Adobe Illustrator offers a plethora of tools and features, and one of the most commonly used functions is rounding corners. Whether you’re working on a design that requires soft edges or simply want to add a touch of sophistication to your graphics, knowing how to round corners is essential. This article will guide you through the process of rounding corners in both Illustrator CC and CS6.

What is the Corner Widget?

In Illustrator, the Corner Widget is a handy feature that allows users to round the corners of a shape effortlessly. When you select a shape using the Selection Tool, you’ll notice small dots at each corner. These are the Corner Widgets. By dragging these dots, you can easily round the corners of your shape.

Rounding Specific Corners

If you wish to round only specific corners of a shape:

  1. Use the Direct Selection Tool (shortcut key: A).
  2. Click and drag to select the desired corners.
  3. Drag the Corner Widget to round the selected corners.

Specifying the Roundness

For those who prefer precision, Illustrator provides an option to specify the exact roundness in pixels:

  1. Select the shape.
  2. Open the Transform Panel.
  3. In the Rectangle Properties section, input the desired pixel value for the roundness.

Scaling Corners Proportionally

When scaling a shape with rounded corners, you might notice that the roundness doesn’t always scale proportionally. To ensure the corners scale with the shape:

  1. Check the Scale Corners option in the Transform Panel.
  2. Scale the shape as desired.

Rounding Corners in Illustrator CS6

For users still working with Illustrator CS6, the process is slightly different as the Corner Widget is not available. However, you can still round corners by:

  1. Going to Effect.
  2. Navigating to Stylize.
  3. Selecting the Round Corners effect.
  4. Inputting the desired pixel value.

Conclusion

Rounding corners in Illustrator is a straightforward process, whether you’re using the latest version or an older one like CS6. With the right tools and techniques, you can achieve the desired look for your designs with ease. Remember to explore other features in Illustrator to further enhance your design skills.