The Pen Tool tool in Photoshop is an extremely versatile feature used to create vector shapes and to select custom selections, and is an indispensable choice for graphic design. The Pen Tool is a simple selection function that allows you to fill, move, or make selections from what has been drawn.

This is one of the most powerful tools available in Photoshop, and also one of the basic ones to master before starting to explore advanced features in Photoshop. In this text, the focus will be on making selections with the Pen Tool.

The Difference Between Pen Tool and Other Selection Tools

Unlike other selection tools, the Pen Tool pays no attention to the pixels underneath and provides complete control over what is selected. The Pen Tool allows you to go back and edit the selection. It creates paths across the image and connects multiple points together. And if it’s used to draw shapes, the Pen Tool is an ideal tool for cropping shapes and making selections.

The Basics of Using the Pen Tool

The Pen Tool has a variety of tool options, the first three options (Pen Tool, Freeform Pen Tool, Curvature Pen Tool) are path creation tools, the other three options (Add Anchor Point Tool, Delete Anchor Point Tool, Convert Point Tool) are options for controlling points.

Let’s start with the basics of using the Pen Tool. Select a tool using a shortcut P. Click on the r This is called the Anchor Point.. Holding the SHIFT command, the path that is made between the two reference points will be straight, i.e. The trajectory will be plotted at angles of 0.45 and 90 degrees.

When you click on the desired location and drag the mouse cursor without letting go, the handles appear. The handles are controlled in a number of ways. With the ALT hold, one lever is controlled independently of the other. Also when holding ALT and clicking on the reference point, the handles pointing in the direction will disappear. Then the trajectory continues from the zero position, which means that it will not have an initial angle from which the trajectory will start. When it comes to With the Convert Point Tool , you approach the point that is in the zero position and drag the cursor with the mouse, the handles will be made evenly in the same directions.

Benefits of Using Pen Tool

The biggest advantage of using this tool is that it can go back to the beginning and can edit the selection by point. Thus, if we notice that a part of the path is missed or we are not satisfied with the selection on that part of the path, it is not necessary to repeat the entire path, i.e. the selection that arises from it. With the Direct Selection tool, the shortcut A is moved to the path and the points are edited individually.

Also, while the path is being drawn, you can delete intermediate points in the path and continue without interrupting or returning to the beginning of the path.

With this tool, you can add or delete points on a path by simply approaching the path. A cursor that is in the form of a fountain pen when it approaches the path gets a + mark, which means that when you click on it, a dot is added. When the cursor gets the -, clicking on the dot will delete it.

Selection with Pen Tool

When a path is drawn, options appear in the upper right corner that ask whether the path will be Selection, Mask, or Shape.

In order to make a selection from the path in the top menu, select the Selection option, then a menu dialog appears where we can specify the Feather, and whether and how the selection that is added will affect the already existing ones. There is an option ” Anti-alias“. Anti-alias It represents the softness of the edge of selection. When this option is checked, the edges are softer, and when it is not checked, the edges of the selection are harder. That is why this field is always left checked.

Creating a Vector Mask with the Pen Tool

By clicking on Add Layer Mask we create a mask on the layer, by clicking on the same icon again we create a vector mask, but the feather is lost outside the path of making it. To create a vector mask, select the Mask option. Another way to create a vector mask is to click on the Add Layer Mask icon with the CTRL command.

When creating new routes, i.e. In the top menu, there is a useful set of functions in which you can choose how the new path will affect the existing ones. Thus, by drawing a new path, we can add, merge, subtract, intersect, and cut. You need to click on the desired function before creating a new path.

Trajectory transformations and where to find them

Right-clicking opens a menu with various options for transforming and using the path. The most important thing is the ability to transform the mask to bring the trajectory to the perfect position for making a selection

The path that has been created can always be found in the Paths section. It’s important to make it easier to find.

Pen Tool in front of everyone

With this tool, you have full control over any choice in Photoshop. The Pen Tool may not be the fastest selection tool, but when it comes to accuracy, the Pen Tool is way ahead of everyone.

If you want to find out what are the basic selection tools in Photoshop, read in one of our articles.