Photoshop Tutorials

Photoshop is a truly amazing art editing and creating software program that has applications too numerous to count. But it is this sheer scope of what a person can accomplish while using Photoshop that puts many people off. All of the bells and whistle that come with the program can be downright daunting, and many people fall into the habit of performing one or two “safe” tasks and never bothering to learn everything the program can do for them. The pen tool is one such aspect of the Photoshop program. The mere words strike fear into the hearts of many of a Photoshop user, but those who have mastered the tool swear there is no going back. Using the pen tool doesn’t have to be complicated; it simply takes some patience and practice.

For the uninitiated, the pen tool performs many of the same functions as the lasso tool - it can help you select portions of images for editing or help you crop images. But it can really do so much more for you. It can help you create real vector graphics, it makes perfect, sharp edges, and it can even allow to you “draw” freehand. To begin using the pen tool, first you should select it from the tool palette. From there, there will be several flyout options for you to choose from. First, you will find the Freeform Pen Tool, which is used for freeform drawing. Unless you have a steady hand and actually want to draw a picture, the lasso tool is better used than the freeform pen tool for selecting areas of graphics. Next, you will find the Add Anchor Point Tool, which, as the name suggests, allows you to add anchor points to already existing paths. The next tool is the Delete Anchor Point Tool, which is used to delete anchor points. The Convert Point Tool allows you to change the curves on paths by changing the direction of the lines, or remove the curves on a line (which you can do by clicking on an anchor point while using this tool). The Path Selection Tool lets you move entire paths, and the Direction Selection Tool allows you to move line sections and anchor points. To use these last two tools, you must select what you wish to move, and then drag it to the right spot.

To make using all of these applications easier, you should turn on the automatic add/delete function in the main menu. With this function turned on, when you place you curser over a path, it will automatically perform the function of the specific pen tool devise you are using. This allows you access all of the functions of the pen tool much easier.

How you use these tools will depend largely on the tasks you wish to complete. Some applications may be of no use to some users and indispensable to others. The only way to discover which functions of the pen tool will be most useful to you is to experiment with the pen and see what you can do. If you’re new to Photoshop, seek out the opinions of other people in your field about which pen tool utilities are the best. The only thing to do then is practice, practice, practice. Many seasoned Photoshop pros liken learning to use the pen tool to learning to ride a bike or driver - it takes some learning and practice, but once you have it down, it become second nature. Buckle down and give the pen tool a whirl, and soon you’ll be creating vectors and images with the best of them!