I've created a drawing with the pen tool (finally learned how to use it properly!) but like... how do I actually use what I've drawn!? It's not an object you can highlight/grab/move/colour/layer/ANYTHING!
Anyone fairly Photoshop savvy? Need a hand...
- Thread starter Mattayus
- Start date
ahjteam
Anssi Tenhunen
define "use"? to like export it as picture and post on facebook?
then there is also the rtfm method that usually solves 90% of these things.
then there is also the rtfm method that usually solves 90% of these things.
No I mean it's not like an object I can do anything to. For example if I colour it, it just ignores that a picture is even there and just colours the background. I can't put layer effects on it, highlight it, or anything
Steven Otto
Member
Have you tried rendering it?
Render the layer or something like that. I'm not sure about the name.
Render the layer or something like that. I'm not sure about the name.
StefTD
Member
Did you draw it on the background layer? Than all the things would be just on one layer and if you fill it
it would just fill the whole layer and not just the parts you've drawn. That way you would also get problems
with the layer effects. But I am not 100% sure if I got what you meant.
If I want to draw something, I open a new file, doubleclick the background layer to transform it into a
normal layer and than I always add a new empty layer and start drawing on that layer because every
part where I haven't drawn anything is empty and transparent, but you still see the white or whatever
color the original background layer has.
I hope you get what I mean, I just red 300 pages of stuff about logodesign for my diploma...
it would just fill the whole layer and not just the parts you've drawn. That way you would also get problems
with the layer effects. But I am not 100% sure if I got what you meant.
If I want to draw something, I open a new file, doubleclick the background layer to transform it into a
normal layer and than I always add a new empty layer and start drawing on that layer because every
part where I haven't drawn anything is empty and transparent, but you still see the white or whatever
color the original background layer has.
I hope you get what I mean, I just red 300 pages of stuff about logodesign for my diploma...
Atheist
Who'r u calling a Junior?
There are lots of thing you can do with paths in Photoshop... Grab a path selection tool and right click on the path you made with pen tool. You'll have "make selection", "stroke path" and "fill path". Useful but don't really get the "moveable object" (photoshop is not really object oriented app cause it more of a raster than vector oriented).
More useful thing, and the main advantage of pen tool is to make a vector mask. Make a new empty layer, go to Edit->Fill and fill it with a color. Now do the right click with path selection tool (or even the pen tool it self) on the you path again and choose "create vector mask". Now you have one filled layer with a vector mask, but it will act as a vector object and you can move it or modify it with path selection and pen tool.
While working with paths you'll want to have paths panel (go to Window->Paths) open.
More useful thing, and the main advantage of pen tool is to make a vector mask. Make a new empty layer, go to Edit->Fill and fill it with a color. Now do the right click with path selection tool (or even the pen tool it self) on the you path again and choose "create vector mask". Now you have one filled layer with a vector mask, but it will act as a vector object and you can move it or modify it with path selection and pen tool.
While working with paths you'll want to have paths panel (go to Window->Paths) open.
StefTD
Member
Layer>Rasterize then go to Layer
but only if you're done with the pen part of it. you could duplicate the pen layer or save it to another file for safe keeping.
but only if you're done with the pen part of it. you could duplicate the pen layer or save it to another file for safe keeping.
Nope, still totally fuckin baffled.
Here's the .psd file if anyone wants to tell me what the fuck I'm doing wrong -> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4128689/Skull Pen.psd
Here's the .psd file if anyone wants to tell me what the fuck I'm doing wrong -> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4128689/Skull Pen.psd
Ok so I've been informed by a friend who looked at the .psd file that it's blank 
Why the fuck is that? (and that's another problem, if I save and re-open my pen drawing is gone)
Why the fuck is that? (and that's another problem, if I save and re-open my pen drawing is gone)
xFkx
gain induction
the pen tools is really crippled in photoshop, of course the drawing is gone since if you didn't turn it into a shape layer, so it was just a temporary selection. Get illustrator, i think it will suit you better for what your after i guess. After all.. PHOTOshop has it's roots in photography manipulation, not vector drawing.
Atheist
Who'r u calling a Junior?
Ok, try doing what I've already told you.
I don't know what you are trying to do, but for example:
-Select a brush tool and select a diameter of 20px and 100% hardness. Also set the flow and opacity to 100%
-Select a black color from the swathes palette
-Go to Paths palette and click on the skull path
-In a path palette there's a small button with a circle on it: Click on it!
-Click somewhere in the blank area of the path palette under the skull path's thumbnail to deselect the path so you can start admiring your work
Now go and RTFM!
EDIT: You file is just fine, you just have to do what I told you with it.
I don't know what you are trying to do, but for example:
-Select a brush tool and select a diameter of 20px and 100% hardness. Also set the flow and opacity to 100%
-Select a black color from the swathes palette
-Go to Paths palette and click on the skull path
-In a path palette there's a small button with a circle on it: Click on it!
-Click somewhere in the blank area of the path palette under the skull path's thumbnail to deselect the path so you can start admiring your work
Now go and RTFM!
EDIT: You file is just fine, you just have to do what I told you with it.
I did that and it didn't really work. It did but it filled it in a bit weird.
Stroking the path (lol?) gave better results though as it just kinda gave it an outline that's almost usable. It's just a shame I can't get the level of detail I was going for.
Adobe Illustrator probably seems more like what I need (for logos/graphics etc)
Stroking the path (lol?) gave better results though as it just kinda gave it an outline that's almost usable. It's just a shame I can't get the level of detail I was going for.
Adobe Illustrator probably seems more like what I need (for logos/graphics etc)
arv_foh
Brian K
Sloan
Sounds like shit!
I think there are a few FREE alternatives to Illustrator for working with vector art.
FYI incase you don't know, vectors can be resized to whatever the fuck size you want, so for screenprinting etc, they are preferable since the image quality is retained at HUGE AS FUUUCK sizes.
Raster/bitmap stuff gets nasty when you enlarge it. ex: zoom in on a jpg.
INKSCAPE is free: http://inkscape.org/
I've had Illustrator for like 5 years and just started using it this year. Now I wish I had never waited as long. lol.
FYI incase you don't know, vectors can be resized to whatever the fuck size you want, so for screenprinting etc, they are preferable since the image quality is retained at HUGE AS FUUUCK sizes.
Raster/bitmap stuff gets nasty when you enlarge it. ex: zoom in on a jpg.
INKSCAPE is free: http://inkscape.org/
I've had Illustrator for like 5 years and just started using it this year. Now I wish I had never waited as long. lol.
