Make a Cartoony Pencil in Illustrator

By Dawn Pedersen · 04/29/2009 ·

Play with the Outlines

You’ve already changed the strokes into shapes with their own outlines. What was once stroked in black is now filled with black. This means that the outlines can be pull apart from each other, or moved closer, at various places. You can also create some curvy junctures. Hey, you can even put strokes on your new outlines if you want to go crazy.

Select the Direct Selection tool (press A on your keyboard). This tool allows us to manipulate individual points and path segments on a path.

Direct Selection tool

Click on the very outer edge of the long side of the pencil. If you click right at the edge, and away from any points, you should see all the points on the path for the outer line show up.

Select the Outer Path

Zoom in all around using the Zoom tool (Z).
Use the Delete Anchor Point tool (-) to delete any unnecessary points (represented by white squares with blue outlines).

Too Many Points

Extra Points Deleted

Using the Direct Selection tool again, click on one of the interior outlines.
Repeat the process of deleting extra points if necessary.
Zoom back out and click on a line segment anywhere.
Click on one of the points and drag the point out a bit.

Click and Drag a Point

Repeat for various points on this outline and the interior outlines. We want unevenness.
You may need to readjust the handlebars for points that create curves. Click and drag on the blue circle at the tip of the handlebar.