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Basic Functions of the Pen Tool
Straight Line
1.) Create a New Image (200px X 200px)
2.) Grab the pen tool. 
3.) Now you're going to create a point in the lower-left Corner of the image. To do this, just click in the area you want to place the point.
4.) Next, make a second point in the upper right-hand corner. You should be able to see both points you placed and a line.
5.) Set your brush to 5px
6.) Go back to the pen tool
7.) With the pen tool active; right-click anywhere on the image. Select "Stroke Path" from the menu that pops up. Make sure the "simulate pressure" box is unchecked.
Now you have a straight line.
Curved Line
Alright, still working from the same document.
1.) Create a New Layer
2.)Grab your Pen Tool again.
3.) Now Click in the lower-right corner to create a point. Now you've got two little antennae sticking out. (Don't worry, those won't show up in the final product.)
4.) Next, Click in the upper-left corner for the second point.
5.)Right click the pen tool icon in the tool bar. Select the "convert point tool" from the menu that appears. 
6.)With the Convert Point tool, click on the lower-right point and drag to the left a bit. Play around until it looks right.
7.) Do the same thing with the upper-left point. Drag to the left.
8.) Now right-click and select "stroke path" from the menu that appears.
Oooo. Now you've got a fancy "X"
Simulate Pressure
1.) Alright, get rid of that crappy ol' line you've just made.
2.) If the path still appears on your screen, just hit Esc twice.
3.) Now, draw the same path all over again. (Remember: Practice makes perfect.)
4.) Right click, stroke path. This time Check the "Simulate pressure" Box.
Now it's a really fancy "X"
Some Other Things
- Clicking and dragging while creating points will also create curves. (I prefer to layout the points first then use the "convert point" tool because I think it gives more control.
- Add more points along a line by just clicking on the line where you want the new point.
- Delete a point by just clicking on it.
- Further adjust your curves by selecting the convert point tool and dragging around the little antennae that show up after you've created a curve.
- Shift around a single point by selecting the "Direct Selection" tool  , then click and drag the point.
- Move the entire path by selecting the "Path Selection" tool  , the click and drag the path.
The two tools I just named are found in the same place on the toolbar. Right above the pen tool. You can switch between them by right-clicking and choosing the one you want from the menu that appears.
You can also use the pen tool to extract an image from it's background. Just outline the image, Zoom in, make sure the path lines up with the edges. Hit ctrl+enter to get the selection.
If you want to use the pen tool to create shapes; instead of selecting "stroke path", select "fill path".
The "free-form" tool  lets you free form a path. Just like the lasso tool lets you free form a selection.
Okay, so hopefully this covers all the basics of the pen tool and it's little friends. |
Last edited by Black Magic : 01.25.07 at 17:45:40.
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Linear Mode
