How to use and master the notoriously difficult pen tool in photoshop
By Rachel Davis
The Pen Tool is iconic to vector creation and is often used as a symbol to represent vector elements or programs. However, it is notoriously difficult to master and can become a learning block for those wishing to get into vector. This is probably why our comprehensive guide to the Pen Tool is one of our top vector tutorials!
The Pen Tool has many functions, but it’s specifically using the handle bar function which provides a road block for people. When I was first starting out, it’s what held me back too. I do recommend that you keep on pushing yourself with the Pen Tool, but in case you want to relax and take it slowly, I have a little hack for you.
While creating a vector for a Tuts+ Course, I came across a hack with using the Pen Tool to create point-to-point lines and then using Live Corners to get smooth curves, therefore avoiding the use of handle bars.
Live Corners is a function available in Adobe Illustrator CC, so sadly if you’ve got a legacy copy, you won’t be able to use this. Let me show you how to use this hack to create smooth curves.
1. Create Curves on a Closed Path
Step 1
I’m going to use a stock image to trace around the shape for the face to demonstrate this hack.
Use the Pen Tool (P) to create a point-to-point line around the face. When I say point-to-point, I mean single clicks from one point to the next, around the contour of the shape.
So I’ve got an entire closed shape when done.
Step 2
Select the shape you’ve just created and then click on the Direct Selection Tool (A) in the Tools panel. When this is enabled, you’ll notice that around the points of the shape are small circles. These mean the corners can be manipulated using Live Corners.
Step 3
You can drag on these corners with the Direct Selection Tool (A) to create smooth curves on your point to point shape.
Dragging one corner will push all the corners to the same radius. However it may not be as smooth as you wish. You will notice that new points have been added to the shape. This is because a curve has been introduced between these points, in place of your single point.
Step 4
With the Direct Selection Tool (A) still selected, you can click on any individual point.
. and drag this point to push the corner further, helping you create the smooth curve you want!
I’ve done this throughout the shape, and thanks to the point-to-point shape and Live Corners, I’ve created the following smooth shape!
2. Create Curves on an Open Path
Step 1
This doesn’t just apply to closed paths—it works with open paths too!
I’ve zoomed in on the nostril to create a line using the same process. So first create your point-to-point line using the Pen Tool (P), and then select the Direct Selection Tool (A) to see the visible Live Corners icons.
Step 2
Then drag the points to create a smooth curve.
It’s as easy as pie!
Why Not Try it Yourself!
Why not try this hack yourself and see how easy it is to create a curved line without using the handle bars of the Pen Tool.
Those who can use handle bars will recognise that it may take a bit longer to create these curves, which is why I recommend this as a last resort. If you really can’t tame the Pen Tool, this may help ease your suffering.
Like anything new you’re learning, it takes time, and sometimes these little hacks may help push you into learning something new with Adobe Illustrator.
Have you got an Illustrator hack you want to share? Leave it in the comments!
Photoshop和Illustrator都有一个黑点，许多用户选择避免 – 臭名昭着的钢笔工具。 它可能是吓人的，但它可以掌握，并且肯定是不可能使用。 继续阅读提示和视频以获得帮助。
钢笔工具和向量是Photoshop的重要组成部分，几乎在Illustrator的范围内运行该节目。 害怕了吗？ 如果没有，继续，看看笔工具真正是多么容易（和复杂）。
矢量与像素，再次
在Photoshop或Illustrator中使用Pen工具之前，最有用的事情之一是基本了解向量如何工作，它们是什么，以及它们如何与像素不同。 你可能还记得， 操作方法野人已经覆盖像素和载体之间的差异从去年的旧文章。 它可以有助于刷新您的记忆上的差异; 只是因为你可能在Photoshop工作并不意味着它的笔工具不是排他地矢量绘图工具。 一旦你对你的矢量知识感到满意，你就可以自信地使用Photoshop的钢笔工具。
直线对曲线
了解钢笔工具的第一件事是，它创造两种基本类型的线， 直线 ， 曲线的。 这些线条是由您在选择钢笔工具并在画布中单击时绘制的点的种类创建的。
弯曲线稍微复杂一些，而且是大多数用户沮丧背后的主要原因。 通过单击并拖动来创建它们，以创建影响下一个绘制的曲线的锚点。 添加的每个新点都会影响曲线之前和之后的曲线，这可能会使新用户无法使用钢笔工具。 然而，有无数的工具来添加，编辑和重新编辑这些点，曲线和锚点，一次又一次。
钢笔工具和朋友
钢笔工具 ：将所有和结束所有，钢笔工具就是为什么你在第一时间在这里。 单击并按住工具箱中的钢笔工具，在上下文菜单中显示其他选项。
自由钢笔工具 ：仅限Photoshop。 自由形态笔工具允许您使用鼠标或手写笔绘制。 当您释放绘制的线时，Photoshop将根据您绘制的线创建一个路径。
添加锚点工具 ：用于添加的衔接点，你已经划清了界限非常有用的工具。 只需选择此工具，然后单击或单击并拖动以向其中添加新点。
删除锚点工具 ：长名称要说它消除关节点从你已经划清了界限。 选择此工具，然后点击您在任何线上绘制的任何点以将其删除。
转换点工具 ：用钢笔工具主动，快捷键 。 更有用的声音，转换点工具允许您更改单击“角”风格点点击并拖动“弯曲”点。 它还将允许您更精确地控制您的点，因为您可以使用它来移动您的锚点。
路径选择工具 ：选择和不改变其形状，移动点或锚，或更改你所绘制什么不是简单地移动它的其他移动整个连接路径。 单击并按住工具箱中的路径选择工具，选择隐藏的“直接选择工具”。
直接选择工具 ：可以选择单个的点，线和锚，走动他们和扭曲的线条和路径。 用于在绘制线条和锚点后重新编辑它们。
路径面板 ：如果你不能看到这一点，你可以去窗口>路径以打开此面板。 类似于图层面板，Photoshop在此面板中的不同容器中使用各种路径。 从路径1切换到路径2将使得为路径1绘制的任何线从屏幕上消失。 Photoshop只会一次显示这些活动路径之一。 请记住，这些容器中的每一个都可以容纳几十个，如果不是几百个实际的行和点，不连接，Photoshop仍然会认为他们“路径1”或“路径2”。认为它是一个“层”的路径，只有你不能有一个单一的层一次打开。
矩形工具，等 ：一组工具，定期绘制矢量形状。 如果你不确定载体如何工作，你可能想在这里做实验，让你的海腿与Photoshop的矢量能力。 否则，这些工具对您使用钢笔工具几乎没有影响，并且在使用它时可以安全地忽略。
比较，操纵你的两种类型的点
选择钢笔工具后，使用快捷键 选择直接选择箭头。 这将允许您移动点和锚点，更改您的曲线和线的位置。
再次，使用笔工具选择， 加上点击一条线将允许你添加点。 加上点击和拖动将允许您向一条线添加曲线点。
也允许你独立移动曲线锚点，如上面的视频所示。 观看并重新观看它，因为所有这些技术在绘制精确的线条非常有用。
绘制复杂曲线和掌握钢笔工具
这些技术的组合将允许读者绘制线条以令人惊讶的精度遵循优雅的曲线。 它不立即来，有时令人沮丧。 虽然解释工具的使用和各种帮助工具将只获得读者到目前为止在学习笔工具。
事实的事实是，它有点难以理解，需要大量的实践，以使绘图曲线准确。 看到如何绘制某些复杂的曲面形状是有帮助的，如上面的视频。 虽然实践是完美的，这个方法应该给你一个好的开始，找出一些更复杂和混乱的工具和所有相关的工具和面板甚至有一个基本的了解。
Last week we said there were hundreds of ways to remove backgrounds in Photoshop, and now we’re diving deeper into that claim. Keep reading for the next huge installment of ways to remove backgrounds in Photoshop!
Today, we’ll cover masking images, and why some people prefer masking to erasing big chunks of your images, as well as a bunch of basic (and some not so basic) ways to remove all those image backgrounds using masks image erasing methods.
Masking Images, Deleting Them… What’s the Difference?
Last week, we covered the difference between unlocking an image background and duplicating it. Now, let’s take a look at the differences between masking and deleting, which aren’t apparent when you simply look at the images themselves.
Layer Masks, which you can read more about here, are a simple way to hide information in layers while keeping maximum editability. Many professional Photoshop users often find a number of reasons they need to that hidden information, and Layer Masks allow them to keep it, while still hiding it away.
Create a layer mask by clicking the icon in the Layers Panel when you have a selection with the marquee, or any of the advanced methods located below. If your mask blocks off the wrong area, you can select the mask and press Ctrl + I to invert it, and switch the transparent and opaque areas. Layer Masks require unlocked layers, like the copy of the background layer above, or the “Layer 0” unlocked version of the Background located directly below. Refer to Part 1 to learn more about these two methods.
There is, however, something to be said for deleting image information when cutting out background, some of which is not terribly useful to keep around. Many of Photoshop’s background erasing tools only work with the “image deletion method,” so it’s obvious to see there’s no right and wrong way sanctioned by Adobe. We’ll leave it up to the discretion of the reader which method suits them best, because Photoshop is all about the user’s options. Simply keep in mind that deleted information will never come back once it is deleted unless you can revert to an older version of your file.
Erasing or deleting image information can be done on any layer that is unlocked, like the unlocked Layer 0 above, or the duplicated Background copy layer shown in the last example.
Methods to Delete Image Information
Many Photoshop users do not like using the Eraser tool to remove backgrounds, as it can be time consuming to accurately cut out an image, particularly for users that struggle to paint accurate marks with the mouse.
One of the great benefits for new Photoshop users is that this tool actually will unlock background layers in a single step—simply click in a contiguous field of a single color in your “Background” layer, and watch it disappear to transparency.
Using Photoshop’s edge detection, the Background Eraser tool is far from perfect. There are three settings: Contiguous, Non-Contiguous, and Edge-Detect. Frankly, all three have their inaccuracies, although one may have an advantage over others in certain situations.
In cases where skies and random bits of backgrounds end up in enclosed parts of the image, this can be helpful, as it grabs all of it at once, reducing it to transparancy.
A quick tap of Shift + F5 will bring up the Fill dialog box, where you can fill all selected areas with preselected sets of colors, or simply fill said areas with transparancy.
Because the Fill command is independent of the cursor tool, there is no way to control which colors will be knocked back to transparency, so make certain your selections are the way you want them before using the Fill tool.
Advanced Methods for Creating Masks
Using the pen tool, draw a vector shape around your object or objects. This can be tricky, as the pen tool is difficult. Once you finish your enclosed shape, you’ll need to find your Paths panel to load your selection.
Vector Masks have the advantage of being scalable, and keeping edges clean even when artwork is blown up to large sizes. Beyond that, there’s little advantage of vector masks over Layer Masks, as vector masks seem to render masked images in a near-identical manner to raster-based Layer Masks.
This tool allows you to draw line segments in the same freeform manner the Lasso tool allows. Simply click and drag to create vector paths to become selections or vector masks, exactly like the previous techniques.
Create some type of any size or typeface. Right click on your text and find “Create Work Path.” Photoshop creates vector lines around your text.
Like last week’s how-tos, these techniques aren’t necessarily independent of each other—the beauty of Photoshop is the creative combination of all of these techniques to create interesting, easy, and fun ways to accomplish your image goals. Check us out next time, where we’ll take on Part 3 of “50+ Ways to Remove Image Backgrounds.”
Image Credits: Geisha Fullheight by Michael Reeve, available under Creative Commons. Darter – anhinga melanogaster and Sacred kingfisher by Fir0002, available under GNU License.
Painting fur is notoriously difficult. This guide will teach you how to paint fur using Photoshop.
If you want to learn how to paint fur, this guide is for you. Painting fur realistically is notoriously difficult, due to the need for vibrant texture and the way the light hits it. It’s also impossible to avoid needing to paint fur for most 2D and 3D artists, because it’s a key part of creating realistic portrayals of animals – both real and fantastical.
In this guide, we will be adding fur to a large, black, fantastical beast using Photoshop. To enhance your work, you might want to use some of the best Photoshop brushes. And for more drawing tuts, covering everything from animals to landscapes, see our how to draw post.
Read on for Mikaël Léger’s tutorial.
Click on the icon at the top-right to enlarge the images.
01. Prepare your canvas
Using bristle-type brushes, I paint big strokes that follow the volumes and fur direction. Then, without flattening established volumes, I use scattering-type texture brushes to blend elements and give the illusion of fur. Once I’m happy with the overall shape I blend the outer edges with the background using the Mixer Brush tool.
I paint using values and brightness to define volumes. If you colour pick a black fur photo, you’ll see that the darks range between two and 30 per cent brightness, and the light areas between 31 and 70 per cent. Highlights could be in the 80 per cent range.
Black fur is colourful, but the colour itself doesn’t matter much as long as I’m consistent when keeping the temperature organised: cool colours in the light and warms in the shadows. This could be inverted depending on the overall colour scheme.
I make sure the saturation of each area is consistent with its respective brightness. Saturation will depend on the light situation. I go with a rather saturated fur on mine, but whatever the overall saturation you chose, you should stay consistent. Keep the shadow more saturated than the light. Basically, the darker the area, the more saturated it will be.
02. Start with silhouettes
First, draw each element’s silhouettes. For the base fur, I use a cool colour at around 60 per cent saturation and 25 per cent brightness. On a new Layer that uses the silhouette layer as a Clipping Mask, I draw the shapes of the shadows. I keep my edges sharp, and think about the light direction and how it falls on the overall volumes and the subject’s anatomy.
03. Soften the edges
I add some colour variations to the silhouette and then with Photoshop’s default Chalk brush I start modelling the volumes and soften the shadow layer’s edges. If the edges are created by a cast shadow they’ll remain sharp; however, the form shadow’s edges will be soft. To avoid losing the initial shadow shape I soften the edges using a Layer Mask.
04. Use the chalk brush
With the big default Chalk brush, I start painting. Ignoring details, I use broad strokes to model the volumes, following the hair’s direction. I also refine the silhouette. Because of my overall colour scheme, I use cool colours in the light and warm ones in the shadows. Black fur is actually quite colourful: the darker the colour, the more saturated it’ll be. I don’t use pure black.
05. Refine the detail
I’m nearly finished, and so take care not to kill established volumes. I use a Chalk brush and a small Bristle brush (1 and 2) to refine details, and some fur texture brushes (3 and 4) to blend things together. With the Mixer Brush Tool and a Fan brush, I blend the silhouette edges with the background. Finally, I use adjustment layers to unify colours and push the contrasts.
How to create a scatter fur brush
Draw a couple of hairs to use as a brush preset. Define the Size and Opacity, set Scatter to pen pressure and the angle on the Direction setting. Set Count jitter around 50 per cent, Scatter on both axes around 100 per cent, and adjust the Size, Angle and Opacity Jitter.
