strokin the pen tool (witcho bad self)

[lemorris]

lol

BeeZ (Bonzlite) asked about a pen tool function so I sent him a message and now I'm sharin wit cho:



First after you select the pen tool make sure that annoying fill shape option is not selected. this will add a shape layer and auto fill anything you bezier. The option is at the top of the window.


Here I clicked a point then held the shift key and clicked a second point. Shift constrains the selection so it's straight. On the third point I clicked and dragged to get the curve. To reset your pen tool to the previous node and not off the bezier curve point hold down the alt key and click on the previous node.


The convert a corner to a curve tool is under the pen tool. Hold your mouse over the black triangle in the corner of the pen tool to get the menu to fly out, then select the convert tool. Beware this tool will create a curve on both sides of the node but you can use the white arrow tool to grab a bezier handle and drag it back into position.


To stroke a selection once again make sure that stupid fill thing isn't selected and then click your path. Once done click the paths tab and then the little circle triangle in the corner. Select the Stroke Path option. It defaults to the pencil tool and strokes at whatever your last stroke was set to. I think 1 pixel is the default. You can set this manually to be whatever thickness you want. On a side note Photoshop has an actions pallet. You can record Photoshop steps and save them. You can assign an action to a key or just click play and it will automatically perform those steps. I have an action for stroking selections set to my F3 key. I feel your pain.


-Lemorris

[asaenz]

Thx Lemorris,
I never new about the actions pallet.

[grantrl78]

Thanks lemorris. Cool paths tutorial. I find working with paths in ps to be way hard. I mostly use freehandmx in osx. It is buggy as hell when you gotta lotta paths but it has easier controls for me. It is actually alot like flash. And I know most of the command keys. Even illustrator is tuff for working with paths for me. Chalk it up to me learning on a bassackwards program like freehand8.