Absolute Beginner's Guide to Digital Photography

CHAPTER 11 ADVANCED SELECTION TOOLS 159

Follow these steps to acquaint yourself with the Pen tool:

1. Click on the Pen tool, and then click along an edge of a simple object in your
   drawing (see Figure 11.9). Move the mouse and click again. A line is created.


2. Continue tracing an object with the Pen tool (don’t worry about precision at
   this point), and then return to the starting point.


3. Click again and the selection will be enclosed.

Move to a new object that has some curves and try your hand at curved paths.

1. Click to set the first anchor.


2. Move the mouse to the next location where you’d like to create an anchor
   point. Click and hold down the mouse button, then drag the mouse (see
   Figure 11.10). You just created a second anchor point, but are modifying it so
   that it has a curve to it.


3. Click and drag again at the next anchor point. Notice that the direction in
   which you drag the handles will “lead” the path for the next anchor point.


4. You can influence the “lead” of the forward anchor handle by pressing down
   and holding the Alt (xfor Mac users) key. With the Alt key pressed, click on
   the forward handle and move it in the direction of the next anchor point,
   then release the mouse button and the Alt key. Continue with your anchor
   points (see Figure 11.11).


5. Return to the starting point of your path and click. Choose Window, Paths to
   access the Path palette.

FIGURE 11.9
Drawing a line
with the Pen
tool.