Photoshop 6 (#2)
Shape Layers
by Joyce
Evans
Another new feature is the shape layers. It doesn't work
the same way you may be used to so we'll look at that next.
The shape layer is a fill layer with a layer clipping path;
the fill layer defines the color of the shape, while the layer
clipping path defines the geometric outline of the shape.
You can change the color and other attributes of a shape
by editing its fill layer and applying layer styles to it.
The outline of a shape can be changed by editing its layer
clipping path.
1
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See the first tutorial-working
with Vector-shapes first, then after you've completed
drawing your shape the check mark at the right on the
context sensitive toolbar appears. This is called the
commit button, click on it to get a new layer. |
| 2 |
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Now you can draw another shape. |
3
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Click the Commit check mark
again, The keyboard option is to hit the enter or return
key. I'd like to say that the instructions that Adobe
gives to get a new shape layer is to double click
the the shape icon in the tool bar then commit. Why,
I don't know, maybe it's an error.
I tested several times and I got a new layer every
time by simply clicking the commit button or the Enter
key (PC) |
5
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Let's look at the Layer Palette.
We should now have a background and 3 layers. |
6
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I'm sure the first thing you
will notice is that the layer palette looks much different
if you've been using an earlier version of Photoshop.
We'll look closer at that another time. Notice
here that there are now 3 layers plus the background.
The effects you see attached to each layer are the
layer styles effect that I choose. If you click the
little triangle next to the f that layer will fold
up. |
7
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Let's take a quick look at
the paths palette as well. As mentioned in the opening,
a shape layer also has a clipping path. |
8
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The path of your shape can
be edited, select the direct selection tool from the
toolbox. |
9
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Click on your shape and you'll
see points. I clicked and dragged on four point and
stretched them.
|
10
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Once again, select your shape
(I selected by holding the CTRL key and clicking on
the path) Then Edit>Copy Merged and pasted into a
new document. |
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