Using Photoshop Shape Tool and Pen Tool

The Photoshop Shape Tool and Pen Tool are use to create Shape Layer, Path or Fill Pixels. There are different in the form or shape of object that you want to create. The Pen Tool and Freeform Pen tool generally use to create freeform shape. There are really useful to draft outline of organic object to separate it from background. And the Shape tool are basically use to create draw geometric and predefined shapes. There are six shape tools in Photoshop but when combine it with tool options you are enable to create much more geometric shape.

Note: Photoshop Pen tool works pretty much the same across Adobe product such as Illustrator and InDesign. If you’re new to the Pen tool you may refer to comprehensive tutorial about Using Photoshop Pen tool at JoeUser.com. Or if you’re in a hurry you might want to download the free quick reference chart in pdf at Creativetechs.com. The Adobe Pen Tool Cheatsheet, shown in thumbnail below, is complete reference for short-cut and how to create shape using Pen tool for all Adobe product not only Photoshop.

To use Photoshop Shape tool is very similar to using Photoshop Marquee tool . You can use Shape tool to start dragging over to create shape.You can also hold down Shift key while dragging to constrain the shape proportion or use combination of Alt(Option) or Ctrl(Command) key to quickly Add, Subtract or Intersect from the current shape. ( Please refer to Using Photoshop Marquee Tool)

Tip: While drawing a shape, you can hold down Space bar (still pressing mouse button) and move your mouse to reposition the shape.

With Shape tool you have more predefine shape and a lot more options to create a shape than using Marquee Tool. More over if you use Shape tool to create Shape Layer, you can add Photoshop Style directly to its layer. You can see the example of using Shape tool with Photoshop Style to easily create Text watermark for your photo at Create Text Watermark Tutorial.

Shape Tools and Pen Tool Options

There are six Shape tools and two Pen tools in Photoshop. Each shape tool provides specific options. The available options vary by tool. The options are also shown in a pop-up menu, by click at inverted arrow button (B) at the tool option bar . Below are general options that available for all Shape tools.

Shape Layer and Path General Options

Tool Mode (A): You can select tool creation mode in this area, Select to create Shape layer, Select to create Path or Select to create Fill Pixels. (See also Shape Layer, Path or Fill Pixels)

Tools Area (B): You can switch between each shape and pen tools here as well as at the Photoshop toolbox. You can also access additional option for each tool by click the inverted arrow at the end of the row. You will find addition options for each tool below in this page.

Compound Path Option (C): You can add paths or perform other operation such as delete or intersect, to an active shape layer by click the its button. The five compound path buttons control the interaction of compound paths. The last four are available only when editing or adding to an existing shape layer.

Tips: When you use compound path option to create Path, you will see the result only when you create a selection from that path. Or you may notice the change form Path layer thumbnail in Path Palette. The image below show Path layer thumbnail that include two path with Intersect option. The result selection area will indicate with white color.

• Create New Shape Layer Button : Default option and only available when you create shape as Shape Layer . When this option is select, Photoshop creates a new shape layer for each new shape that you draw.

Note: When you create shape as Path, which not associate with any pixel layer, it will automatically add to active path layer or create as new path layer call "Working path" if nothing select in the Path Palette. So when you create shape as path you will not have Create New Shape Layer Button.

• Add to Button : Click this button or press Plus "+" key to turn on Add to option. With this option turn On you can add new shape or path to active layer so that all shapes share the same fill. You can also hold-down Shift key while drawing a new shape, the cross hair cursor will change to , to temporary switch to Add to option.

  

• Subtract Button : Click this button or press Minus "-" key to turn on Subtract option. With this option you can draw new shape to delete some area of current shape. You can also hold-down Alt(Option) key while drawing a new shape, the cross hair cursor will change to , to temporary switch the tool to Subtract option.

  

• Intersect Button : When drawing new shape with this mode will hide all area other than overlap area of current shape area and new drawing shape. You can also hold-down Shift + Alt(Option) key while drawing a new shape, the cross hair cursor will change to , to temporary switch the tool to Intersect option.

  

• Exclude Button : When you drawing new shape with this mode. It’s will hide over lab area of current shape and new drawing shape.

  

• Tip: After you draw the shape as Shape layer, you can also change the compound mode by select the path you want to convert and select the new compound mode at tool option.

Active Layer Button (D): When this button turn on, when you change Layer style Preset (E) it will result in change layer style of active Shape Layer. This Layer Style setting will also effect when you create new Shape Layer. When this button turn off, you can select new Layer Style preset for new drawing shape Only. The new Style that you select will not effect the active Shape Layer. This button is turn On by default.

Style (E): Click to change Layer Style for the Shape Layer from Photoshop style preset. (See also using Shape tool and Shape Layer with Photoshop Style to Create Text Water Mark)

Color Box (F): Click to change fill for new create Shape layer. This color box is duplicate of Foreground color at Photoshop toolbox. When you change color in this box will also change foreground color at the toolbox and vice versa.

Fill Pixels Options

When you use Shape Tool and Pen Tool as Fill Pixels you will have following options

• Blend Mode (A) :Specify how painted color effect with the current color (See also Photoshop Blending Mode)
• Opacity (B): Specify the maximum amount of color fill applied.
• Anti Alias (C): Turn on this option to create smoother edges for the filled shape. Turning off this option produces a hard-edged transition between pixels, and therefore the appearance of jagged edges.

Rectangle Tool , Rounded Rectangle Tool and Ellipse Tool Options

When you click down arrow at the end of Select Tool area (B) you can access additional option. The available options vary by tool. The following options are use to control the proportion of drawing shape and available for Rectangle Shape Tool, Rounded Rectangle Shape Tool and Ellipse Shape Tool.

• Unconstrained: The default option, its turn off all proportional option. You can draw the shape freely with this option.
• Square: (called Circle for Ellipse Shape tool) This option allow you to draw rectangular or ellipse with equal width and height. You can temporary turn on this option by hold-down Shift key while you drawing the shape.
• Fixed Size: This option allow you to specify width and height of shape in pixel.
• Proportional: This option allow you to specify width and height of shape you need to draw in proportion. For example you can enter 1 for width and 2 for height to draw the shape with the height are twice longer in length than width.
• From Center: Turn on this option to start drawing the shape from center, it’s will start from conner by default. You can also hold-down Alt(Option) key while dragging to temporary turn on this option.
• Snap to Pixels: Turn on this option to snaps edges of a rectangle or rounded rectangle to the pixel boundaries.

For Rounded Rectangle Tool also have Radius option at tool option bar. This option specifies the length of round rectangle corner radius.

Polygon Shape Tool Options :

The Polygon Tool is one of my favorite shape tool, that is pretty useful. You can create a lot of geometric shapes, from triangle to star shape with rounded conner. You can also use Pen tool to select and move the shape’s segment to create numerous custom shapes.

	Radius: Specifies the distance from the center of a polygon to the outer points.
	Smooth Corner: Renders a polygon with smooth corners.
	Star: Renders a polygon with smooth corners.
	Indent Sides by: Draw a polygon as a star. Enter a percentage in the text box to specify the portion of the star’s radius taken up by the points. A 50% (default) setting creates points that are half the total radius of the star, a larger value creates sharper, thinner points. The example on the left, set Indent Sides at 80%.
	Smooth Indent: Renders a polygon with smooth indents.
	Sides: Specifies the number of sides in a polygon, the default value is 5. The example on the left show the shape draw by Polygon tool with Side option set to 10.

Other Shape that can create by Polygon Tool

Smooth Corner: On Star: On Indent Side: 50% Sides: 5	Smooth Corner: On Star: On Indent Side: 50% Smooth Sides: On Sides: 5	Smooth Corner: Off Star: On Indent Side: 20% Smooth Sides: Off Sides: 5
Smooth Corner: Off Star: On Indent Side: 95% Smooth Sides: Off Sides: 50	Smooth Corner: Off Star: On Indent Side: 80% Smooth Sides: On Sides: 8	Smooth Corner: Off Star: On Indent Side: 80% Smooth Sides: Off Sides: 5 With Segment Transform using Free transform command

Line Shape Tool Options :

The Line tool allow you to draw straight line with specific line thickness that you can specify by Weight option at tool’s option bar. You can also choose to draw a line with arrow head at start or end of the line, using drop-down option box (). You can also hold down Shift key while drawing the line to fix the line angle in 45° increment (0°, 45°, 90° and so on).

• Weight: Specify line thickness in pixel, you can enter any value from 1pixel to 1000 pixel.
• Start and End: Select Start to add an arrow to the beginning of the line. Select End to add an arrow to the end of the line. You can select both options to add arrows on both ends.
• Width: Specify values for arrow head width as a percentage of the line width. You can enter any value from 10% to 1000%, default is 500%.
• Length: Specify values for arrow head length as a percentage of the line width. You can enter any value from 10% to 5000% for Length, default is 1000%.
• Concavity: The concavity value defines the amount of curvature on the widest part of the arrowhead, where the arrowhead meets the line, in percentage.You can enter value from -50% to +50%, the default value is 0 (no concavity).

Note: You can also edit an arrowhead directly using the vector selection and drawing tools.

Custom Shape Tool Options :

The Custom Shape tool allow you to choose from a variety of preset shapes. Like other Photoshop preset, you can save shapes that you create as preset shapes. You can also easily trace outline of object in your picture and create it as custom shape. For more information, you can visit n1studios.net step-by-step tutorial to Create Custom Shape.

• Unconstrained:The default option, its turn off all proportional option. You can draw the shape freely or you can hold-down Shift key while dragging to constrain the custom shape proportion.
• Defined Proportions: With this option you can draw a custom shape based on the proportions with which it was created.
• Defined Size: With this option you can draw a custom shape based on the size at which it was created.
• Fixed Size: With this option you can draw a custom shape based on the values you enter in the Width and Height text boxes.
• From Center: Turn on this option to start drawing the shape from center, it’s will start from conner by default. You can also hold-down Alt(Option) key while dragging to temporary turn on this option.

Relate Article:

• All about Photoshop Layer and Layer Palette
• Photoshop Path, Shape layer and Fill pixel
• Photoshop CS3 Toolbox: Quick Reference
• Using Photoshop Marquee Tool
• Using Photoshop Pen tool
• Create Custom Shape
• Adobe Pen Tool Cheatsheet

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