Man, that is the truth. I have tried a few times and always failed. “Wait, where is the other handle? Why is it doing that?! Argh!”
I found a great (?) tutorial web site, but upon trying to do the exercises I was quickly stumped, it seemed like the challenges weren’t even possible.
If anyone can recommend a solid Bezier tutorial, free OR paid, I would love to hear it. I really need to master this tool.
I actually learned it by just playing with it (for about a year, truth in advertising), but the Lynda.com Tutorials are always excellent.
(Seriously tho, try the Xtreme Path…you don’t have to learn to use the Bezier curves.)
I’ll put a few beginner tips together later if anyone wants to look at them, but it might take a few days to consolidate it.
Ditto on the Lynda courses. Once you get used to how Bezier curves work, they be be great.
Gorgeous!
They are super simple to use in Corel
Everything is easier in Corel. 
Unless you’re an Illustrator old-timer like me-- since 3.0 in 1990. 
…That’s a bit longer than me…(can’t remember what version I started with…might have been 8…currently using CS5.)
I’m in love!
You can also get “close enough” many times by making a bunch of straight lines to approximate the curve, then change them all to bezier (but not actually move them from being straight lines yet), now delete all of the points one by one from the center of curve out toward the edges.
The curves automatically adjust to aproximate your initial placement as you lose each node. Very often this gets me a far better curve match than doing it by hand (I almost always manipulate the wrong lever)
This reminded me of something I ‘discovered’ today while playing around with Adobe Capture. They added a new feature…a pattern generator…working like a kaleidoscope with whatever is in the lens. Makes some really beautiful designs.
Interesting concept! I’ll give it a try. Kind of reminds me of numerical analysis class back in my college days (FAR too long ago).
I saw an interesting article a few years ago on the foundry in India where New York sources its covers. Given the designs on the Japanese ones I assumed that their foundries must be domestic … Don’t know if that’s 100% true, but I found a couple foundries. Here are a few links–use Google translate if you want more than just pictures 
http://www.hotetu.net/sonota/131005nagashimaimono.html
I actually design logos and other complicated graphics I need in my font design software, because the bezier tools are so much more powerful than in Illustrator. Ridiculous, but what can you do?
I just downloaded the full version of Affinity Designer because it was on sale. Hoping it does a better job…
I’ll have to try that out, thanks!! Though I’ve had the program for a good while, my knowledge level is still pretty basic- pretty much only used it for adding color to imported linework drawn in another program. All these tips are great. 
For anyone looking for tutorials, I just remembered this site I stumbled upon a while ago called The Bezier Game!
That is a great refresher tutorial for me!
What a neat way to remember a trip in a practical way as well. Those designs are simply fantastic.
Search for New Orleans Water Meter and you’ll see what my coaster gifts will look like
I’ve been using Affinity, also…though probably not as often as you will be. It’s a beautiful program.
You’re the one who introduced me to it on the forums, so thanks! It does look really useful!