Chapter 4. PEN TOOL POWER

We all have certain “to do” chores that we keep putting off. For me, its sorting through our storage unit. For my husband, John, just the idea of sorting through dusty golf clubs and the possibility of parting with a never-used putter brings on cold sweats.

I also used to have a list of “to learn” chores in Photoshop. I worked with Photoshop for three years before I touched Curves and it took me even longer to get up the nerve to learn how to use the Pen tool. Every time I tried to use it, the Pen tool and I ended up having a fight, and, in most cases, the Pen tool won. If tangled Pen tool loop de loops covering your image sounds familiar, then you know what I mean.

Learning the fundamental power of the Pen tool takes about 90 minutes. Just 90 minutes, and you will be able to use one of the best selection tools in Photoshop.

In this chapter, you will learn how to

• Recognize the types of images that make ideal Pen tool candidates

• Use the Pen tool to silhouette simple and complex objects

• Work with paths, the Paths palette, and the Path Selection tools

• Combine paths and selections