1. Ch 5: Drawing
Photoshop CS6 Essentials
By Scott Onstott

2. Ch 5: Drawing
Vector versus Raster
• Vector data are represented as objects
that retain editability over time as
objects (red light bulb)
• Raster data is represented by
individual pixels (blue light bulb)
• Scaling both types of data reveals an
important difference: vector data is
independent of resolution and raster
data is not
• Vector objects have clean crisp edges
• Photos are made of pixels and are thus
raster data

3. Ch 5: Drawing
Centering a Shape
• Toggle on Rulers (Cmd+R) and
change the ruler units to
percent
• Drag out horiz and vert guides to
50% to locate the center of the
document
• Hold Option while drawing a shape
to make it come from its center
point
• Hold Shift while drawing to
constrain proportions so that a
rectangle becomes a square or
an ellipse becomes a circle

4. Ch 5: Drawing
Booleans
• You have access to Boolean
tools when drawing in
Shape Layers and Paths
modes
• Booleans include Add,
Subtract, Intersect, and
Exclude Overlapping
• To access Boolean tools you
must select the vector
mask of a shape layer or
the working path in paths
mode

5. Ch 5: Drawing
Transforming Shapes
• You can transform shapes with
the Path Selection tool
• Drag outside a closed shape
to rotate it
• Use the controls on the
options bar for accuracy
• You can maintain proportions
by clicking the link icon on
the options bar
• The movable center point sets
the center of rotation and
scaling

6. Ch 5: Drawing
Duplicating Shapes
• You can make a copy of an
existing shape without
creating a duplicate layer by
first selecting the shape with
the Path Selection tool and
then pressing Cmd+C
• Pasting a copy by pressing
Cmd+V create a duplicate in
the same place (coincident)
• Drag the copy to a new location
to complete the procedure

7. Ch 5: Drawing
Altering Shapes
• You can change the form of
a vector shape by using
the Direct Selection tool
• Drag out a selection window
surrounding the anchor
points that you’d like to
affect
• Move the anchor points by
dragging
• Nudge anchors one pixel at
a time by pressing the
arrow keys

8. Ch 5: Drawing
Drawing Custom Shapes
• You can access a wide variety of
pre-drawn custom shapes in
the drop-down menu on the
options bar
• Additional shape libraries are
available that ship with
Photoshop
• Click the right facing arrow on the
custom shape drop-down to
open the library menu
• You can even create your own
custom shapes by choosing
Edit > Define Custom Shape

9. Ch 5: Drawing
Drawing Curving Paths
• You can curve any anchor point while drawing by dragging as you create the
point.
• It may be easier to click out a rough straight line path at first and then go back
and select each anchor point with the Convert Point tool and take the time
to carefully curve each anchor to shape the path as you intend

10. Ch 5: Drawing
Stroking Paths
• In Paths mode no pixels are created by
default. Instead you focus on drawing the
forms you want
• Create a new layer and then switch to the
Paths panel and make sure the work
path is selected
• Switch to the Brush tool and pick a brush
shape and size
• Click the Stroke Path with Brush button at
the bottom of the Paths panel to stroke
the path with your chosen brush
• Stroking paths is far more accurate than
trying to paint smooth curves by hand