Anchor Point | Anything to Fix

Are you new in using Photoshop? Having Difficulties in using the traditional way of using “Pen Tool”? Click and Drag? Well no problem! ‘Coz I’ll be explaining here in this tutorial on how to use the Pen Tool in a different way, basics of all basics! Beginners of all beginners! I’ll be calling this the “CONNECT THE DOTS Style” – Pen Tool Intro: I’ve come up with this tutorial because, I myself, has been in the stage of being a beginner – self tutoring. I am glad that I’ve overcome this tool by providing it my ‘Own Way’ of using the pen tool. So here it goes.

(note: for images right click and show image = to show full image details)

Step 1:
– First we wanted to select a picture that we will work with the Pen Tool.
– As for my selection I’ll use this image to start with.
– Now select the Pen Tool ( We will be starting to ‘connect the dots’)

Step 2.
1. In this picture, we wanted to select the Image.(wood carving)
2. Select the Pen Tool.
3. Select the Pen Tool Option as “Path”
4. Trace the image you wanted to select/copy/cut by clicking the edges of the selected target.
5. Complete the Paths by selecting the last point into the first point of the paths.
(See screenshot for more references)

<blockquotstep 3:
6. Once done in tracing the edges of the desired image, we will now be selecting the “Add Anchor Point Tool” which is located in Pen Tool > Add Anchor Point Toole>
step 3

step 4:
7. It’s a good thing to use the “Add Anchor Point Tool” in a Zoomed workspace. So let’s zoom the image to a 200% ( depends on what close you wanted to work with, more detailed the image is, the better we can smooth things around).

Well ‘zooming’ also works well in “Add Anchor Point Tool” in detailing parts where many edges and curves are needed to be selected too.

step 5:
8. In this step, we can use “Add Anchor Point Tool” in any place we wanted to start first.
a. So I’ll gonna start first at the side-head of maori.
b. Use “Add Anchor Point Tool”
– Click the path where you wanted to drag to form a ‘line bend’
– just use 1 click to have a point
c. Now click and HOLD the point area and stretch and drag to the edges of Maori.
d. Now do the same thing with the other lines,click and drag. Until you form the shape of Maori

step 6:
9. Now you need to do the rest. – it’s time for you to click and drag. i’ve finish mine look 🙂

Now if you wanted to delete some paths / points that messes your work, you can use the “Delete Anchor Point Tool” Located in Pen Tool > Delete Anchor Point Tool

step 7:
10. Once connecting the dots and dragging is done, time to select to crop/cut/copy your selected paths.

Click the Right-Button of the Mouse and this choices will appear. Selections are self explanatory 🙂
* Create Vector Mask
* Delete Path (deletes what you have work with) – oops not this
* Define Custom Shape
* Make Selection
* Fill Path
* Stroke Path

and so on.. Feel free to play with this function, as it may help you grow more with the other components of the pen tool.

step 8:
11. As for my case, I wanted just to cut the image out of his background, so I use the “Make Selection”. Then I Cut and Paste.
Now let’s see what we have finished here 🙂 tada~! Nice and Clean.

Have FUN! Hope this help to those beginners of all beginners out there.
This is good also for those experts who wanna try “The New Way”! 🙂

That’s it! happy connecting the dots!