Creating Paths Using Shape Tools

You can create a path using the shape tools form the tool palette such as rectangle, round rectangle, ellipse, line, polygon and custom shapes.

To create a Path from a Shape and fill the path with a color select custom shapes tool and the path option, from the left of the tool options bar. Select the shape from the custom shapes library drop-down menu. Click and drag to draw the shapes path.

The shape becomes the work path in the paths palette.Choose the foreground color from the color picker. Click the fill path button from the paths palette.

To Stroke a path

Strokes are outlines and are similar to the fill task.

Select the brush tool from the tool palette. Choose window > brushes to open the brush palette and select the brush. Set the foreground color to your desired color. Click the stroke path button on the paths palette and the path will now show an outline around it.

To edit a path

Paths can be created in different ways, but are edited and manipulated in exactly the same way. There are two main tools for editing the paths,

• Path selection tool. To move, copy or delete paths.
• Direct selection tool. To reshape your paths, move anchor points, reshape curves and control adjustment handles.

To move the Entire path select the path selection tool to choose a path or point. All the anchor points are selected. You can copy, delete, or move a path to a new location using this tool. To move the entire paths just drag it with the mouse.

To edit individual points select the direct selection tool. The path is activated but no anchor points are selected. To select a group of anchor points click and drag the direct selection tool around a group of anchor points.

To edit a path select the direct selection tool from the tool palette. Click the path to activate it. Click an individual anchor point or a group of points. Drag the anchor point or click and drag the adjustment handles to edit the path.

Working with shapes

When you are drawing with the pen tool, or any of the other shape tools, three types of options are available.

• Shape layer. Creates a shape layer which is a vector mask.
• Path. Creates an editable path.
• Fill Pixels. Creates a solid area of color using the current foreground color. This is not editable and it is not a vector.