Use a clipping path to create transparency

Use a clipping path to create transparency that layout programs can recognize.

Some page layout programs display and print the transparent portions of an image as white unless you define those areas using a clipping path. A clipping path lets you isolate the nontransparent portion of your image so that layout programs print the image as expected. A clipping path masks anything outside its boundary, through all layers of the image, making those areas transparent.

In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the area you want to be transparent.

Using a selection tool, select the nontransparent portion of the image. If it is easier, you can select the transparent area (or the area you want to be transparent) and choose Select > Inverse to reverse the selection.

Click the Paths tab to bring the Paths palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Paths.

Click the Make Work Path button at the bottom of the Paths palette. Photoshop converts your selection to a path and displays it in the palette.

Double-click the Work Path name. In the Save Path dialog box, type a name for the path, and click OK.

Click the menu arrow on the top-right corner of the Paths palette and choose Clipping Path from the menu. In the Clipping Path dialog box, make sure the path you just created is listed for Path, leave Flatness blank, and click OK. The path name in the palette changes to bold type (Windows) or outline type (Mac OS) to indicate that the path is a clipping path. You see no other indication that the area will be clipped.

Save the file.

If the page layout program cannot place PSD files, choose File > Save As.

In the Save As dialog box, choose the appropriate format from the Format menu. For printing to non-PostScript printers, choose TIFF. For printing to PostScript printers, choose Photoshop EPS. Then click Save.

In the TIFF Options or EPS Options dialog box, set the options as noted below. Leave any remaining options at their default setting, and click OK.

• TIFF Options dialog box: set Image Compression to None.
• EPS Options dialog box (Windows): set Preview to TIFF (8 bits/pixel) and Encoding to ASCII85.
• EPS Options dialog box (Mac OS): set Preview to Mac (8 bits/pixel) and Encoding to ASCII85.

Note: If the layout program displays transparent areas as white, try printing the document. Some layout programs do not display clipping paths properly, but print them as expected.

If you experience printing errors, choose Clipping Path again, choose the same path, and set a Flatness value between 8 and 10 for high-resolution printers (over 600 dpi), and between 1 and 3 for low-resolution printers (600 dpi and lower).

Stroke a path

Stroke a path to add it to your image.

A path created with the pen or shape tools does not become an image element until you stroke or fill it. The stroke uses the current attributes of the Brush tool, so before stroking a path, you need to select the Brush tool and set its characteristics.

Click the Path Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Direct Selection tool ), and select the path. (If the path is not currently visible, select it in the Paths palette. If you haven't saved the path, it will be the Work Path.)

Click the Brush tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, choose a brush size and style from the Brush pop-up palette.

Click the Foreground color to open the Color Picker dialog box.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.

In the Paths palette, choose Stroke Path from the palette menu.

In the Stroke Path dialog box, select Brush from the Tool pop-up menu and click OK. Photoshop applies the stroke to the shape you drew.

Set options for the shape tools

Set options for drawing shapes and paths using the shape tools.

When you select a shape tool in the toolbox, the options bar at the top of the work area gives you three shape options: Shape Layer, Paths, and Fill Pixels. Shape Layer and Paths are both vector options and give you more freedom to manipulate the shape before you commit it to pixels on the page. You can resize a vector shape, modify its contours, and transform it (for example scale, rotate, or skew it). It is important to understand the difference between these shape options, because the shapes they create have very different characteristics.

Shape Layer  Creates a layer mask. The layer has two components: the shape, which defines the boundary of the mask, and a fill, which appears only within the shape. The Layers palette displays thumbnails for both the shape and fill. The shape is like a window over the fill. If you delete the shape from the layer, the fill fills the entire layer.

Paths  Creates a path, which has no pixels associated with it and which is independent of the current layer. Think of the path as a stencil. While you can use its shape to add a stroke or fill to the image, the path remains separate from those pixels. If you move the path, the stroke or fill stays where it was drawn. You can stroke or fill the same path again and again in different locations and on different layers. Paths are stored in the Paths palette; each path you draw gets added to the Work Path. You can save and name paths to make them easier to select and use.

Fill Pixels  Creates a shape filled with pixels. Once you release the mouse, you can modify the shape only after drawing a selection boundary around it using a selection tool. It is a good idea to draw new shapes on separate layers. This allows you to more easily select, modify, and move them without disturbing other elements in the image.

Set brush pressure sensitivity for digitizing tablet

Set brush sensitivity if you are using a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet, such as the Wacom® tablet.

Select the Brush tool , the Pencil tool , or other painting tool in the toolbox.

Click the Brushes tab to bring the Brushes palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Brushes.

To make the tool tip size change with pressure, select Shape Dynamics (be sure to click the word, not just the check box) in the Brushes palette. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls pop-up menu under the Size Jitter slider control.

To make the opacity change with pressure, select Other Dynamics. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls pop-up menu under the Opacity Jitter slider control.

Note: You can set Pen Pressure for other brush characteristics as well. The Brush palette contains controls that vary the angle, flow, scatter, texture depth, and roundness of the stroke depending upon the pen pressure. 

Get the brush cursor back

Get the brush cursor back.

The painting tools have three possible cursors: the standard cursor (the icon from the toolbox), a cross hair , and a cursor sized to match the currently selected brush tip. The Caps Lock key toggles the cursor for pen and brush tools from the standard cursor to a cross hair. Press the Caps Lock key to return the cursor to its standard shape.

To change the default shape of cursors for painting and other tools, choose Edit > Preferences > Display and Cursors. Select the desired cursors in both the Painting Cursors area and the Other Cursors area. The sample cursors changes to reflect your choices. Click OK.

Edit a brush

Edit a brush using the Brushes palette and the New Brush Preset command.

You cannot directly edit a brush preset. However, you can select a preset, change the settings, and create a new brush based on those settings. Photoshop adds the new brush preset to the Brushes palette.

Select the Brush tool in the toolbox.

Click the Brushes tab to bring the brushes palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Brushes.

Select Brush Presets at the top of the Brushes palette. Then, select the brush preset that you want to change.

Select Brush Tip Shape and change the settings as desired. To view additional settings, click the option name on the right side of the palette.

When you are satisfied with the brush settings, click the Create New Brush button at the bottom of the palette.

In the Brush Name dialog box, type a name for the brush, and then click OK. Photoshop adds the new brush preset to the Brushes palette, using the new settings.

Draw a path

Draw a path using the Pen tool.

To draw a path with the Pen tool, you click to set anchor points for the path, and Photoshop draws lines between the points (called segments). To draw a curve, you click and drag, which both sets a point of the path and adjusts the shape of the curve. Unlike elements you draw with the Brush or Pencil tool, a path has no pixels associated with it, so you must fill or stroke it before it becomes part of your image.

Select the Pen tool in the toolbox.

In the options bar at the top of the work area, click the Paths button .

In the document window, click to set the first point of the path for a straight line. To set the first point of a curve, drag in the direction you want the path to curve.

To create a straight line, click where you want the endpoint of the line. To create a curve, move the pointer to the location for the next point, and drag away from the point. The curve changes shape as you drag. Notice the direction lines that appear and move with the mouse.

Click or drag to continue adding points. To delete the point you just added, press the Backspace key (Windows) or Delete key (Mac OS).

To close a shape, position the pointer over the first point. When a circle appears next to the pointer, click (for a straight segment) or drag (for a curve).

To adjust a curve, click the Direct Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Path Selection tool ). Then select the curve. The direction lines of the anchor points on either side of the curve appear. Drag the endpoints of the direction lines until you are satisfied with the curve.

You can add or delete points using the Add Anchor Point and Delete Anchor Point tools (found under the Pen tool). 

Draw a doughnut or wheel shape

Draw a doughnut shape using the Subtract from Shape button.

The Subtract from Shape button lets you cut out a shape within an existing shape so that the layers underneath show through. While this procedure shows you how to create a doughnut-like shape, you can duplicate this technique using any combination of the shape tools, including custom shapes.

Select the Ellipse tool in the toolbox. It may be hidden by one of the other shape tools or the Line tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, select the Shape Layer button .

Drag in the document window to draw the shape. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the ellipse to a circle.

In the options bar, select the Subtract from Shape Area button .

Drag within the new shape to create the cutout. Once you release the mouse, the image underneath the new shape shows through.

To reposition either shape, click the Path Selection tool in the toolbox (it may be hidden by the Direct Selection tool ), and select the path. Drag it to its new location or use the arrow keys on the keyboard to nudge it a pixel at a time.

Draw a custom shape

Draw using a custom shape.

Select the Custom Shape tool in the toolbox. It may be hidden by another shape tool or the Line tool .

In the options bar at the top of the work area, select the Shape Layer button .

Select a shape from the Custom Shape pop-up palette in the options bar. If you don't find a shape you want in the palette, click the arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, and choose a different category of shapes. When asked to replace current shapes, click either Replace to view only the shapes in the new category or Append to add to the shapes already displayed.

Click the color swatch in the options bar.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.

In the document window, drag to draw the shape. To maintain the proportions of the original shape, hold down the Shift key while dragging.

Draw a circle or square

Draw a circle or square.

You can draw a circle or square using the elliptical or rectangular marquee tools, and then add a line (called a stroke) to the selection marquee. Stroking a selection is a quick way to add a border or frame around an object. While this procedure shows you how to use the stroke command to draw a circle or square, you can stroke any selection you create with the selection tools.

In the Layers palette, click the New Layer button to create a new layer for the circle or square. Isolating the circle or square on its own layer makes it easier to work with.

Select the Elliptical Marquee tool or the Rectangular Marquee tool in the toolbox.

Drag in the document window to create the shape. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the shape to a circle or square.

Choose Edit > Stroke.

In the Stroke dialog box, type a value for Width, and then click the color swatch to display the Color Picker dialog box.

In the Color Picker dialog box, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.

Set the location for the stroke in relationship to the marquee by choosing Inside, Center, or Outside. Adjust the other settings as desired and click OK. Photoshop strokes the line using the color and stroke settings you set.