Adobe Illustrator: Create a wavy line - how it works

Adobe Illustrator is the most widely used software for creating vector graphics. This practical tip shows you how to create a wavy line.

Starting point: a straight line

Starting points for wavy lines are straight lines. There are several ways in Adobe Illustrator to create a straight line:

1. Select the Line Segment tool from the tool palette in the left pane of the software. You can then create a line by drawing the line on the drawing area with the left mouse button pressed.
2. You can quickly and easily draw lines using the pen tool. Left-click anywhere on your canvas. This is the starting point of the lines. Now click again on another part of the drawing area while keeping the mouse button pressed. This is the point where the line ends. Confirm the line with "Enter". You can also use the drawing tool to create lines that run across multiple points.
3. With the brush and crayon tool from the drawing palette you can draw lines freely. To do this, hold down the left mouse button and draw the line as you like.

Convert the lines to wavy lines

After you have created a straight line, you can now bring it into the desired waveform. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Select the "Effect" menu item in the menu bar.
2. Then open the "Zigzag" option via "Distortion and transformation filter".
3. To transform the zigzag line into waves, select the "Transition" option.
4. In the window of the "Zigzag" filter you can now edit the line as you wish. The height of the waves can be determined via "Size" and "Waves per segment" indicates the number of waves.
5. To finish editing the line, click "OK".