Making selections with the pen tool photoshop tutorial

[t3ch]

Well it sucks. Here's a short tut on using the pen tool. For this tut I'll be using Travis71902's picture from here(http://www.massaddict.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149). Here it goes.
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Step 1: Open your image in Photoshop, and get the pen tool(p).

Step 2: Using the pen tool, make an anchor point anywhere on the pic where you plan on chopping it, by left clicking on the spot.

Step 3: Make another anchor point where you plan on chopping again, in a spot above, beside, etc. to your last anchor point.

Step 4:Now click somewhere on your line, to make an anchor point on the line. Then, holding down ctrl, drag it till it fits in place. You can make multiple anchor points on the line for precision fitting.

Step 5: Continue the procedure until you've selected the entire thing, then right click and hit "make selection". Then you're done

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So there is my tut, if I left anything out or you have problems, just ask here.

[Thrice]

Great tut. At first the pictures didn't show up so i was gonna make that suggestion, but now that the pics are shown it makes in an excellent tutorial. Should help a lot of people if they take the short time to follow this.

Well set out and explained.

[Thrice]

when clicking the ancor points, how do you make it so it doesn't fill with a colour? mine defaults to the foreground colour as shown in the pic.

[Biggie]

thats pretty much what i do with the lasso tool on PSP 9.it has that anchor point feature as an option when using the lasso tool

[Mr. Dan]

i always just freehand it
i'll try that anchor thing next time

[t3ch]

Originally Posted by OnceTwiceThrice

when clicking the ancor points, how do you make it so it doesn't fill with a colour? mine defaults to the foreground colour as shown in the pic.

Not sure why it would do that, never had the problem. Just in case, these are the settings I have my pen tool set to.

[Thrice]

Originally Posted by t3ch

Not sure why it would do that, never had the problem. Just in case, these are the settings I have my pen tool set to.

found the problem. i had the very left one selected, when i should of had the 2nd to left one selected. cheers.

[t3ch]

Originally Posted by OnceTwiceThrice

found the problem. i had the very left one selected, when i should of had the 2nd to left one selected. cheers.

So then how is it working out for you? For me, the pen tool is much better/easier than the lasso tool for precision. It took me about 10 minutes to get it all down though, and I don't even think I know all of it. This tut should be enough to get people started though.

[Thrice]

Originally Posted by t3ch

So then how is it working out for you? For me, the pen tool is much better/easier than the lasso tool for precision. It took me about 10 minutes to get it all down though, and I don't even think I know all of it. This tut should be enough to get people started though.

yeah it seems pretty good, i need to use it more. i use the lasso tool to make a rough outline, then finish it off with the eraser (can take a long time sometimes). So i think lasso will definitely be easier if i start using it more often.

[t3ch]

Can I get this placed into the tutorials section?

edit: and also get the title changed to something more "tutorial-ish"

[blazendizz]

i use this sumtimes

[TomWatts]

great tut going to try and use it more often

[Lord Nytmare]

I only ever use the lasso tool for quick work, If i'm doing a rough up to see what something will look like, otherwise its all the pen tool.

One thing you may find is that whatever you have cut (rendered), has a slight difference in colour in the last pixels round the edge. normally this happens because the pen tool will catch a little bit of the background in it's selection, so be as precise as you can in your anchor placement.

To clean up some of the problem, you will do this:

Go to the file menu and choose Layers >> Matting >> defringe
and set it to 1 or 2 pixels. what this does is recolour the outside pixels to the colour of pixel/s 1 point inwards.
Try it out with a high number and you will see exactly what it does.

[tx51210]

Originally Posted by Lord Nytmare

I only ever use he lasso tool for quick work, If i'm doing a rough up to see what something will look like, otherwise its all the pen tool.

One thing you may find is that whatever you have cut (rendered), has a slight difference in colour in the last pixels round the edge. normally rhis happens because the pen tool will catch a little bit of the background in it's selection so be as precise as you can in your anchor placement.

To clean up some of the problem, you will do this:

Go to the file menu and choose Layers >> Matting >> defringe
and set it to 1 or 2 pixels. what this does is relcolour the outside pixels to the colour of pixel/s 1 point inwards.
Try it out with a high number and you will see exactly what it does.

to clean this up a bit

Nice Tip.