Creating Custom Shapes in Photoshop

With the Custom Shape tool, you can choose from an extensive array of preset custom shapes, which Photoshop provides, as well as shapes that you can define yourself.

Using preset custom shapes
Photoshop’s preset custom shapes probably look familiar to you if you’ve been reading the earlier sections in this chapter (in particular, “Choosing a preset shape to create”). But there are a couple of additions:
- Defined Proportions: When you use this option, Photoshop limits any shapes created using this new custom shape to the proportions you use when you create it now. That is, you can change the size of a new shape but only in proportion with the original custom shape you create.
- Defined Size: When you use this option, Photoshop limits any shapes generated based on this new custom shape to the size you set now.

Choosing a preset custom shape couldn’t be easier:
1. Choose the Custom Shape tool from the Tools palette or Options bar.
2. Choose the Shape Layers, Paths, or Fill Pixels option found in the Options bar.
3. Click the drop-down shapes palette triangle in the Options bar.
4. Select a shape from the scrolling list and press Enter (Return on the Mac) to close the palette.
5. Choose from the available Custom Shape Options in the Options bar.
You can choose Defined Proportions and Defined Size in addition to the other preset shapes Photoshop offers.
6. Drag in your document to draw the shape.
You can load many more custom shapes into the Shapes palette by choosing a shape library (such as Animals or Music) from the palette pop-up menu.

Creating your own custom shape
You can create your own custom shape by defining the shape using a vector mask, work path, or saved path. To create a shape and add it to your shape library, follow these steps:
1. Choose the Pen tool from the Tools palette, or press Shift+P until the Pen tool is selected.
2. Use the Pen to draw the shape you want to create.
Photoshop automatically places the shape you create in its own shape layer as a vector mask.
3. In the Paths palette, select the path or vector mask you want to convert into a custom shape.
4. Choose Edit➪Define Custom Shape from the menu bar.
5. Enter a descriptive name for your new shape in the dialog box and then click OK.
The new shape appears in the custom shapes pop-up palette in the Options bar.
6. Choose Save Shapes from the palette’s pop-up menu to store your new library on your hard drive.
Although you can’t create a shape with the Presets Manager, you can use it to manage the shapes in your shape library.

Using vector masks
When you create a shape in Shape layer mode, Photoshop automatically saves the shape as a vector mask. Essentially, a shape layer has two components. First, Photoshop entirely fills the layer with color. Then, Photoshop places the shape, which (again) is comprised of a path, on top. The thumbnails in the Layers palette visually display this concept. The color peeks through the outline of the shape, and Photoshop hides (or masks) the rest of the layer. So in other words, vector masks clip away the color of a shape layer. If you delete a vector mask, you are left with just a layer of solid color.

You can edit a shape that Photoshop has saved as a vector mask at any time. Simply click the vector mask thumbnail to select it. Then use the shape and pen tools to edit the shape. Here are some additional things you can do with a vector mask:
- To remove a vector mask, drag its thumbnail in the Layers palette to the trash can icon at the bottom of the palette. You can also select the layer and choose Layer-->Delete Vector.
- To enable or disable a vector mask, Shift+click its thumbnail in the Layers palette, or select the layer and choose Layer-->Disable (or Enable) Vector Mask. Photoshop marks the thumbnails of disabled vector masks with an X.
- You can convert a vector mask to a layer mask by selecting the layer and choosing Layer-->Rasterize-->Vector Mask.

Manipulating Shapes
You can manipulate shapes you’ve created by using a variety of tools. Here’s a quick list of the things you can do:
- Move: Choose the Move tool (press V) to move shapes in their layer.
- Delete: Select a shape and press Delete to remove it.
- Adjust anchor points: Use the Direct Selection tool to manipulate anchor points, directional handles, lines, and curves.
- Transform shapes: Use the Edit-->Transform Path command or select the Show Bounding Box option in the Options bar to transform shapes.
- Align and distribute shapes: Use active buttons in the Options bar when you have the Move tool selected to change alignment and distribution along an imaginary line (shown on the button).
- Clone a shape: Press Alt (Option on the Mac) and move the shape with the Path Selection tool.

Like all vector objects, vector paths print at the full resolution of the printer and are resolution independent. To avoid having your vector shapes first converted into pixels when printing, you must select the Include Vector Data option in the Print Options dialog box. Remember that if you select the Fill Pixels option in the Options bar, you’re stuck without editing capabilities.