HOME | DD
Popo-Licious β
Pen Tool Tutorial
Published: 2010-04-07 22:50:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 188319; Favourites: 9444; Downloads: 6368
Redirect to original
Description
Pen Tool Video TutorialHair Coloring Tutorial
If you have any questions, leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer! :3 (And if you use my tutorial, I would be very happy if you could send me a link to your work so I can praise you!) XD
βNotes and Extras
Adobe Photoshop CS III
Please do not redistribute this tutorial.
Art Β© =Popo-Licious
Related content
Comments: 2261
I'm very new to Photoshop, and it seems like I'm learning slower than my art projects would like XD
But yeah, I did create a Background copy and a Layer 1, but, silly me, started drawing on the Background copy instead of L1- the whole time my Background original sitting back and laughing as I did it all wrong! ^^
I'm bummed b/c I spent a few hours doing the line art, and now I have to redo it all, but I'm not too disappointed b/c at least I have a pretty easy time using the pen tool.
Thank you for your help!!
π: 0 β©: 1
All is not lost! If you used the pen tool, and you made new paths instead of deleting the old ones, you can still use those paths in the new piece. In fact, what I would suggest if yous till have them is to simply make a new layer in the old document, click each path, and re-stroke.
π: 0 β©: 1
What if there's nothing under Paths? I'm not familiar with Paths, so I didn't think to use any.
π: 0 β©: 1
If you used the pen tool, you've automatically used paths. Go to Windows > Paths and see what's under there. :3
π: 0 β©: 1
Strange. I did this and still nothing came up :/
I'm sorry for our going back and forth like this- I am woefully inexperienced concerning PS
π: 0 β©: 1
It's okay! I love to help and problem solve, so this is actually fun for me. XD
So when you say that nothing came up, do you mean that the path box didn't come up, or that there were no entries in the path box? Photoshop likes to dock similar menus together, so if you still have your box with layers open, there might be a tab that actually says Paths somewhere.
If you scroll down my tutorial, look for the section with a big "1" and "2" (towards the end) and you should see a screenshot of the layers window. See if you have tabs along the top, like the image in the tutorial depicts. (mine shows Layers, Channels, Paths.) :3
π: 0 β©: 1
Okay, that's a relief, 'cos we may be here a while! ^^ Jk
I do have the Layers, Channels and Paths boxes showing up on the bottom right-hand side, but when I click on Paths there are no entries- and I think I may have found out why.
Whenever I Stroke a Path, I'll afterward click "Delete Path" in order to get rid of the anchors and such so that the line art is all that shows. I recall seeing that on your tutorial, but it's possible I'm doing it incorrectly/in the improper order/etc.
π: 0 β©: 1
Ah! Yep, that's the issue. If you go back to that section of the tutorial, you'll notice that I've listed two ways to remove anchors. You can delete the paths, but the preferred method is to simply use the "new path" button to so you can save the old paths for later. Give it a read, and let me know if you have more questions! Unfortunately, this means that you'll have to start over. Sorry! D:
π: 0 β©: 1
Ahh... I forgot about that :/
Oh, well, at least I've learned something I'm sure I won't forget again!
Thanks for the help! ^^
π: 0 β©: 0
The YouTube video was nice, and easy to follow. I always get frustrated when changing the shape dynamics to 'fade' and having to basically guess the length the fade will come out to for parts like the hair strands. I guess what makes the whole process frustrating is having to constantly change the 'fade' settings. You were basically using the same settings in shape dynamics for the pen pressure given that the minimum diameter was slightly larger in most cases.
Nice process.
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you! I'm glad I could help. :3
π: 0 β©: 0
This is SO wonderful! Thank you!~
I just recently got CS5 Portable; I've only worked with Photoshop while doing Selective Coloring, which is a very different thing than drawing with PS.
I wanted to start with the basics, as well as figure out a way I could create nice, clean, good-looking lines without having to own a tablet (I just don't have the money to buy one), and since I briefly came across the pen tool, not knowing what it was or what it did, I'm very thankful I came across your tutorial!
Thank you for the help, and even though I have months ahead of me to get even the basics down of painting/etc with PS, I feel like I have a good start already!
Thank you so much!
~LCB
π: 0 β©: 0
Absolutely incredible! Thanks so much, you rock <3
π: 0 β©: 1
You're welcome! Glad to help!
π: 0 β©: 0
YOU. You are my best friend. I've been looking forever for a way to outline my things in photoshop and you have given me the answer. <3 I've heard someone say they use the line tool, but I had no idea how it worked.
Thank you SO SO SO SO SO SO SO much for making this. It explains so much. <3
π: 0 β©: 1
Awwww!
You're welcome! I'm so glad I could help! Please let me know if you have any questions! >w<
π: 0 β©: 0
LOVE.YOU.! This turtorial saved my day!
π: 0 β©: 1
Welcome, it's very helpful
π: 0 β©: 0
Thanks for looking! >w<
π: 0 β©: 0
Ahh, how come I can't find the Simulate Pressure check box in my photoshop? I have the really old Photoshop 6, by the way. And also, how did you make the pen strokes pink and green?
π: 0 β©: 1
If you want to change the color of the line that you're drawing, just change the color as you normally would using the Color Selector/Palette. (If you can pick colors, but they show up black or gray, you're probably in Grayscale mode.) If you mean how did I change the color of the path (the part you can manipulate), I did that by hand for the purpose of making the tutorial easier to view. ;3 I don't think you can actually do that with Photoshop. XD
If you don't have the Simulate Pressure check box, it could be missing for two reasons. One, you don't have a tablet, so there's no pressure to simulate, or two, pressure sensitivity with the pen tool is not supported in earlier versions of Photoshop.
π: 0 β©: 1
Oh okay, I think I see the problem. Thanks for the help!
π: 0 β©: 0
thanks for this tutorial.
Iam a nub at PS and this makes me understand the pen tool better.
Lots of 
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you! Glad to help out! >w<
π: 0 β©: 0
Thanks so much for the tutorial. The pen tool still scares me a bit but here's my first shot. I think I'm going to have to practice lot before that tool makes sense xD
[link]
π: 0 β©: 1
Wooo! Awesome! I'm glad I could help! >w<
π: 0 β©: 0
Is there anyway to make it so the anchors are more visible? I'm working over a drawing that i scanned and it's near impossible to see where the paths are.
Very informative tutorial here, I'm new to photoshop but i've been using gimpshop's path tools and it's much more of a change than i expected.
π: 0 β©: 1
Hmm! I think if you go to Edit > Preferences > Grids/Guides/Rulers/Etc. you might be able to change the path color. What I do--whether I'm using the pen tool or working free hand--is put layer filled with white between the sketch and the layer I actually want to draw on, and set the white layer to between 50-70% opacity. You can still see the sketch, but you can see you're tools and lineart much better. :3
π: 0 β©: 1
Okay thank you! Works great!
π: 0 β©: 0
thank god, this just saved me trying to find another program to do the drawings with! It takes ages but the level of detail and control is so worth it. Brillliant tutorial
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you! I'm glad I was able to help! ;3
π: 0 β©: 0
Thanks so much for this tutorial! I'd gone through a million rying to find one that works, and this is it!
π: 0 β©: 1
Yay! I'm glad I could help you!
π: 0 β©: 1
You're welcome! ;3
π: 0 β©: 0
Awesome tutorial! I shall practice using the pen tool now. xD
π: 0 β©: 1
it's very helpful for me! Thank you! Have a nice day!
π: 0 β©: 1
Thanks for making this! Its helping me a great deal.
π: 0 β©: 1
Awesome! I'm happy to hear it!
π: 0 β©: 0
What a presentable yet Very Functional Tutorial! Thank you!
π: 0 β©: 1
Glad to help! Thanks for looking!
π: 0 β©: 0
<= Prev | | Next =>