Drawing lines and box problem

[puppychew]

Hello - I have an architectural drawing of a house and I want to make some changes. It is an image of black lines on a white background.

I would like to create some rectangles and lines draw new windows etc.

My problem is that I am having trouble drawing a simple rectangle. I try using the line, pen, and rectangle tool and draw it on a new layer. I really do not need any color fill or effects.

1. Is there a way to have the outline edge a darker or thicker black?
2. I must be doing something wrong. I cannot turn off the layer. Then for some reason it disappears all together and can't get it back.

Lines etc is something I have never used - I would think it would be easy.

 

[IamSam]

There are two tools you can use to make lined rectangles. One is the Rectangular Marquee Tool.
Create a rectangle, right click, choose stroke, enter the width, color, location and hit ok.

The second tool is to use the Rectangle Tool.
Set up your Brush Tool to the hardness, size, and color of the stroke.
Choose the Rectangle Tool, set the tool mode to Path, create a rectangle, right click, choose stroke path, under tool set to Brush and hit OK.

 

[IamSam]

....2. I must be doing something wrong. I cannot turn off the layer. Then for some reason it disappears all together and can't get it back....

This sounds like a path. Command/control + H should hide or un-hide the last paths made. You can use your Path panel to view your paths. If you don't save each path and subsequent new paths on new path layers, then you will only see the last paths you created in one path layer. This is cumbersome if you ever need to just select one path for editing.

All the Shape Tools will create paths.

 

[puppychew]

Don't know what a path is

 

[IamSam]

Try this...

http://www.slideshare.net/clippingimage/tutorial-photoshop-paths-explained

 

[puppychew]

It worked perfectly thanks!