Eraser vs Knife vs Scissors Tools in Illustrator (Which to Use and When)

Learn how the Eraser, Knife and Scissors Tools compare in Illustrator. Details below...
Patreon: Patreon: MichaelBullo

0:00 - Intro
This is not a deep dive into the intricacies of the Eraser, Knife and Scissors Tools. It is, rather, a general comparison between the three tools.

0:17 - Finding the Tools
Adobe have been shuffling the tools around within the Tools panel and have even removed some by default. To quickly get them all back, choose the following from the menu...
Window - Toolbars - Advanced

0:57 - Using the Eraser, Knife and Scissors Tools
The Eraser and Knife Tools act like brushes in that when they are used the cut is defined by the movement of the cursor. To have the Eraser or Knife Tools only affect particular objects, first select those objects. The Scissors Tool acts differently in that clicking on a path will sever the path at that point.

3:12 - Area Removed by Cuts
The Eraser Tool removes part of the original shape when used. The width of the area that is removed is equal to the thickness of the Eraser Tool cursor. This width can be changed by using the square bracket keys, "[" and "]", located next to the Enter/Return key.

3:51 - Closed vs Open Paths
A closed path is one in which the start and end anchor points are the same. A stroke extends all the way around a closed path but not an open path. The Eraser and Knife Tools create closed paths while the Scissors Tool creates open paths.

4:43 - Curvature of Cuts
As mentioned previously, the Eraser and Knife Tools are used much like brushes. This allows the affected areas to potentially be curved. The Scissors Tool does not have this functionality as it is only capable of severing paths and can not affect the area defined by a path.

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