Essential Masking Techniques #6 - Pen Tool

This is part 6 of a series of 10 masking techniques that I will be explaining. The pen tool, seemingly the least interesting of the masking tools, however, it is very precise, easy to use and has a few surprises. This one is kind of a 2 part-er. We will also be going over a part of the pen tool that you probably never bothered to play with. The magnetic option, set using the freeform pen tool.

Good for: Most man made objects. anything solid with straight and rounded edges

Settings

• Type: Allows you decide what you will be creating
• path: adds the selection you made to the paths panel, you must save your path if you are making more than one or it will be overwritten
• shape: has fill and stroke
• Make:
• selection (creates marching ants selection for further refinement)
• mask (creates a mask on the current layer)
• shape (creates a shape)
• Path Operations: dictates what will happen to existing paths if you make a new path
• Path Alignment: aligns the different paths you made to what you set here, for multiple shapes only
• Path Arrangement: brings individual paths forward or backward, for multiple shapes only
• Gear:
• rubber band: allows you to see the anchor handle points
• Auto Add/Delete: If checked, you can click on a path and it will add an anchor point or you can click on an anchor point and it will delete it.
• Align Edges: Align vector shapes edges to pixel grid, for multiple shapes only.

Technique

1. Click a point on the canvas to activate the pen tool path, typically i will start on a corner of the object i want to mask. 
2. On the second click, if necessary, hold down the left mouse button and drag to create rounded edges.
3. Continue around the object until you reach the start of the path. 
4. Click on the first point in order to close the path. To make a selection click on the word 'Selection..." in the settings above. From there you can refine and create the mask.

Tips

• To subtract an anchor point you can just click on an existing point, you can do this mid selection.
• To add a point just click on any path, you can do this mid selection.
• To move the position of an anchor point hold CTRL for a springloaded direct selection tool.
• To round paths hold down the alt key to use the convert point tool.
• You can save a path by naming them in the paths panel.

Sample

Here is the freeform pen tool. This tool has a great hidden feature -the magnetic option. I will teach you what you need to know about this tool without wasting too much of your time!

Settings

• Most of the settings here are the same as with the regular pen tool, I will go over the different settings. Read above see what the other settings do
• Gear:
• Curve fit: set between 0.5 to 10 pixels, this dictates the amount of error that Photoshop allows when trying to fit your cursor movement to a path. The higher this value the less anchor points will be made, but also the selection will be slightly less accurate
• Magnetic option: works like the magnetic lasso, it snaps to the edge of your element as you move around it, either click once then move around or click and hold and drag around, whatever is more comfortable.


• Width specifies how close to the edge (1–256) the tool must be before it detects an edge. 
• Contrast (1–100) specifies how much contrast must be between pixels for the tool to see the edge. 
• Frequency (0–100) specifies the rate at which the tool lays down anchor points.

Technique

1. Click a point on the canvas to activate the pen tool path, typically i will start on a corner of the object i want to mask. 
2. From there you can just move around the object that you would like to select, if you prefer you can hold down the button if it more comfortable.
3. If any mistakes are made simply click backspace to delete the last point made.
4. Double click or click on the first anchor point in order to close a path.

Tips

• When deleting points using the backspace button you should be following the path backwards as you press it or it will recreate the path
• To create perfectly straight segment press and hold down ALT, when you let go it will go back to the magnetic pen tool.
• This tool is best utilized when using the a pen tablet
• This tool is better than the magnetic lasso tool because it gives you the option to modify your path before you make it into a selection.

Sample

So there you have it. If I was not clear enough or I missed something let me know in the comments below!

Do you have any questions? comments? tips? I would be happy to hear from you! Get in touch through michaeljphotography.ca contact form. I would appreciate your follow @Jonssononline

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