Using the Brush Tool

Using the Pen Tool

Learn how to use the Pen Tool to create a work path and remove the background from an image.

When to use

Using the Pen Tool to create selections is most useful when you want to trace around objects with straight and curved lines. 

Instructions

Creating a Work Path

• Begin by opening one of the two images of the headphones from the resources folder.
• Select the Pen Tool (P) and zoom in to create your first point on the inside of the headphones.
• Continue tracing around the inner portion of the headphones using the techniques we covered in the previous module.
• Once you have finished tracing the inside of the headphones and closed the path, repeat the same process for the outside.

Using the Paths Panel

• After you've finished tracing around the headphones, go to the Window Menu and choose 'Paths' to open the Paths Panel. 
• You should now see your path showing up as a 'Work Path'.
• From here, you can hold the Command/Ctrl Key and click on the layer thumbnail to activate a selection around your path.
• Once your selection is active, click on the Layer Mask Icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette.
• You have now used your Work Path to remove the background from your image, isolating the headphones.

Other Benefits of Using Paths

• Now that you have a path, you can go to the File Menu and choose Save As to save this as a JPG.
• If you go to the File Menu and choose 'Open' you can navigate to the JPG to open it and you will see that the Work Path has been stored in the JPG file.
• With a Work Path, you can also hold the Control Key, click along the path, and choose 'Stroke Path'. You can now choose 'Brush' and whichever brush and color you have selected will be used to trace around the exact path that you create. 

Hints & tips

• When tracing shapes and objects with the Pen Tool (P) it can be helpful to switch between the regular Pen Tool and the Curvature Pen Tool.
• When tracing details, it can be helpful to zoom in and out while using the Hand Tool to navigate around your document.
• Once you've created a Work Path, you can save it as a JPG file and the path will be saved with it. This is a great way to save on file sizes compared to saving a Photoshop file, which tends to be much larger.