Smart Corners

Round sharp corners and keep them easy to change.

Add a Smart Corner

  1. Select one or more sharp nodes.
  2. Click Smart Corner in the first command row.

Vextra adds a radius control and draws the rounded result in blue. The original sharp node stays in place, so the corner remains editable.

When the active selected node already has a Smart Corner, the same button removes it.

Change the Radius

Drag the Smart Corner control. Vextra uses as much of the neighboring segments as the radius needs.

When both ends of one segment carry Smart Corners, they share the space between them. Growing one corner shrinks the other just enough for the new radius to fit.

Change the Tension

Option-drag / Alt-drag to change how the corner bends. New Smart Corners start at 55% tension.

The blue preview follows both the radius and the tension as you drag.

Make a Smooth Smart Corner

Double-click the radius control to switch smooth corner mode on or off.

A smooth Smart Corner control carries a G2-style outline. Vextra adjusts the radius slightly at the same time, so the visible corner holds its size across the switch.

Expand One Smart Corner

Option-double-click / Alt-double-click expands only that Smart Corner, leaving a Smart Corner on the next node live.

To expand several selected Smart Corners at once, use Expand Selection. With no live feature selected, Expand Contour expands the whole contour.

Edit the Path Around It

A Smart Corner stays attached as you move its node or edit nearby segments, and the rounded result updates immediately.

Breaking or joining another part of the contour leaves Smart Corners intact wherever their nodes survive.

Useful Tips

  • Judge the shape first and the number second.
  • Use smooth mode when the corner should blend into neighboring curves.
  • Keep corners live until the main shape is finished.
  • Expand only when you need ordinary Illustrator nodes.

See Processed Output to learn how live corners appear in the final path.