How to Make Custom Arrow Brushes in Adobe Illustrator
A Smarter Way to Create Arrows in Illustrator (That Actually Scales Well)
Let’s be honest—arrows in Adobe Illustrator can be surprisingly annoying. You jump into the Stroke panel, add an arrowhead, and suddenly the proportions are off, the stroke doesn’t scale right, and you're fiddling with tiny settings just to make it look decent.
Here’s a better way: create a custom arrow brush using pattern brushes. It scales cleanly, looks consistent at any size, and gives you full control over the shape and style of your arrows.
The Problem With Default Arrowheads
When you use Illustrator’s built-in arrowheads from the Stroke Panel, you’ll run into a few common issues:
Arrowheads don’t scale proportionally with the stroke
They’re applied as separate shapes, not editable strokes
You lose flexibility once expanded
This brush method fixes all that.
Create a Custom Arrow Brush
1. Build Your Arrowhead
Start with a straight stroke line
At the end of the line, draw your arrowhead using simple shapes
Make sure the ends are rounded using the Stroke Panel → Round Cap
Tip: Use three segments—one for the start, one for the middle (the stroke), and one for the end (the arrowhead)
2. Round + Align the Segments
Adjust the arrowhead shape to fit your style
Use Direct Selection Tool (A) to align and clean it up
When you’re happy, copy and scale down the end shape, round the caps, and paste it into position
3. Create the Pattern Brush
Select your full shape
Open the Brushes Panel → New Brush → Pattern Brush
In the dialogue box:
Name your brush
Set Outer Corners to Auto-Centered for cleaner turns
Hold Alt and drag the additional segments (like the arrowhead) into the brush components
4. Apply + Adjust the Arrow
Use the Paintbrush Tool (B) or apply the brush to any path
The brush now functions as a scalable arrow with a clean, editable head and tail
If needed, Object → Expand Appearance to edit the arrowhead directly
The Benefits of This Method?
Scales evenly with the stroke
Fully vector + editable
Can be used on curves and corners
Consistent across brand assets, diagrams, and illustrations
Adds personality with minimal effort
Want More Time-Saving Tools and Freebies?
This process is just one of the techniques I share across my design templates and digital assets, made especially for designers who want professional results—without starting from scratch every time.
