ptg Chapter 11 Using the Paths Panel 277 Sooner or later you'll encounter a situation where you want to convert an anchor point from curved to straight or straight to curved. Rather than try to collapse the direction lines into the anchor point (a difficult task), or try to drag nonexistent direction lines from a straight anchor point, Photoshop gives you a useful conversion tool called the Convert Point tool. The Convert Point tool lets you convert existing points on a path. For example, to convert a curved point into a straight point, click once on the curved anchor point, and it's instantly converted into a straight point. To convert a straight point to a curved point, simply drag on the anchor point and the line changes from straight to curved. Converting Straight Points and Curved Points Convert Points Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Select the Paths panel, and then select the path you want to modify. Select the Convert Point tool on the toolbox. Click on a curved anchor point to convert it into a straight point. Click and drag a straight anchor point to convert it into a curved point. 5 4 3 2 1 4 5 3 Did You Know? You can change the curve of a seg- ment line with a click and drag. Click the Direct Selection tool, and then drag directly on the line, not the anchor point. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 278 Chapter 11 Image clipping paths allow you to isolate part of an image and make everything else, such as a white background, transparent when the image is printed or placed in another application, such as QuarkXPress or Adobe Illustrator. You can place a Photoshop PSD file directly in Adobe InDesign and retain transparency; otherwise, you can create an image clipping path. To create an image clipping path, create a well defined path around the part of the image you want, convert the path to a clipping path on a transparent background, and then save and use it in other applications. Clipping paths work to create a transparent area without the sacrifice of the actual image. Therefore, it is not necessary to delete any of the image when creating the clipping path. Working with Clipping Paths Work with Clipping Paths Open a document. Select the Pen or Freeform Pen tool on the toolbox. Click the Paths button on the Options bar. Create a path around the portion of the image you want to keep. IMPORTANT The edges of clipping paths are vector-based (having hard edges), so they appear as if they were cut out with a pair of scissors, which makes it difficult to select objects with soft edges. Select the Paths panel. Double-click on the new Work Path, enter a Name for the path, and then click OK. Click the Paths Options button, and then click Clipping Path. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 4 5 7 1 3 6 2 Did You Know? You can restore the original image with transparency. Just open the Paths panel, and then delete the clipping path. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 11 Using the Paths Panel 279 Click the Path list arrow, and then select the new path. Enter a Flatness value (0 to 100) or leave it blank to use the printer's default settings (recommended). For high-resolution printing (1,200 dpi to 2,400 dpi) use 8 to 10, and for low-resolution printing (300 dpi to 600 dpi) use 1 to 3. The lower the flatness value, the greater the number of straight lines used to draw the curve and the more accurate the curve. Click OK. If you’re going to print the file using process colors, convert the file to CMYK mode. Click the File menu, and then click Save As. Click the Format list arrow, and then select the Photoshop EPS format. To export in Adobe InDe si gn or Adobe PageMaker 5.0 or later, save in TIFF format. Click Save. In the EPS or TIFF Options dialog box, leave the default options and change the following: ◆ For TIFF. Set Image Compression to None. ◆ For EPS. Set Preview to TIFF (8/ bits/pixel) (Win) or Preview to Mac (8/bits/pixel) (Mac) and Encoding to ASCII85. The image, when placed in a layout program, appears with a transparent background. 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 9 8 10 Exporting a Clipping Path to Adobe Illustrator Draw and save a path. Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Paths To Illustrator. Choose a file location, then enter a file name. Make sure to select Work Path in the Write menu to export the path, click Save, and then open the file in Adobe Illustrator. For Your Information From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 280 Chapter 11 Paths are easy to create and versatile. Once you create a path, it has many applications—you can convert a path into a clipping path, or you can even convert a path into a standard selection, and use it to define a work area. In addition to some of the more common applications, paths can be used to define an area to be filled, or you can use the Stroke command to control any of Photoshop's drawing tools. Filling an Area of an Image Using Paths Fill an Area of an Image Using Paths Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Select the Paths panel, and then select one of the paths. IMPORTANT When you select a path from the Paths panel, the path becomes visible in the document window. Select the Paths Options button, and then click Fill Path. Click the Use list arrow, and then select from the available fill options. Click the Mode list arrow, and then select a blending mode. Select an Opacity percentage value (0% to 100%) for the blending mode. Select the Preserve Transparency check box to protect any transparent areas in the active image. Enter a Feather Radius value (0 to 250) to feather the edge of the fill. Select the Anti-alias check box to visually soften the fill. Click OK. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 9 6 4 7 10 5 8 Pattern fills selected path From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 11 Using the Paths Panel 281 The Stroke Path option is an excellent way to add a design element to any of Photoshop's drawing or image-editing tools. When you select the Stroke Path options, you're essentially using a preexisting path to control the shape of the stroke. The important thing to remember is that the tool selected for the Stroke Path option will perform the way it was last used. For example, if the last time you used the Paintbrush tool you selected a star-shaped, 40-pixel brush, selecting the Paintbrush as the Stroke tool will cause it to stroke the path using a star-shaped, 40-pixel brush. Stroking an Area of an Image Using Paths Stroke an Area of an Image Using Paths Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Select the Paths panel, and then select one of the paths. Click the Paths Options button, and then click Stroke Path. Click the Tool list arrow, and then select from the available tools. Select the Simulate Pressure check box to mimic the pressure variables experienced when using a drawing tablet. Click OK. The Stroke Path command applies the stroke using the original path to guide the brush. 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 4 6 Stroke applied using the original path to guide the brush. 2 5 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 282 Chapter 11 Paths can be created using any of Photoshop's traditional Pen tools, or you can use shape tools to create a unique path. For example, you want to create a unique stroke border around an image, and you find the perfect shape in Photoshop's Custom Shapes panel. Rather than create the shape, select it, and then convert it into a path, Photoshop lets you draw any shape and place it directly into the Paths panel. Once the shape is placed in the Paths panel, you can modify or change it, just like any other path. Creating Shapes as Paths Create Shapes as Paths Open a document. Select the Custom Shape tool (or any of Photoshop's drawing tools) on the toolbox. Click the Shape Layers button. Click the Shape list arrow, and then select a predefined shape. Select the Paths panel. Draw the shape in the document window. Photoshop creates a Work Path containing the custom shape. 6 5 4 3 2 1 4 5 6 3 2 See Also See “Modifying Anchor Points” on page 274 for information on reshaping a path. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Paths are vector shapes, and programs such as Adobe Illustrator sup- port paths created in Photoshop. Say you want to create a unique path in Photoshop, and then use Illustrator's creative vector controls to fur- ther enhance the image. If that's the case, Photoshop gives you several ways to move the image out of Photoshop and into Illustrator. Remember, when you export a path into Adobe Illustrator, you're not moving an image; you're moving vector data with specific stroke and fill information. Exporting Paths to Adobe Illustrator Export Photoshop Paths Using the Save As Method Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Click the File menu, and then click Save As. Enter a file name. Click the Format list arrow, and then select the Photoshop EPS format. Click the Save In (Win) or Where (Mac) list arrow, and then select a location for the file. Click Save to open the EPS Options dialog box. Click OK. Open the image in Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator gives you full access to the path, including the ability to manipulate, add, and delete anchor points. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 5 4 3 Chapter 11 Using the Paths Panel 283 6 Exporting Paths to Adobe Illustrator Export Photoshop Paths Using the Save As Method Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Click the File menu, and then click Save As. Enter a file name. Click the Format list arrow, and then select the Photoshop EPS format. Click the Save In (Win) or Where (Mac) list arrow, and then select a location for the file. Click Save to open the EPS Options dialog box. Click OK. Open the image in Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator gives you full access to the path, including the ability to manipulate, add, and delete anchor points. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 284 Chapter 11 The Paths to Illustrator command lets you quickly export a Photoshop path into a format acceptable to Adobe Illustrator. This makes the process of working with Photoshop and Illustrator artwork much more efficient. For example, you could create a path in Photoshop, and then export the path to Illustrator for use in other artwork. In addition, exported Photoshop paths can be used to help align elements of an Illustrator document to that of its Photoshop counterpart. Later, the two documents can be combined to produce one piece of art. You get two pieces of art, created in separate applications, precisely combined with the use of an exported path. In other words, paths give you control, which you can use to your advantage. Exporting Paths Using the Export Method Export Photoshop Paths Using the Export Method Open a document that contains a path, or create a new path. Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Paths to Illustrator. Click the Paths list arrow, and then select which path or paths to export. Click OK. Enter a file name. The file extension is AI (Adobe Illustrator). Click the Save In (Win) or Where (Mac) list arrow, and then select a location for the file. Click Save. Photoshop creates an Adobe Illustrator document containing only the paths (not pixels) in the document. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 5 7 6 4 3 From the Library of Wow! eBook . created in Photoshop. Say you want to create a unique path in Photoshop, and then use Illustrator's creative vector controls to fur- ther enhance the image. If that's the case, Photoshop. image, and you find the perfect shape in Photoshop& apos;s Custom Shapes panel. Rather than create the shape, select it, and then convert it into a path, Photoshop lets you draw any shape and. Illustrator command lets you quickly export a Photoshop path into a format acceptable to Adobe Illustrator. This makes the process of working with Photoshop and Illustrator artwork much more