The key to mastering the Photoshop pen tool is to understand anchor points and path operations, usage patterns and cutout techniques. 1. Anchor points are divided into two types: straight lines and curves. The fewer anchor points, the smoother the path. The direction line angle and length determine the direction and curvature of the curve. You can use the Ctrl switch selection tool to adjust the anchor points, and the error points can be deleted by Delete; 2. The tool provides three modes: the shape mode is used to draw vector graphics. The path mode is suitable for creating selections or strokes. The fill pixel mode is rarely used; 3. When cutting, it is recommended to use path mode to convert the selection, and use the magnified view and Shift alignment angle to improve accuracy. The edges can be elongated by 1-2 pixels to enhance natural transitions; 4. Complex paths can be saved through the "Path" panel for subsequent calls to improve efficiency. Exercising more practice can significantly improve proficiency and effectiveness.
The key to using Photoshop's pen tool is to understand its working principle and common usage scenarios. Although this tool looks simple, it can help you accurately cut pictures, strokes and even make vector graphics designs after mastering them.

1. Understand the basic operations of anchor points and paths
The core of the pen tool is "anchor point" and "path". Clicking on the canvas creates a straight line anchor point, and clicking and dragging will generate a curve anchor point with a directional line.
When you first use it, many people will find it difficult to control the curve. In fact, just remember two points:

- The fewer anchor points, the smoother the path
- The angle of the direction line determines the direction of the curve, and the length determines the curvature
Operation suggestions:
- Press and hold Ctrl to temporarily switch to the "Direct Selection Tool" to facilitate adjustment of anchor points or direction lines
- If an anchor is clicked by mistake, press Delete or Backspace to delete the previous point
- When you want to close the path, a small circle will appear when you move the mouse back to the first anchor point. Click to close it.
2. Three usage modes of pen tool
After selecting the Pen tool in the left toolbar, there are three common modes in the top option bar:

- Shape mode : draw vector shapes with colors directly, suitable for making icons or buttons
- Path mode : The most commonly used mode can be used to select, stroke or save paths
- Filling pixel mode : old version function, basically no longer needed now, just understand
Recommended practices:
- The preferred path mode for cutting pictures is selected. Right-click to change to selection after completion
- When designing UI, you can use shape mode to facilitate later modification of colors and styles.
3. Tips for cutting pictures
Cutting pictures with a pen is more accurate than magic wands or quick selection, especially suitable for complex edge content, such as hair, glass, transparent objects, etc.
After picking the path, don't forget to convert it to a selection and copy the layer. Sometimes the edges will be a little hard, and you can properly feather (Select > Modify > Feather) 1-2 pixels to make the transition more natural.
Several practical tips:
- Zoom in view (Ctrl " ") helps to pinpoint anchor points
- Use Shift to force alignment angles, suitable for drawing straight lines or 45-degree angles
- Before converting the selection, check whether the path is closed and whether there are any unnecessary points.
4. Save the path for subsequent use
If you spend a lot of time drawing a complicated path and don't want to do it again next time, you can save it.
The method is: In the Path panel, double-click the current working path and enter a name to save. It is also very convenient to call it out in the future, just load it into the selection area.
Basically that's it. The pen tool may not be easy at first, but you will find its power by practicing it a few more times. The key is not to be afraid of slowness. Put the anchor point accurately so that the path looks good and works well.
The above is the detailed content of How to use the pen tool in Photoshop. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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