To continue…
Editing Using the Direct Selection Tool
-
You can edit the trace using the White Edit Arrow (Direct Selection Tool).
-
Click directly on a point or a segment to display the handles for it.
-
Drag on the handle endpoints (dots), or on the points themselves to shift the curves.
-
Do not drag directly on the line segments between the points. Remember that if you are working on a Curve Point, dragging on one handle or segment is going to have an effect on the line on the other side of the point as well. Sometimes that result is to twist the handles 180° at the other end of the segment, and you might not notice unless you are zoomed in. But that knot is in the path that the laser will follow – it’s going to burn a divot as the laser loops.
-
If you drag a handle dot directly towards the center point (node) and release it on top of the node, you will convert that point into a Corner Point.
-
Alternatively, to quickly convert a smooth Curve Point into a fixed Corner Point, you can click it while holding down the ALT key, then you can reshape the two lines that contact the point using the handles on the other end of the segments.
-
And I don’t show them until the second demo below, but you can add or subtract a point if you need to.
.
.
Editing Using the Pen Tools
Yes, Illustrator has a half dozen ways to do everything. You can use the Pen Tools in conjunction with the Direct Selection (Edit) Tool as an alternative to using the buttons that appear across the top when you select a point.
They are the same tools that appear at the top, the advantage to using them is that you can break off a copy of the palette and move it closer to your artwork to cut down on hand fatigue.
(Do this for a few years and carpal tunnel will be a problem.)
Short demo below:
.
.
Last demo:
I mentioned above that I have trouble with not dragging on line segments. Reason for that is the plugin that I normally use to do a manual trace – it’s called Xtream Path, and it really makes the whole trace thing simple. It’s expensive for a plugin, but it is worth its weight in gold. I’ll put the link at the bottom, and throw in one more quick demo so you can see why I like it. No explanations needed.
.
.