Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers - Martin Evening [228]
Figure 9.60 To draw a curved segment, instead of clicking, mouse down and drag as you add each point. The direction and length of the handles define the shape of the curve between each path point.
With the ‘v’ shape (Figure 9.61) you can further practice making curved segments and adding corner points. These should be placed whenever you intend the next segment to break with the angle of the previous segment. In the niches of the ‘v’ shape, hold down the key and drag to define the predictor handle for the next curve segment.
Figure 9.61 When you create a curved segment the next handle will continue to predict a curve, continuing from the last curved segment. To make a break, you need to modify the curve point by converting it to a corner point. To do this, hold down the key, click on the path point and drag to create a new predictor handle going off in a new direction.
Pen tool shortcuts summary
To edit a pen path, you can use the key to temporarily convert the pen tool to the direct selection tool, which you can use to click on or marquee anchor points and reposition them. You can use the key to convert a curve anchor point to a corner anchor point (and vice versa). If you want to convert a corner point to a curve, you can + mouse down and drag. To change the direction of one handle only, you can drag on a handle. To add a new anchor point to an active path, you simply click on a path segment with the pen tool, and to remove an anchor point, you click on it again (these shortcuts are outlined again in Figure 9.62 opposite).
Figure 9.62 Shown here are the main tools you need to edit any pen path. However, with the pen tool (left) selected, you can access all of these tools without actually switching tools in the Tools panel. To add new continuing anchor points to an existing path just click with the pen tool. Instead of selecting the convert point tool (second along) you can use the shortcut, and instead of selecting the direct select tool (third along) you can use the key. To add an anchor point to an existing path, rather than select the add anchor point tool (fourth along) you can simply click on a path segment. To delete an anchor point, rather than select the delete anchor point tool (fifth along), you can click on an existing anchor point using the pen tool.
You can edit a straight line or curved segment by selecting the direct selection tool, clicking on the segment and dragging. With a straight segment the anchor points at either end will move in unison. With a curved segment, the anchor points remain fixed and you can manipulate the shape of the curve as you drag with the direct selection tool.
Rubber Band mode
There are a number of occasions where I find it necessary to use the pen tool to define an outline and then convert the pen path to a selection. In the end, the pen tool really is the easiest way to define many outlines and create a selection from the path. One way to make the learning process somewhat easier is to switch on the Rubber Band option which is hidden away in the Pen Options on the pen tool Options bar (Figure 9.63). In Rubber Band mode, you will see the segments you are drawing take shape as you move the mouse cursor and not just when you mouse down again to define the next path point. As I say, this mode of operation can make path drawing easier to learn, but for some people it can become rather distracting once you have got the basic hang of how to follow a complex outline using the various pen tools.