Creating a triangle in Adobe Illustrator using the Polygon Tool is a straightforward process achieved by specifying the number of sides for the shape.
To get started, you'll first need to access the Polygon Tool, which is often found grouped with other shape tools.
Steps to Create a Triangle with the Polygon Tool
Follow these simple steps to generate a triangle in your Illustrator artwork:
- Locate the Polygon Tool: As shown in the referenced video at 0:25, the Polygon Tool is typically hidden under the Rectangle Tool in the Tools panel. Click and hold the Rectangle Tool icon to reveal the flyout menu, and then select the Polygon Tool.
- Activate the Tool: Once selected, your cursor will change to indicate the Polygon Tool is active.
- Draw or Specify:
- Click and Drag: Click and drag on your artboard to draw a polygon shape. While dragging, you can press the Up or Down arrow keys on your keyboard to dynamically increase or decrease the number of sides. Pressing the Down arrow key repeatedly will eventually reduce the sides to three, forming a triangle.
- Click Once: Alternatively, simply click once on your artboard. This will open a dialog box. In this dialog box, enter the desired Radius (size) and set the Sides value to 3. Click OK to create the triangle.
Using either method allows you to quickly generate a perfect triangle shape. The second method (clicking once) gives you more precise control over the size and ensures you start directly with a 3-sided shape.
Remember, the Polygon Tool is designed to create regular polygons, and by setting the number of sides to three, you specifically instruct it to draw a triangle.
