How to Change the Eraser Size in Adobe Illustrator

How to Change the Eraser Size in Adobe Illustrator

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While Adobe Illustrator is one of the best programs for creating vector images, it’s undoubtedly one of the most intricate. For an illustrator, the eraser is a crucial tool, and understanding how to change its shape and size is essential for any novice or professional designer to create stellar images.

There are two ways to change the size of your eraser in illustrator. The easiest method is to select the tool and press the right square bracket key ] to increase the size and the left bracket key [ to decrease it.

Continue reading if you want to learn how to change the shape and size of your eraser to smoothly erase the unwanted section from your vector images.

How to Increase or Decrease the Eraser Size

You can select the eraser tool by pressing Shift + E. If you don’t wish to use the keyboard shortcut, you can simply select the eraser tool from the toolbar on the right-hand side. Once it is selected, you can adjust the eraser to the size of your liking in these four simple steps.

1. Double-click the eraser tool to open the window.
2. The window will show you three options Roundedness, Angle, and Size.
3. Enter a smaller number to decrease the size of the eraser and vice versa.
4. You can also use the square bracket keys; [ to decrease and ] to increase its size.

How to Change the Shape of Your Eraser

When the eraser window pops up, it will show you three options: Roundedness, Angle, and Size. You need to increase or decrease the roundedness percentage to change its shape.

The more you reduce the roundedness percentage, the flatter your eraser becomes. You can also change its angle to adjust its curvature.

Besides this, the eraser menu also contains two more tools that perform the task of an eraser but in a different manner. These tools are known as the knife tool and the scissors tool.

How to Use the Scissor Tool

The scissor tool (you guessed it) is used to cut or separate a path or items on your canvas. It’s similar to using actual scissors, but as in any software, there are a few things to keep in mind. Follow these quick steps to learn how to use this tool effectively.

1. To access the scissor menu, click Ctrl+E.
2. From here, you can select the scissor tool from the menu, or you can simply hit C. (Keep in mind you can only use this tool on anchor points or the edge of a path.)
3. Thus, if you are using Live Text, use Control+Shift+O (or Command+Shift+O) to outline the text before using the scissor tool.
4. Choose at least two anchor points to cut the item. Remember, if you want to separate the object entirely, choose four anchor points.

And that’s it. You are done! Now all you have to do is remove any remaining lines that are present because of the anchor points. This can be done by clicking the ‘Direct Selection Tool.’ Select the line that you want to remove, and press delete. Your finished product is now ready.

How to Use the Knife Tool

The last tool in the eraser menu is the knife tool. Although underappreciated, this tool can help create unique text and shape effects. Basically, the purpose of this tool is to split pieces of the shape along the path you make. But again, you need to remember to outline live text before using this tool.

The steps for using this tool are simple:

1. Select the knife tool from the eraser menu.
2. Make a freehand outline of how you want to cut the shape, letter, or item.
3. Remember that if you want to separate the parts you cut, you can use the selection tool to move them.

That’s all you need to know to master the eraser tool! Now fill the pieces with color or separate them to create unique and funky designs that will help you stand out.