Free Adobe Photoshop Website Designing Video Tutorial - Pen and Freeform Pen Tool

In this Free Photoshop Website Designing Video Tutorial, we will show you how to use “Pen Tool”, "Freeform Pen Tool", "Add Anchor Point", "Delete Anchor Point" and "Convert Point Tool". Pen Tool is used to make paths and to make selections also. In website designing Pen Tool is very useful. If you want to make some curves in the webpage layout then you can do this very easily with the help of “Pen Tool” or "Freeform Pen Tool and then later you can modify this shape or path by using "Add Anchor Point", "Delete Anchor Point" or "Convert Anchor Point" tool. We suggest that you first view our "Pen Tool and Freeform Pen Tool Video Tutorial" to understand this visually and more easily however we have also given steps for using pen tool, pen tool tips and options given in the tool options bar of pen tool and tools hidden under this.

There are five options available under “Pen Tool”. These options are: Pen Tool, Freeform Pen Tool, Add Anchor Point Tool, Delete Anchor Point Tool, Convert Point Tool. Press “P” to select pen tool.

Functions of Photoshop Pen Tool, Freeform Pen Tool, Add Anchor Point, Delete Anchor Point and Convert Point Tool:

1. Pen Tool: Pen Tool is used to create curves and straight lines. We can also select pixels or any area of an image using this tool.
2. Freeform Pen Tool: This tool is not very commonly used. Using this tool you can create paths by just doing freehand drawing with the mouse.
3. Add Anchor Point Tool: Using this tool you can add new anchor points to your existing created path. Lets say, if you have created a curve and later you want to modify this then add anchor points and change the shape.
4. Delete Anchor Point Tool: Using this tool you can delete anchor points from your existing path. As it removes an anchor point, it joins up the two line segments either side of the removed anchor point into one long line segment.
5. Convert Point Tool: This will convert a smooth anchor point to a corner anchor point and vice versa.

Steps for using Pen Tool, Add Anchor Point Tool, Delete Anchor Point Tool

1. Select File > New or File > Open depending upon your requirement.
2. Select “Pen Tool” from the toolbar.
3. Some options will get appear in the tool options bar. Choose a drawing mode (i.e. Shape Layers or Paths).
4. Position the cursor at that point from where you want to start your segment, and click to define the first anchor point. Now, click again on that point where you want this segment to end.
5. To draw a straight segment, position the pointer from where you want to start and then “Shift + Click” at that point where you want this segment to be end.
6. If you want to draw a curve then click and hold the mouse button and the drag the mouse to create the curve for that segment.
   
   Note: Dragging the mouse will not change the position of the anchor point.
   
   
7. For additional segments, click and drag to set the anchor points. To close a path, click on the first anchor point. When a small loop is appearing just next to the pen tip then this means that your cursor is in the right position to close the path. The last anchor point will always a solid square, this indicates that currently this anchor point is selected. Previously anchor points become hollow.
8. Now, if you want to modify your path or shape then you can do this with the help of “Add Anchor Point Tool”, “Delete Anchor Point Tool” and “Convert Point Tool”. Select any of these tools depending upon your requirement. Lets say if you want to add or delete an anchor point then select “Add Anchor Point Tool” or “Delete Anchor Point”.

Steps for using Freeform Pen Tool

1. Select File > New.
2. Select Freeform Pen Tool from the toolbar.
3. Related options will get appear in the tool options bar. If you want to draw vector shape layer then click on “Shape Layers” and if you want to draw shape outline or paths then click on “Paths”. You can also set: Curve Fit, Magnetic, Width, Contrast, Frequency, Pen Pressure etc.).
4. Now, click and drag your mouse on the canvas to draw any shape. Anchor points will automatically add as you drag your mouse.
5. To close the path click on the first anchor point or double click with your mouse.

Steps for Turning a Path into Selection

If you have selected “Path” option from the tool options bar while drawing your shape then for converting this path into selection follow the steps given below:

1. Select “Path Selection Tool” from the toolbar.
2. Select Windows > Paths.
3. In the “Paths Palette”, click on the small triangle given on the top right corner and select “Make Selection” option from the options available. You can also select “Make Selection” option by just right clicking with your mouse on the path.
4. A dialogue box will get appear, here you can set feather radius and can smooth the edges by selecting “Anti-aliased” option.
5. Press “Ok”

Pen Tool, Freeform Pen Tool, Add Anchor Point, Delete Anchor Point and Convert Point Tool options given in the Tool Options Bar:

When you select any of the Pen Tool related tool options appear in the Tool Options Bar. These options are described below:

1. Shape Layers: Used to draw a vector shape layers.
2. Paths: Used to draw shape outlines or path.
3. Auto Add / Delete: Used to add or delete anchor points.
4. Add to Shape Area: This will add the path area to overlapping path areas.
5. Subtract from Shape Area: This will remove or subtract path area from overlapping path areas.
6. Intersect Shape Areas: This will restrict the area of selection to the intersection of the overlapping path areas and selected path areas.
7. Exclude Overlapping shape Areas: This will exclude the overlap area.
8. Style: This will change the layer style for the shape layer.
9. Color: Color option is used to change the color of newly created shape layer.