How to use Photoshop's Pen Tool

Pen Tool Tutorial Recommended for Beginner Level Photoshop Users

In this Photoshop tutorial we will explore how to use the pen tool. First, we will look at the pen tool's basic controls. We will examine creating paths, curvature modification and anchor point adjustments. Next, we will use our new pen tool skills to cut out an image. his skill is so essential to know when using Adobe Photoshop, and it reall! illustrates the power "ehind the pen tool. Finall! we will see how a path created with the pen tool can "e used to create custom shapes. #ustom shapes are vectors so the! will never pixelate or lose $ualit!. %gain this is such a hand! skill, !ou'll end up using it all the time& BAS ! !"#TR"LS "$ TH% P%# T""L Photoshop's pen tool !ou have two options' !reate a new wor& path and !reate a new shape la'er.

We will use the !reate a new wor& path option as this the most commonl! used. (ou can find these options in the top left hand corner of the Photoshop window. )ee the image "elow.

*ust like selection tools, the pen tool has several different options for the resulting path. he most commonl! used is +add to path area+. )ee image "elow.

ake !our pen tool and click on a "lank canvas similar to what I have done "elow. ,ach time !ou click !ou create an anchor point.

-old down )hft, move the mouse and click again. -olding down shift while making an anchor point creates it in a straight line with the last anchor point.

We can add and delete anchor points on the path we have created. .ight click on the pen tool on the tool"ar to reveal further tools. /se the %dd and 0elete %nchor Point ool to do just that&

I used the 0elete %nchor Point ool to remove the forth anchor point.

Now, let's look at the !onvert Point Tool for curvature modification and moving anchor points.

With the convert point tool click and drag on the second anchor point. Without letting go, move the mouse around and see how it affects the curve. he line that is created is called the Tangent Line. he tangent line controls the curvature of the curve.

-olding down #trl click on the anchor point and move the mouse, see how this allows !ou to move the anchor point.

#lick on one end of the tangent line and drag.

his "reaks the tangent line in half and creates sharp path changes.

(ove the entire path "! selecting the Path #omponent )election ool from the tool"ar and drag the path to a new location.

)elete 'our path "! right clicking on the path and select 0elete Path. Finall! I will "riefl! touch on another st!le of creating a path. With !our pen tool create two anchor points however on the second click don't let go, drag the click to create the tangent line. he tangent line will affect the next anchor point that !ou create. r! it out. I don't use this techni$ue "ecause I find it slower "ut man! do...use the techni$ue that feels right for !ou. )o that's the "asics of Photoshop pen tool. r! the following exercises, cutting out an image and creating a custom shape, to practice !our use of the pen too !UTT #* "UT A# (A*% + TH TH% P%# T""L (ou might alread! "e cutting out images in Photoshop "ut if !ou're not using the pen tool, then !ou are pro"a"l! doing it wrong& +Wh!1+, !ou ma! ask. 2. Accurac'. here is no wa! !ou are going to get the same level of control using the lasso tool or other selection methods. /sing the pen tool ena"les !ou select partial pixels. his means that the edges of !our selection will alwa!s "e smooth 3no jagged pixel edges4. he pen tool literall! puts transparenc! on the "it of the pixel that exists outside of the selection. 5. "ptions. 6! using the pen tool there are numerous post options availa"le. (ou can save the shape, or ma!"e fill or stroke it.

)o open !our image in Photoshop and using !our pen tool trace around the outside. here are two wa!s to do this. (ou could click and drag on each anchor point to get the right curves "ut I find this process too slow. I prefer to click around the o"ject 3essentiall! cutting it out with straight lines4 and then go "ack and adjust the curves7anchor points. 8ake sure !our pen tool is set to #reate Path and that the path option is +add to path area+. )ee image "elow.

I've chosen a picture of 9ar! -off, doing a standard orangutan impersonation, as the image I want to cut out. he image "elow shows the rough work path I la! down first. If the image !ou are cutting is $uite detailed, like mine, :oom in 3!trl ,4 and out 3!trl - 4 as !ou work.

It is ,; .,8,<( important to close the work path so that it can "e made into a selection. his means that !our last anchor point must meet up to the first anchor point. =nce !ou have made !our wa! around the o"ject !ou must click once more on the starting point. When !ou get to the starting anchor point it will "e marked with a small circle. )ee image "elow.

he image "elow shows a close up of the work path once the curves were created and the anchor points adjusted.

he trick is to know where to put anchor points, and this is something that comes with a little practice. he pen tool does "ecome ver! eas!, "ut initiall! it will "e slow, so tr! not to get put off.

Now right click on the work path and select (a&e Selection. !op' the selection 3#trl > c4 and paste it on to another image 3#trl > v4. I've chosen a nice jungle path for 9ar!.

0ue to the partial pixel selection the image "lends smoothl! on the new "ackground. With onl! a few more minor adjustments this will "e a nice composite.

!R%AT #* !UST"( SHAP%S If we go to Paths Palette !ou will see our path is still there. #lick once on the path la!er to reveal our work path again.

Now with %dit .. )efine !ustom Shape///

#ame !our shape and click "0. )elect !our !ustom Shape Tool from the ool"ar.

(ou will now see !our new shape in the #ustom )hape picker.

Now check !our foreground colour "efore !ou make the shape. (ou can see in the image "elow m! foreground color is "lack. he shape !ou create will "e the foreground color.

/ntil now we have "een making +"R0 PATHS "ut now we want to make a SHAP%. )o click on the $ill pi1els icon. )ee image "elow.

#lick and drag on !our canvas to create !our shape. -old down )hft while !ou drag, to re?create the shape with the same proportions 3it won't distort4. Now if !ou select Shape La'ers and then create the shape !ou will see it creates a vector shape. !reating vector shapes is best/

6ecause the shape is a vector !ou can scale it up and down and it will never pixelate& 3 o appl! effects to the la!er !ou will need to rasteri:e the la!er@simpl! right click on the la!er and choose rasteri:e from the options4.

I hope !ou have found this tutorial helpful. .emem"er if !ou have $uestions please contact me via m! contact page