Editing paths (Photoshop)

Editing paths (Photoshop)

A path is composed of one or more path components-collections of one or more anchor points joined by segments.

Because they take up less disk space than pixel-based data paths can be used for long- term storage of simple masks Paths can also be used to clip sections of your image for export to an illustration or page-layout application (See "Using image clipping paths to create transparency on section 466

About anchor points direction lines direction points and components

A path consists of one or more straight or curved segments. Anchor points mark the endpoints of the path segments On curved segments each selected anchor point displays one or two direction lines, ending in direction points. The positions of direction lines and points determine the size and shape of a curved segment Moving these elements reshapes the curves in a path.

A B

C

D E

A path:

A. Curved line segment B. Direction point C. Direction line D. Selected anchor point

E Unselected anchor point

A path can be closed, with no beginning or end (for example a circle) or open, with distinct endpoints (for example a wavy line).

Smooth curves are connected by anchor points called smooth points. Sharply curved paths are connected by corner points.

Smooth point and corner point

When you move a direction line on a smooth point the curved segments on both sides of the point adjust simultaneously By comparison when you move a direction line on a corner point only the curve on the same side of the point as the direction line is adjusted.

Adjusting a smooth point and a corner point

A path does not have to be all one connected series of segments It can contain more than one distinct and separate path component Each shape in a shape layer is a path component as described by the layer s clipping path.

Separate path components selected

Selecting paths (Photoshop)

Selecting a path component or path segment displays all of the anchor points on the selected portion including any direction lines and direction points if the selected segment is curved Direction points appear as filled circles selected anchor points as filled squares and unselected anchor points as hollow squares.

To select a path:

Do one of the following:

To select a path component (including a shape in a shape layer) select the path selection tool , and click anywhere inside the path component If a path consists of several path components only the path component under the pointer is selected.

To display the bounding box along with the selected path select Show Bounding Box in the options bar.

To select a path segment select the direct selection tool , and click one of the segment s anchor points or drag a marquee over part of the segment.

Drag a marquee to select segments.

To select additional path components or segments select the path selection tool or the direct selection tool then hold down Shift while selecting additional paths or segments. When the direct selection tool is selected you can select the entire path or path

component by Alt-clicking ( Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac OS) inside the path. To activate the direct selection tool when any other tool is selected position the pointer over an anchor point and press Ctrl ( Windows) or Command (Mac OS).

To change the overlap mode for the selected path component:

Using the path selection tool drag a marquee to select existing path areas then choose a shape area option in the options bar:

Add to Shape Area to add the path area to overlapping path areas.

Subtract from Shape Area to remove the path area from overlapping path areas.

Intersect Shape Areas to restrict the area to the intersection of the selected path area and overlapping path areas.

Exclude Overlapping Shape Areas to exclude the overlap area.

To show or hide the selected path component:

Do one of the following:

Choose View > Show > Target Path.

Choose View > Extras. This command also shows or hides a grid guides selection edges annotations and slices.

Moving reshaping and deleting path segments

You can move reshape or delete individual segments in a path and you can add or delete anchor points to change the configuration of segments.

Note: You can also apply a transformation such as scaling rotating flipping or distorting to a segment or anchor point See Applying transformations on section 182 To move a straight segment:

Select the direct selection tool , and select the segment you want to adjust. To adjust the angle or length of the segment select an anchor point.

Drag the selected segment to its new position.

To move a curved segment:

Select the direct selection tool , and select the points or segments you want to move. Be sure to select both points anchoring the segment.

Drag the selected anchor points or segments to new positions Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the movement to multiples of 45.

Select points anchoring a curve. Then drag to move the curve.

To reshape a curved segment:

Select the direct selection tool , and select the curved segment you want to adjust. Direction lines appear for that segment.

Adjust the curve:

To adjust the position of the segment drag the segment.

Click to select the curve segment. Then drag to adjust.

To adjust the shape of the segment on either side of a selected anchor point drag the anchor point or the direction point Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain movement to multiples of 45.

Drag the anchor point or drag the direction point.

To delete a segment:

Select the direct selection tool , and select the segment you want to delete.

Press Backspace ( Windows) or Delete (Mac OS) to delete the selected segment. Pressing Backspace or Delete again erases the rest of the path component. Moving reshaping copying and deleting path components

You can reposition a path component (including a shape in a shape layer) anywhere within an image. You can copy components within an image or between two Photoshop images Using the path selection tool you can merge overlapping components into a single component All vector objects whether they are described by a saved path a work path or a vector mask can be moved reshaped copied or deleted.

You can also use the Copy and Paste commands to duplicate vector objects between a

Photoshop image and an image in another application such as Adobe Illustrator.

To move a path or path component:

Select the path name in the Paths palette and use the path selection tool to select the path in the image. To select multiple path components Shift-click each additional path component to add it to the selection.

2 Drag the path to its new location If you move any part of a path beyond the canvas boundaries the hidden part of the path is still available.

Note: If you drag a path so that the move pointer is over another open image the path will be copied to that image.

To reshape a path component:

Select the path name in the Paths palette and use the direct selection tool to select an anchor point in the path.

Drag the point or its handles to a new location (See Adding deleting and converting anchor points on section 216

To merge overlapping path components:

Select the path name in the Paths palette and select the path selection tool .

Click Combine in the options bar to create a single component from all overlapping components.

To copy a path component or path:

Do any of the following:

To copy a path component as you move it select the path name in the Paths palette, and click a path component with the path selection tool . Then Alt-drag ( Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the selected path.

To copy a path without renaming it drag the path name in the Paths palette to the New

Path button at the bottom of the palette.

To copy and rename a path Alt-drag ( Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the path in the Paths palette to the New Path button at the bottom of the palette Or select the path to copy and choose Duplicate Path from the Paths palette menu Enter a new name for the path in the Duplicate Path dialog box and click OK.

To copy a path or path component into another path select the path or path component you want to copy and choose Edit > Copy. Then select the destination path and choose Edit > Paste.

To copy path components between two Adobe Photoshop files:

Open both images.

Use the path selection tool to select the entire path or the path components in the source image you want to copy.

To copy the path component do any of the following:

Drag the path component from the source image to the destination image. The path component is copied to the active path in the Paths palette.

In the source image select the path s name in the Paths palette and choose Edit > Copy to copy the path In the destination image choose Edit > Paste. You can also use this method to combine paths in the same image.

To paste the path component into the center of the destination image select the path component in the source image and choose Edit > Copy In the destination image, choose Edit > Paste.

To delete a path component:

Select the path name in the Paths palette and click a path component with the path selection tool .

Press backspace ( Windows) or Delete (Mac OS) to delete the selected path component.

Aligning and distributing path components

You can both align and distribute path components that are described in a single path For example you can align the left edges of several shapes contained in a single layer or distribute several components in a work path along their horizontal centers.

Note: To align shapes that are on separate layers use the move tool (See Moving selec- tions and layers within an image on section 167

To align components:

Use the path selection tool to select the components you want to align and select one of the alignment options from the options bar: Top , Vertical Center Bottom , Left , Horizontal Center , or Right .

To align or distribute components:

Select at least three components you want to distribute then select one of the distribute options from the options bar: Top , Vertical Center Bottom Left Horizontal Center , or Right .

Adding deleting and converting anchor points

The add anchor point and delete anchor point tools let you add and delete anchor points on a shape. The convert direction point tool lets you convert a smooth curve to a sharp curve or to a straight segment and vice versa If you have selected Auto Add/Delete in the options bar for the pen tool or freeform pen tool when you click a line segment a point is added and when you click an existing point it is deleted.

To add an anchor point:

Select the add anchor point tool ( ) and position the pointer on the path where you want the anchor point added (a plus sign appears next to the pointer).

Do one of the following:

To add an anchor point without changing the shape of the segment click the path.

To add an anchor point and change the shape of the segment drag to define direction lines for the anchor point.

To delete an anchor point:

Select the delete anchor point tool , and position the pointer on the anchor point you want deleted (a minus sign appears next to the pointer).

Delete the anchor point:

Click the anchor point to delete it and to reshape the path to fit the remaining anchor points.

Drag the anchor point to delete it and to change the shape of the segment.

To convert between a smooth point and a corner point:

Select the convert point tool , and position the pointer over the anchor point you want changed.

To activate the convert point tool while the direct selection tool is selected position the pointer over an anchor point and press Ctrl+Alt ( Windows) or Command+Option

(Mac OS).

Convert the point:

To convert a smooth point to a corner point without direction lines click the smooth anchor point.

To convert a smooth point to a corner point with direction lines make sure the direction lines are visible. Then drag a direction point to break the pair of direction lines.

Drag direction point to break direction lines.

To convert a corner point to a smooth point drag away from the corner point to make direction lines appear.

Click to create a corner point Drag to create a smooth point.