I've recently acquired Adobe Illustrator CS2 on the grounds of desire to expand my "artistic" capability by means of vector art. I'm an expert with Photoshop (and various other pieces software), so the general concepts shouldn't prove too difficult to grasp. I've worked with vector's mildly in Flash, however I've never implemented advanced vectoring into such.

So I've concluded that the pen tool will be my key to victory in mastering this program. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble adjusting to the ambiguity of the whole thing. I really can't determine a concrete set of rules that it follows, as well as how to make my curves and shapes the way that I want them.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

use the handlebars when you use the pen tool and hold down spacebar if you want to make the curve closer together or further then release your mouse and continue to make the curve you want.

it should be similiar to photoshop's the way you use the pen tool except with more stuff to go along with it. im not sure if the hotkeys are different in illustrator but for photoshop, like he said use the handle bars, or like most people who mastered the pen tool and myself as well, u can click anywhere you want, then click for instance the middle to add an anchor, and hold "ctrl" and drag it, this can make a curve as well instead of using handlebars... if you understand the distance or where to add the anchor, you can create the same curves as using the handle bars but with more control.

I copied these links for illustrator tutorial sites one of these is bound to help

1. http://www.sketchpad.net/illustrator.htm
2. http://www.pixel2life.com/
3. http://www.vecpix.com/
4. http://www.illustratorworld.com/
5. http://biorust.com/
6. http://www.design.iastate.edu/
7. http://www.tutorialguide.net/
8. http://www.tutorialguide.net/