Using Photoshop predefined shapes and their shape paths as a selection tool, is a great way to use paths and selections as a design tool. Photoshop ships with a rich library of varied shapes and using these is simply a great shortcut to adding this to your image and saving a little drawing time too.
To get started, click the option arrow on the lower right hand portion of your rectangle tool. You will see several shape options, the last one being the custom shape tool. After choosing custom shape tool, you see its icon displayed in the options menu, just under the File menu indicating it is the active object. About half way down the options menu you see the ‘Shape:->’ option. Clicking the arrow next to this displays the shapes available to you. On the far upper right of this shapes display is another option arrow that displays shape options including the various shape ‘families’. You will see music, nature, film, Web, many others including the option to display all shapes.
Choose the shape you would like to use for this exercise. Pick an image you want to dress up a bit then choose a shape from this shape library to add it to your image. Once you select a shape, you will see its icon displayed next to the ‘Shape’ menu option. On the far left of this same options menu, there are three ‘mode’ options: shape layers, paths, and fill pixels. Be sure and pick paths.
Now draw your shape using your mouse to adjust its dimension. Dragging your mouse up and down you can modify the width and height of this predefined shape. Once you complete your shape, you can use the path selection tool to move the entire shape and place it more carefully in your image. If you choose the direct selection tool instead of the path selection tool, the ‘white’ arrow option for this same tool, your shape’s definition points will become active and your can actually redraw it, using bezier curve control on any single point, adjusting the location of any point providing a very flexible design for making this ‘library shape’, your shape!
Now we’re ready to add this shape to our image but right now it is simply a ‘work’ path, a path you are still defining. Once you are happy with your modifications or if you like it exactly ‘as is’ directly from the library, use your mouse to drag your work path to the ‘create new path’ icon below, next to the delete trash can icon. Simply dragging down to this create path option will create and save this path as part of your image.
If you want this new shape to be placed on its own layer, first create a new layer and with it active, return to your ‘Paths’ tab, right click on your new path, and choose ‘Fill Path’. This option will fill your new shape with the default fill color you have chosen and place it on its own layer. If you want to experiment with color, you can simply change the default color and repeat the last step, fill path with the default foreground color.
Photoshop provides a great library of shapes with an image for any occasion. Using the simple steps here you can convert any of these shapes into a selection path, then add that path, that new shape to your image. A great design tool!
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