Pen Tool Path Management/ Add or Subtract Shape Area

[Mistro]

Hi everyone. I am using Photoshop CS2. I made a sketch of an urban graffiti scene and want to colorize it to give a visual for the client before I do the painting. I know how to use the pen tool to isolate the parts of the image but what I am having trouble with is the "inner shapes" of the paths or a path with multiple shapes to be used as a selection. A simple example is a doughnut. I can make the paths that make up the doughnut but when I make selection, only the outer path is activated.

I actually figured it out and got my main graffiti piece isolated by doing something with the "add or subtract to/from shape area" but now when I'm trying to do the same thing with the sky, I completely forgot what I did. The difference is that the graffiti had the holes on the inside of the shape like a doughnut and the sky is over a cityscape silhouette where the sky will be peeking through the legs of a water tower and between a bridge tower so they're not within the shape.

I tried setting the Add to shape before making the holes for the water tower but the option is not active. So I made the holes then..................can anyone please explain the workflow of making paths with multiple shapes to be used as a selection? Thanks in advance.

 

[IamSam]

Hi mistro,

Here's one way to do this.

I try to save all my paths anyway. If I know I just want to use them as selections, I work in the Paths Panel just as I would the Layers Panel. I place all my new paths on new path layers and name them. This way, I can return any time and use them to make selections.

These are paths for a doughnut.

 

[Mistro]

Thanks IamSam. What do you do when you want all the paths as an activated selection at once like a mask where the "hole paths" will do as you want them? Or is it best to work with one path at a time? Some images are complex with a lot of holes in them and I would like to just use one path layer for such a situation.

 

[IamSam]

Great question!

Just like the Layers Panel, you can Command + Click the Path Layers and turn them into selections, if you want to add a path/selection, just hold down the Option + Command keys and click on the path you would like to add to the selection.

However, you will find in some situations it's best to work with just one path at a time.

 

[IamSam]

If you need a intersecting path, you must use the Path Options, you must add the shift key on the second path/selection.

 

[Mistro]

This is what I have so far...

This is what I did yesterday. It is one path layer and all the holes activate when I do make selection. In fact I remember I did something before I made the path and saw the shape updating in the layer panel to reflect the correct shape.


This is the sky path before I did make selection. Note all lines are visible including the holes circled in red


This is what happens when I do make selection. Note the holes disappear and are not part of the selection


I would really like to work with the sky using the same method as the first image where everything is on one layer. I can just click that path and paint away with multiple versions. At what point do you use path options? I think that's where I'm getting confused because I remember using it before I made the first path and got my desired results but now I forgot how to use any path options before making the path. Feel like what I did last night was luck but I know there is a simple explanation.

In the mean time I will try the separate path layers and see if I follow. But even if I succeed at that, I still want to figure out the one layer method done in the first image.

 

[hawkeye]

You can go back afterwards and change the path operation. Use the direct selection tool (white arrow) to select the path you want to change then select the option you want from the drop down box.

 

[IamSam]

Here's another way.

Let me run another it past you.......

Here I have some graffiti (use your imagination).


Let's say I know I'm going to be making multiple changes to the Blue and Purple/Pinkish rectangles. I can use the technique I described above or I can make template that I can use over and over.

I simply add a new layer to my layers panel and name it Template.
Go to my Paths panel, select the path that represents the blue rectangle (command + click), go back to my layers panel and on the new layer (named Template) fill the selection with any color, I picked white. Deselect.


Filled.....


Do the same for the Purple/Pinkish rectangle. In your case you can add as many selections to the template as you desire.
Just turn off the template layer. Now I have a template for those two rectangles that I can command + click on anytime to make a multiple selection!



Selection from template....

 

[Mistro]

Hawkeye: Thanks for your tip. I managed to select the "holes" and click the add to shape area button with the direct select tool. I can now have all lines in one path layer and everything is selected. Mystery solved.

IamSam: Thank you so much for your help. I see the advantages to the method you show and will definitely be using that practice. I have more path layers to add to the graffiti and that's where your method is key. The first path was just for the base shape which is saved. I understand I have the paths saved in this psd but do not really understand how I can use these paths in other documents (make a path library).

 

[IamSam]

Like the name, when creating your path, use one layer and set your Path operations to Exclude overlapping shapes.

 

[IamSam]

Sorry Mistro, I led you down a rabbit hole!

I'm trying to multitask on my end and I should have asked you for a sample image first. May have saved us some time!

 

[IamSam]

Ok, on the skyline path, go to your path panel and make sure you save the path by double clicking the path layer. Make sure the skyline path layer is highlighted, select your pen tool, set the path operations to exclude overlapping shapes, add the new path. You can add many new paths to the saved path layer.

 

[Mistro]

Thanks again. Yes that is a very simple explanation. So I can make curves and edit them later, or I can set path operations as I go along correct?

 

[IamSam]

Correct. You can edit a path at any time using the Path selection or Direct selection tools.

Remember, you can have an open path or closed path. Your using closed paths.

As long as you save the original Path, you can add a new path (not edit the path) by using Path operations!