This course is an exploration of Photoshop’s Pen Toolset and Paths. The course will cover the creation, manipulation, and many uses of vector paths within Photoshop. Students will become familiar with using Photoshop’s Paths for a variety of real world tasks such as vector drawings, logo creation, clipping paths, cutouts and other effects that can be accomplished with Paths. Detailed step by step instructions as well as video examples provide the means for students to take control of this powerful but intimidating tool. Classes begin February 27th.
Your Instructor Kirk Nelson will cover the following topics and more.
Before Class
The Pen tool in Photoshop is one of the most avoided tools by the most Photoshop users. It may be explored or played with while using the program, but many users find in unintuitive and cumbersome to make a part of their normal workflow. There tends to be a strange level of intimidation regarding the Pen. This course is meant to change that. At the culmination of this class students should be as comfortable with the Pen as with any other tool in Photoshop.
Week One
The Pen is mightier than the sword, or the brush, or the clone stamp tool, or even the filter menu.
This week we’ll delve into what exactly the Pen does that is different than anything else in Photoshop, and why you’d want to use it. We’ll explore the interface and get some hands on time in Path wrangling.
Week Two
Now cut that out! Remove an object from a background without the Magic Wand tool!
Remove an object from a background without the Magic Wand tool!
This week we’ll see why the Pen is the “Anti-Magic Wand” tool. We’ll use it to cut an object out of the background of an image. We’ll explore the techniques the pros use and develop an efficient work flow for quickly creating precise clipping paths, and discuss why that’s a good thing.
Week Three
Illustrating in Photoshop, learning to draw a logo that can be scaled to any size without smudging .Learn to create tight vector illustrations in our favorite image editor. In a program where pixels reign supreme, the vectors tools are often forgotten. This week we’ll dust them off and see that Photoshop can draw!
Week Four
Keeping it real, practical path projects and Professional Pen practices
This week we’ll cover some real life applications of the Pen techniques and explore some of the secret tricks of the pros.
“Pears in Blue” Created with Skip Allen’s custom Watercolor brushes, by Karen Bonaker
