Related Terms • Node • Bezier Curve • Path

Definition: Special points attached to a node on a Bézier curve that are used to alter the shape and angle of the adjacent curve segment. Stretching the control point manipulates the shape of a curve, rotating the control point manipulates the angle of a curve. The behavior of the control handles is dependent on the type of node it is attached to.

By moving the control handles on this path, the path is reshaped.

Also Known As: control points, direction handles, node handles

Related Resources:

The Language of Curves
Whether working with curves and paths and vector-based shapes in painting or drawing software, it is helpful to understand some of the terminology used for this type of computer drawing.

Tracing a Logo with Bezier Curves
Tracing a logo with Bezier curves in CorelDRAW.

Photoshop Pen Tool
Step by step instructions for removing the background from an image with the pen tool in Photoshop.

Photoshop Path Tool Tutorial
A basic tutorial on the pen tool in Adobe Photoshop 6. Should provide you with a good basic understanding of what the pen tool is and how it works.

Elsewhere on the Web:

Bezier Curves
An in-depth explanation and exploration of bezier curves from webreference.com.

Anatomy of an Illustration
This series helps provide an understanding of vector illustrations by examining the most basic elements.

Node Editing Basics
Learn the basics of node editing as you create a heart shape. Written for CorelDRAW, but useful for other drawing software.

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