Path
Shape Tools path shapes tools are also
explained here
-Creating a path is done by many ways, so in this
part of the chapter I’m going to show you all the possible ways to create a
path.
The pen tool: the most
common way to create a path is by using the pen tool, you can find the pen tool
in the tool box as explained previously in other chapters.
How to use the pen tool to create a path:
1.Select the pen tool from the tool box, and make sure that
it’s set to (path) >> you can do that by clicking on the (path icon) up in the
menu bar (enter paths icon)
2.Now go ahead and draw any complete shape that you want, I
drew a square, well now you have created a path using the pen tool, you can edit
the path by either using the options available in the path palette, or use the
direct selection tool (white arrow).
-The coolest thing about paths is that they can be edited
easily, you can drag the points on the path’s edge to create and adjust the
path’s shape the way you like it and this works on all paths.
Freeform Pen Tool:
like the pen tool, you can create
a path using the freeform pen tool. The steps are not different than the
previous steps just do the following:
1.Select the freeform pen tool from your tool box, if you
can’t find the tool, click on the pen tool icon and hold for a couple of second,
a sub menu will appear giving other tools, the freeform pen tool is in that sub
menu.
2.Make sure that the tool is set to path by clicking on the
paths button as explained in the previous example.
3.Now go ahead and draw any complete shape that you want,
and that’s another path created by using the freeform pen tool. You can edit
that path the way you want exactly the way you did using the pen tool.
Creating Path using shapes: Another way to create a path is by using shapes you can find the shapes
tools box under the font button if you’re using the classical two columns tool
box, or under the direct selection tool button if you’re using the new one
column tool box. You can use all the shapes available by Photoshop to create a
path; these shapes are: Rectangle tool
, Rounded rectangle tool
, Ellipse tool
, Polygon tool
, Line tool
, Custom shape tool
.
-How to create path using shapes:
1.Select any shape that you want from the tool box and make
sure that it’s set to path by clicking on the path button as explained earlier.
2.Now go ahead and draw the shape that you selected and
that’s it. You just created a path by using a shape. Of course like the previous
examples, this path that you just created can be edited by either using the
direct selection tool + right click on path to select the changes you want to
make or by using the options in the path palette.
Creating a path using selection tool:
You can create
a path using any selection tool.
-How to create a path using selection tools:
1.First thing open up the path palette, you can find it by
going to the menu bar >> select window >> paths. 2.Create a new path by clicking on (create new path)
button. 3.Now go ahead and select any selection tool you want, and
make any shape you want. 4.Now go to the path palette and click on the (make work
path from selection), and that’s it, you’ll notice that the selection will turn
a path that you can edit and reshape the way you want.
Tip: you can export the path that you created to
another vector based software such as Illustrator. You can do that by going to
the menu bar, select file >> export then select export paths dialog box will
appear giving the option to name the path and save it as an illustrator file (*.ai)
anywhere you want on your computer, and of course you have the option to choose
the path that you want to export or export all paths.