PS Tutorials: usage of PEN tools

 

This tutorial describes how to use the pen tool in detail. It is very important to plot the pen tool. A seemingly complex tool is not that easy to use. The following tutorials describe how to better understand and use this tool. It is ideal for beginners.

Free Download of Pen tool materials:Design and Production

 

Pen tool function: Pen tool: Click the canvas to create a straight path line segment. Click and drag to create a Beitz curve path.

Free pen tool: Click to drag the canvas to draw the path as freely as using a paint brush.

? Add anchor tool: click a path line segment to add an anchor.

Delete anchor tool: click a path anchor to delete an anchor.

Convert an anchor tool: click a common anchor and drag it to create a bucket handle. Click an existing anchor to delete the handle.

 

Keyboard shortcut P: select the pen tool or free pen tool, depending on the recently selected tool. Cursor The pen tool has different forms depending on the usage and timing. Each form allows you to intuitively notice the upcoming action. (In some cases, use the Caps Lock key to switch to a pointer or cross cursor)

 

Prepare the Creation Path.

 

Create or edit a path in the middle.

 

When you press the mouse.

 

Add path anchor.

 

Delete the path anchor.

 

When the mouse stays at a non-path initial point, the path is closed.

 

When you move the cursor over the endpoint of an existing path, you can continue to draw the path or (if the path is activated) edit this point.

 

Prepare to convert an existing anchor.

 

Free pen tool.

 

Magnetic free pen tool.

 

Directly select a job: select the pen tool and press Ctrl.

 

Path selection tool: select the pen tool and press CTRL + ALT

 

Mac OS X system: press Ctrl on the canvas to prepare the option menu.

Mouse-assisted control(If this path has been selected and the "automatically add/Delete" check box is selected) 1. The pen tool stays at the anchor point: it is converted to the anchor point deletion tool. 2. The pen tool stays on the path line segment: converts it to the Add anchor tool. Keyboard control: 1. [Mac OS X system] Press ctrl and click the canvas to enable the option menu. 2. When creating or editing the anchor and handle, press shift to constrain the activity to a range of 45 °, 90 °, 135 °, or 180 °. 3. Select the anchor using the direct selection tool and press the delete key. The Anchor and the adjacent path line segments will be deleted, with the remaining two paths. 4. Pen tool + Alt key: convert it into a conversion anchor tool. 5. Use the pen tool + Alt key when editing the Bez curve: extract the Bez handle. 6. Use the pen tool + Alt key when drawing the path: convert to the direct selection tool to modify the drawn anchor. Option: The option bar (WINDOW> Option) is usually located at the top of the screen. Any tool you select provides important options. The same applies to pen tools. The options are as follows: 1. preset: You can select any tool to save the preset. The definition of the option is discussed below. Save it as a preset, and then you can quickly return to these settings.

 

 

2. shape layer: After this option is selected, a graphic is formed for the painted path, which is not only visible on the path panel, but also forms a vector mask layer on the layer panel.

 

 

3. Path: After this option is selected, the visible path is formed on the path panel.

 

 

4. Fill pixels: 3rd path type options, available when the shape tool is selected. After this option is selected, the created path will form a fill area.

 

 

5. Pen tool: select the pen tool.

 

6. Free pen tool: select a free pen tool.

 

 

7. Rubber Belt: available in the pen option drop-down list when the pen tool is selected. You can preview the path to be created before clicking.

 

 

8. Curve Fitting: available in the drop-down list of the free pen option when the free pen tool is selected. The input value determines the accuracy when the Bez handle is added when the path is freely drawn. The higher the value, the more accurate the result. The value range is 0.5-10 pixels.

 

 

9. Magnetic: available in the free pen option drop-down list when the free pen tool is selected. After this option is selected, the path is adsorbed on the pixel. Magnetic options: Specify the width of the path across the region, the pixel contrast of the adsorption path, and the frequency of adding the path anchor.

 

 

10. Pen pressure: When the free pen tool is selected, it is available in the free pen option drop-down list. After this option is selected, the width of the pen is determined based on the pressure on the drawing board (if you have one.

 

 

11. Automatic addition/Deletion: available when the pen tool is selected. Allow normal pen tools to be used to add/delete anchor points (see mouse secondary control ).

 

12. Path search tool: Add/subtract/Union/intersection between paths.

 

 

13. layer style: available when the shape layer is selected. This layer style applies to the new shape layer (when the link layer is not selected) or the current layer (the link layer has been selected ).

 

 

Other shortcut keys and prompts (When the path is selected) press the Space key to switch to the grasping tool. You do not need to cancel the path selection or change the tool to move the screen. Select View> align to> grid and use the pen tool to draw the curve accurately.

 

 

Best Practice suggestions Drag the handle from the first anchor when creating a curve path. Drag the handle to 1/3 of the curve to create a smooth path.

 

 

Position the anchor in the center of the curve rather than the starting direction of the curve. Saves the number of anchor points. Less anchor points = more concise paths.

 

 

Don't always talk on paper. If these tips are new knowledge in your mind, why not use them in practice? Download the exercise document of the Pen tool, use the tips and shortcut keys described in this article, and follow the prompts to draw the path of the exercise.

 

If you are a beginner, you are advised to referWei PS classic video tutorialThe content is comprehensive and meticulous, which is very suitable for beginners!

 

PS Tutorials: usage of PEN tools