Need a little help with pen tool

[ArtmakersWorlds]

So, bit rusty with photoshop, my daughter wants a logo. Ok, I can do that. But trying to make a very simple curved line, OH MY GOD!

Now I do know how to use vector tools. Don't need help with handles and points etc. What I NEED is how to make my curve, then actually give it a stroke so it's a line! Stuck in the mud I am.
I know most people use this tool as an editing, cut out kinda thing. Again I don't need that, I just want to make a nice smooth curve line.
First stop was youtube, and tutorials. So far only tried two and BOTH show controls I DO NOT HAVE!
I put a few screen shots up here. First (low res, sorry,) off a youtube video showing settings, set to line, or fill, etc.
But then look at MY tools. I have NOTHING LIKE THAT.

Playing around with the tool I draw my arch, great. HOW DO I MAKE THAT A STROKE? OR..... darn it all, now how do I GET RID OF THE THING? It doesn't land on a layer, nothing to erase, or select, or delete. Had to use history and just back up.
Frustration level is at an all time high here, time to ask for help.

Using Adobe Photoshop CS5 version 12.0.4

 

[Rich54]

I have CS5, too. Here's how to stroke a path:

More importantly... I went to the racetrack today and bet on a horse whose name matched a street address where I used to live. It felt like destiny was calling me and I bet $20 to win, paying 8-1 odds. My horse was leading the entire race but lost in a photo-finish (actual photo from today's race, below) by inches.

Anyway, to stroke a path, first activate the Brush tool and choose the desired color, size and hardness of your stroke.
Then go to the paths palette, activate your path and click on the little icon where I drew a red arrow.

Edit: You can also right-click in the paths palette and select "stroke path".

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Ok, tried. Got my brush, went to the pallets window, only MY little icon where your pointing has that universal NO sign, line across a circle as soon as I hoover over it. Tried to get a screenshot but that icon vanishes when I do.

BTW.... years ago I dispatched limos in Chicago. One of our drivers went to the harness races all the time. Asked if I wanted to bet. I asked if there was a horse with my name, there was. Later over the radio so he had to be a bit cryptic, he told me "Jenny is a very slow moving thing." Guess it came in last.... my one and only attempt at betting on a horse.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Also, looking at photoshop again, my entire paths pallet is blank.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

AH HAAAAAAA. Had to add an adjustment layer. I think I got it, thanks.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Ok, not quite there yet. Did this a few times now, made the adjustment layer, stroked my line ok, but..... HOW does one edit the path? I cannot grab a handle or point with anything. Photoshop really never was any good with their vector tools. I SO miss good old freehand. one tool did it all.

 

[Rich54]

Let's make sure you're not confusing vector paths created by using the Pen Tool vs. the vector shapes you can make with the Shape tool. What I'm discussing here—and what I thought you meant—is that you created a customized curved path using the Pen Tool, and you now want to stroke that path.

In the example below, you can use the Pen Tool to create any kind of open or closed vector path. Once you do that, the path you created will show up in the Paths Palette as your current Work Path. You can save this path by assigning it a name. To give it a stroke, follow the steps I gave above.

To edit this path, select the Convert Point tool that is one of the embedded tools in the Pen Tool family. This allows you to move any of the anchor points or change the shape of the curves. If you don't remember these tools, check out any introductory tutorials on the use of the Pen Tool.





A completely separate conversation is that you can also create vector shapes using the Shape Tools, which have vector rectangles, circles, etc.
When you use those tools, they appear on their own layer, such as the red vector ellipse I just made below. To edit this kind of vector shape, go to Edit>Transform Path and/or Edit>Free Transform Path.
To apply a stroke to this, click on the little fx icon at the bottom of the layers palette and choose "stroke".

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

ahhhhh ok, very helpful. Thank you SO much. This sure will be easier than what I was trying with of all things, cropping tools.

 

[IamSam]

Then go to the paths palette, activate your path and click on the little icon where I drew a red arrow.

Just curious because it's been too long ago for me, with the Pen Tool selected, in CS5 can you right click near the path and choose "Stroke Path"?



Then you get a window with tool selections and simulate pressure option...

 

[Rich54]

Just curious because it's been too long ago for me, with the Pen Tool selected, in CS5 can you right click near the path and choose "Stroke Path"?

View attachment 128645

Then you get a window with tool selections and simulate pressure option...
View attachment 128646

Yes, you can do this in CS5. If you look at my post #2 above, I added this as an edited afterthought after I initially posted my reply.

 

[IamSam]

If you look at my post #2 above, I added this as an edited afterthought after I initially posted my reply.

Well..........I did see that, but you stated........

Edit: You can also right-click in the paths palette and select "stroke path".

Which I can do as well.


So I was not sure if it could do what I described in post #9.

with the Pen Tool selected, in CS5 can you right click near the path and choose "Stroke Path"?

Just so I'm clear, I'm referring to using the Pen Tool and right clicking on or near the actual path located in the document and not right clicking the path layer in the paths palette. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Rich54]

Just so I'm clear, I'm referring to using the Pen Tool and right clicking on or near the actual path located in the document and not right clicking the path layer in the paths palette. Sorry for any confusion.

Aha! I did not catch that distinction. I tried it and—yes—you can do what you say about right-clicking on the image itself near the actual path on the document. I never knew you could do that until just now.

 

[IamSam]

OK, thanks! For me this is the most common method I use in order to stroke a path.

The Pen Tool is the best option to create curved lines. But if I were creating a logo, I would never use the Brush Tool to stroke my line work or a path, it's going to alias and it's not editable. I would create shapes, Pen Tool set to shape, or filled paths via "fill path", and stroke using the shape stroke option or a layer style stroke option. If you only want a stroke, you can lower the fill of the shape layer to 0% and be left with just a stroke.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

IamSam I agree on using the pen tool. I learned on Freehand (replaced by illustrator) Even taught a class in vector art once using it. So I know all about the advantages of paths. Just never bothered to figure out the tools in photoshop. Any time I needed vector art I would just open my old copy of freehand, do what I needed and import to photoshop.
But my old version is gone, several computers ago. Illustrator frustrates me no end. Too many tools to do what one should be able to do.

But this forum has already been very helpful. I might actually use this tool more now.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Ok, problem. Got my path, got the convert tool, and though I can grab handles and move my stroke around that way, I cannot seem to grab a point and move it.

I even tried deleting the point, which of course snaps my line in a whole new position, then adding a point but still.... I cannot MOVE that point.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Fiddling with assorted pen tools got a point to move, now.... Back when I used Freehand, I could select a group of points and move them all. Not the whole shape, not the handles, just the points.
Is there any way to do that in photoshop?

I'm making a big fat letter R with a design inside, all I'm trying to do is move that one lower right line of the R. Bend it a tad. Again this would be easy if I could grab say 3 points and move them all, can't find a way.

 

[Rich54]

Within the Pen Tool family, activate the Convert Point tool (see image).
Hold down the Ctrl key and click on any anchor point to move that anchor point.

As far as I'm aware, you cannot simultaneously select multple anchor points and move them using this technique (in CS5). However, when the Pen path is active, try going to Edit>Transform Path or Edit>Free Transform Path. Possibly some of the available manipulations in there will do what you want.

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

Ok, first thanks for being so patient with me. Next issue.
So Im working on a complicated path, and for what ever reason stopped before I finish. HOW do I pick up where I left off?

 

[ArtmakersWorlds]

And another question....
So I made a closed path, want to add a piece. Just assumed it would create a new work path but no, landed on the one already done. I will eventually want to fill these and move one behind the other. So how do I get path 2 onto it's own path layer? Does that make sense.
Lets say I draw a ball and a square, and I want the square to overlap the ball. with a black stroke and say brown fill, I don't want to see the stroke of the object behind the other.

 

[Rich54]

When you create a path with the Pen tool, it initially appears in the paths palette with the name Work Path. Unless you save it, it will be overwritten the next time you use the pen tool. You can save the path by assigning it a name—in this case I named it Path 1.

If you click anywhere in the empty gray area of the paths palette, it will de-select the path. (There is probably a keyboard shortcut for this, but I don't know it.)
To re-select the path, activate it in the Paths Palette exactly the same way that you would to activate a layer in the Layers palette.




Once your path is activated, you can add or delete anchor points by selecting the Add or Delete tools in the image below. To add an anchor point, click anywhere on the path. To delete a point, choose the delete tool and click on the anchor point to be eliminated.

View attachment 128655



These Add and Delete tools will work on an open-ended path, as well. But, to the best of my knowledge, you cannot add a new anchor point before point #1 or after point #4. You can only add new anchor points somewhere between points 1 and 4.





Regarding your question about two separate paths (the ball and the square, in your example)...
Let's say you've created the square path. Save the path by assigning it a name and then de-select it by clicking in the empty parts of the paths palette. Once the path is de-selected, any new path you create with the Pen tool will be it's own, independent thing.