SECTION HEAD
The
Mission
- Create a cut-out with the
Pen tool and drop it into
a new composite image
Time
- 30 minutes
Skill level
- Intermediate
Kit needed
- Photoshop CC
Unleash the power of Pen
James Patterson shows how to create a simple composite
in Photoshop CC and get to grips with the mighty Pen tool
It might be one of the trickier
tools on offer in Photoshop, but
the Pen tool rewards those who
persevere with a level of control
like no other. It works by letting
you plot a series of anchor points,
each of which spouts control
handles that let you determine
the curvature of the line.
At first it might seem
complicated and unwieldy, but
with a little practice the controls
become second nature. In this
tutorial we’ll use the Pen tool to
trace around a car then, once
done, we’ll use a layer mask to
hide its original background
and drop in an entirely new one.
There are different selection
tools for different tasks in
Photoshop. For example, if
you want to make a very rough
selection, then you might use
the Lasso tool, and if you want
to select a portion of an image
like a sky then it’s usually best to
use the Quick Selection tool. By
contrast, the Pen tool isn’t meant
for intricate selections with lots
of fuzzy detail. Instead it excels
at isolating hard-edged, curvy
objects, like our car here.
It’s worth noting, too, that the
tool is equally adept at creating
shapes as it is at selecting them,
which is why it’s beloved by
graphic designers and art editors.
When using the tool, there are a
few vital keyboard shortcuts
that speed things up, and it’s
worth spending time to learn
these straight off the bat.
ADOBE CC
Project^ five:^ Adobe^ CC
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