, where you can write without any problems. The key of the pencil tool is the path (having one path, not an outlined path). We don't want to write with the brush as we want to be able to adjust the border width at any point.