Method and apparatus for drawing patterns using an energy beam

According to the invention, in a method of drawing patterns by use of an energy beam, the amount of drawing data is reduced, the irregularity of an array of patterns is prevented, and the patterns are drawn with great accuracy. In a method of drawing a pattern including a plurality of patterns, the amount of drawing data is reduced and the pattern can be drawn enlarged or reduced at a given scale in X-axis direction and/or Y-axis direction. Furthermore, if the pattern includes patterns symmetrical with respect to a line, the amount of drawing data is reduced by use of the symmetry of the drawing data. In addition, in case where patterns are arrayed on a first curved line, the pattern can be drawn as being arrayed on a straight line by performing the shift of a table or deflection of the energy beam parallel to the curved on which patterns are arrayed or approximating it at a second curved line using partial approximate straight lines.