Use the Pen tool to draw precise paths

I need a crisp brand glyph set traced from sketches. Use the Pen tool to draw precise paths for the three logo marks, keeping anchor points minimal and handles tidy so the marks scale cleanly. Name the layers, outline strokes where necessary, and export an SVG and an editable AI file for legal and digital teams by Tuesday.

Before I finalize the traced glyphs, make approval easy: show problematic nodes where curves deviate, surface a zoomed before-and-after at 400% for each mark, and flag any strokes that should be vector-filled instead of stroked to prevent rendering shifts on different platforms.

I’ve been tracing the sketch with the Pen tool and the tight curves on the ear and tail keep producing extra anchor points that make the shape look faceted when scaled. I leave at 6pm and the design director will review in the morning. What’s causing the faceting and what’s the fastest way to simplify the path while keeping the silhouette precise?

Every brand refresh we redo hand-traced marks and then spend hours simplifying anchors and fixing stroked vs filled shapes. Where are we losing craft time—tracing habits, lack of a trace template, or inconsistent use of outline strokes—and what single routine or template will save the most time on future traces?