How to Draw Dashed Lines, Arrows, Curves, and Change Canvas Size in AI

Here, AI refers to common vector design software, not artificial intelligence image generation.

Many beginners search for the same basic questions: how to draw dashed lines in AI, how to draw arrows, how to draw curves, and how to change canvas size. These are all basic operations, but the controls are spread across Stroke, Pen, Line Segment, and Artboard tools.

This guide organizes them in practical order.

How to Draw a Dashed Line in AI

In AI software, a dashed line is usually not a separate tool. It is created through the Stroke panel.

Steps:

Use the Line Segment Tool, Pen Tool, or Shape Tool to draw a line or path.
Select the line.
Open Window -> Stroke.
Check Dashed Line in the Stroke panel.
Set Dash and Gap values.

Common settings:

Dash: how long each solid segment is.
Gap: how much space appears between segments.
Stroke weight: controls the overall line thickness.

For a balanced dashed line, try:

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Dash: 8
Gap: 8

For a dotted line, set the line cap to round and make the dash value very small:

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Dash: 0
Gap: 8
Cap: Round

This makes the line look like a row of dots.

What If the Dashed Line Does Not Show

If checking dashed line does not visibly change anything, check:

Whether the object has a stroke color.
Whether the stroke weight is too small.
Whether the correct object is selected.
Whether Dash and Gap values are too small.
Whether the object only has fill and no stroke.

Many line problems are simply “the object has a path, but no stroke.”

How to Draw an Arrow in AI

Arrows are also usually added to a path through the Stroke panel.

Steps:

Draw a straight line with the Line Segment Tool.
Select the line.
Open Window -> Stroke.
Find Arrowheads near the bottom of the Stroke panel.
Choose an arrowhead style for the start or end point.
Adjust the arrowhead scale.

If the arrow points the wrong way, you can:

Move the arrowhead from the start point to the end point in the Stroke panel.
Use a path-direction command to reverse the path.

The simplest method is to draw the line again: drag from the tail toward the arrowhead. The endpoint will become the arrow direction.

How to Draw a Double-Headed Arrow

A double-headed arrow only needs arrowheads on both the start and end points.

Steps:

Select the line.
Open the Stroke panel.
Choose an arrowhead for the first arrowhead slot.
Choose an arrowhead for the second arrowhead slot.

If the arrowheads are too large or too small, adjust the Scale value.

In general, arrowhead size should match line weight. A thin line with huge arrowheads looks unbalanced; a thick line with tiny arrowheads is hard to read.

How to Draw a Curve in AI

The most common way to draw curves is the Pen Tool.

Basic method:

Select the Pen Tool.
Click once on the canvas to create the first anchor point.
At the second position, press and drag instead of only clicking.
Direction handles appear as you drag, creating the curve.
Continue clicking and dragging to build a continuous curve.

The key is simple: click for straight lines, click and drag for curves.

Many beginners cannot draw curves because they only click and never drag the direction handles.

How to Smooth a Curve

After drawing a curve, use these tools to adjust it:

Direct Selection Tool: select anchor points and move points or handles.
Anchor Point Tool: switch between corner points and smooth points.
Smooth Tool: make paths smoother.
Curvature Tool: create smooth curves more easily.

If you only want a natural curve, the Curvature Tool is easier for beginners than the Pen Tool. It does not require manually dragging many direction handles; clicking a few points can create a smooth path.

Draw Curves With the Curvature Tool

The Curvature Tool works more like “click points and let the curve follow.”

Steps:

Select the Curvature Tool.
Click the first point on the canvas.
Click the second point.
Click a third point, and the software creates a curve automatically.
Drag existing points to change the curve shape.

If you want a sharp corner, double-click a point to switch between a smooth point and a corner point.

For beginners, it is often easier to create the rough curve with the Curvature Tool, then fine-tune it with the Direct Selection Tool.

How to Change Canvas Size in AI

In AI, “canvas size” usually means artboard size. If you want to change export range, design size, or page size, change the artboard.

Steps:

Select the Artboard Tool from the toolbar.
Click the current artboard.
Enter width and height in the top properties bar.
You can also drag the artboard edges manually.

Common sizes:

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WeChat cover: 900 x 383 px
Xiaohongshu cover: 1242 x 1660 px
Instagram square: 1080 x 1080 px
A4 paper: 210 x 297 mm

If your unit is not px, change units in the document or properties panel.

Change Size From the Artboards Panel

Besides the Artboard Tool, you can manage multiple artboards through the Artboards panel.

Steps:

Open Window -> Artboards.
Select the artboard you want to edit.
Click artboard options.
Enter width, height, and position.

If one file contains multiple pages, poster sizes, or export versions, the Artboards panel is clearer than dragging by hand.

Will Changing Artboard Size Affect Graphics

Changing only the artboard size usually does not automatically scale the graphics inside.

That means:

If the artboard gets larger, object sizes stay the same.
If the artboard gets smaller, object sizes still stay the same, but some content may fall outside the artboard.
Exports usually include only content within the artboard range.

If you want graphics to scale with the artboard, select the graphics and scale them manually, or use the Scale Tool or Transform panel.

Useful Shortcuts and Panels

Useful entry points:

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Stroke panel: Window -> Stroke
Artboards panel: Window -> Artboards
Artboard Tool: Shift + O
Pen Tool: P
Direct Selection Tool: A

Different versions may have slightly different interfaces, but the core logic is the same: dashed lines and arrows are in Stroke, curves use path tools, and canvas size is changed through artboards.

Summary

To draw a dashed line in AI: select a path, check Dashed Line in the Stroke panel, and set dash and gap.

To draw an arrow in AI: draw a line, then add an arrowhead to the start or end in the Stroke panel.

To draw a curve in AI: use the Pen Tool to click and drag, or use the Curvature Tool for smoother beginner-friendly curves.

To change canvas size in AI: use the Artboard Tool or Artboards panel to edit artboard width and height.

Once you know these operations, most basic lines, flowcharts, annotation graphics, and page-size adjustments become manageable.