The Pen Tool  can be used to create Selections .  Initially, as you create your Selection path the Pen Tool does not make a Marquee , but rather a fully editable vector based path.  What does this mean?  When you create a path with the Pen Tool, it creates straight lines and curves, called segments, which begin and end in anchor points.  At each anchor point the curvature, length, and position of connected segments can be modified by manipulating what are called Direction Lines.

The best way to understand how the Pen Tool  functions is to experiment with it.  .  We’re going to use the toys image which is located in the chapter007 folder.

Select the Pen Tool .  If you {Click} and hold the Pen Tool a fly-out box appears with other related Pen Tools.  We’ll be covering these in the following exercise.

Focus your attention on the toy in the right two thirds of the image.  Create a path around its head by {Clicking} and releasing to establish your starting point.  An anchor point is created.  Drag the mouse to create segments and {Click} to create new anchor points.  Continue to create a path around the toy’s head.  {Click} the initial anchor point to close the path.  Recall that you can use the Zoom  Tool to get closer to the toy’s head if you like.

Direction Selection Tool
The power of the Pen Tool  lies in its ability to manipulate the path you have just created.  By selecting the anchor points with the Direction Selection Tool you can move them, extending the segments on either side of the anchor point as well as changing their direction.

Convert Point Tool  
Using the Convert Point Tool  on anchor points creates Direction Lines that modify the curvature of both segments connected to the anchor point or a segment on either side of the anchor point separately.  {Click} and drag on an anchor point to create Direction Lines.  As you continue to extend or move the mouse, the Direction Lines continue to grow.  You’ll notice that both the segments curve symmetrically.   {Click}, drag and release to create Direction Lines.  Then {Click} the end point of the Direction Line to change the curvature of a single segment.

Path  Example

Add Anchor Point Tool     Delete Anchor Point Tool   
To add and remove anchor points on the path use the Add Anchor Point Tool  and the Delete Anchor Point Tool  by {Clicking} on the path.

Freeform Pen Tool     
Use the Freeform Pen Tool  to draw paths freehand.

You might find using the Pen Tool  unusual.  Be patient.  It takes practice.

takes practice.

A path created around the doll’s head

The path revealed

Creating a Selection from a Path
Once you have created a path you’ll need to convert the path into a Selection.  To do so {Click} the Path  Tab in the Layers  Palette  group.

You’ll see a thumbnail or Path  Box of the path titled “Work Path.”  At the bottom of the Paths  Palette are several icons.

Fill , Stroke, Path  as Selection, Selection as Path, New Path, Delete Path

At this point, we will concern ourselves with the Load Path  as Selection Icon.  {Click} the Icon to make a Selection path based on the path you have created with the Pen Tool .  A Selection path Marquee  results.  You can still see the Pen Path beneath the Marquee.  You can delete the Pen Path by {Clicking} and dragging the Path Box over the Trashcan icon in the bottom right corner of the Palette and releasing.  Alternately you can hide the Pen Path by {Clicking} on the Check Mark at the top right hand corner of the Options  Bar.  This is the better option because it simply “dismisses” the path so you won’t have to recreate it later.  To get the Pen Path back simply {Click} the Path Box in the Palette.  The path returns.  When you save your image as a Photoshop  file the Pen Path is saved with the image document.