1

In the Tools panel, if the Calligraphic Pen tool is not showing, select it from its pop-up menu.

2

Double-click the Calligraphic Pen tool.

3

In the Calligraphic Pen dialog box, select tool options:

Enter a value from 1 to 10 in the Precision text box, or adjust the slider. Choose a high value to follow minor variations as you draw. Choose a low value to smooth minor variations as you draw.

Select Draw Dotted Line to draw paths faster by displaying a dotted line as you draw. The final path is still solid.

Select Auto Remove Overlap to remove unnecessary path segments and create a composite path.

Original (left) and Auto Remove Overlap applied (right)
 

Note: Using the Auto Remove Overlap option may slow the redrawing of an image. You can also remove any overlap by selecting the path and choosing Modify > Alter Path > Remove Overlap or clicking the Remove Overlap button on the Xtra Operations toolbar.

Select Fixed to set calligraphic paths to a constant width, or click Variable to specify a path width between 1 and 72 points.

Set the angle of the Calligraphic Pen by entering a value or dragging the Angle dial from 0° to 359°. The actual width of a stroke at a given location on the path depends on the direction in which you drag.

4

Click OK.

5

Use the stroke and fill color selectors in the Tools panel to set color attributes for the path. Select no stroke and a basic fill to most closely resemble a real calligraphy pen.

1

In the Tools panel, select the Calligraphic Pen tool from its pop-up menu.

2

Drag to draw a path.

3

To alter the path as you draw, do any of the following:

Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) to draw a straight line.

To decrease the path width, press the Left Arrow key (Windows) or Left Bracket key (Macintosh).

To increase path width, press the Right Arrow key (Windows) or the Right Bracket key (Macintosh).

If you’re using a pressure-sensitive tablet, the width of the path segments increase or decrease according to the amount of pressure applied.