PDA

View Full Version : Stupid Photoshop Tricks


cletus
Jan-28-2005, 06:50 AM
Here's a home for all those "I may never use it, but that sure is cool!" Photoshop tips & tricks.

For our first entry: Arrows

Arrows can be handy-dandy things. When you're writing tutorials you can use arrows to point to controls you want your readers to use. When you're critiquing or offering suggestions on an image you can use an arrow to point out a specific area or feature that you want to discuss. When your buddy posts a self portrait and there is a great big booger hanging out of their nose, you can use an arrow to point it out!

As with anything in Photoshop, there are a million ways to make arrows. I prefer the method described in Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS Killer Tips:
When you're ready to make your arrows, grab the line tool (it shares tool palette space with the other shape tools):
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926911-M.gif
Once you have the Line tool selected, take a look at the Option bar (if the Option bar is not visible, you can get to it with Window > Options.) To the left of the line Weight option there is a little downward pointing triangle that opens the Geometery Options dropdown:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926912-M.jpg

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926910-M.jpg
In the Geometery Options dropdown you can specify arrowheads on the start and/or end of the line and specify the size of the arrowhead compared to the weight of the line.

Once you have arrowheads turned on you can click-drag with the line tool to make arrows all over the place!
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14928243-M.gif

pathfinder
Jan-28-2005, 06:59 AM
Here's a home for all those "I may never use it, but that sure is cool!" Photoshop tips & tricks.

For our first entry: Arrows

Arrows can be handy-dandy things. When you're writing tutorials you can use arrows to point to controls you want your readers to use. When you're critiquing or offering suggestions on an image you can use an arrow to point out a specific area or feature that you want to discuss. When your buddy posts a self portrait and there is a great big booger hanging out of their nose, you can use an arrow to point it out!

As with anything in Photoshop, there are a million ways to make arrows. I prefer the method described in Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS Killer Tips:
When you're ready to make your arrows, grab the line tool (it shares tool palette space with the other shape tools):
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926911-M.gif
Once you have the Line tool selected, take a look at the Option bar (if the Option bar is not visible, you can get to it with Window > Options.) To the left of the line Weight option there is a little downward pointing triangle that opens the Geometery Options dropdown:
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926912-M.jpg

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14926910-M.jpg
In the Geometery Options dropdown you can specify arrowheads on the start and/or end of the line and specify the size of the arrowhead compared to the weight of the line.

Once you have arrowheads turned on you can click-drag with the line tool to make arrows all over the place!
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/14928243-M.gif



Thanks Cletus - That is a great thing to know. I've always just painted in an arrow with bright red ink and a brush kinda like graffiti!!

This tip wil help my posts look more like I actually might have some idea what I am talking about :D :D

DoctorIt
Jan-28-2005, 08:47 AM
expect to see a lot of posts with arrows soon :lol3

gus
Jan-28-2005, 10:44 AM
expect to see a lot of posts with arrows soon :lol3
OI !!......... i heard that !

DoctorIt
Jan-28-2005, 01:27 PM
OI !!......... i heard that !:D :wave

GREAPER
Jan-28-2005, 01:47 PM
:d

DoctorIt
Feb-10-2005, 08:33 AM
a bump for some great advice.

I used the line tool today, with some really goofy settings for the arrow heads to make a dimensional bar in an image for a journal article. I wanted lines or dots instead of arrowheads, so by tweaking the width and length, I was able to make it look right.

Awesome! and easy. :D

cletus
Jan-16-2006, 09:07 AM
These line tool arrows make a great first step into creating tool presets. I haven't really seen much discussion of presets, but they're pretty cool!

Make sure you have the line tool selected in the tools palette, and you have your arrow heads setup the way you want. Take a look at the option bar. At the left end of the option bar you'll find the tool preset picker
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/51723809-L.jpg

Click on the little downward pointing triangle to open the picker. Next, click on the Create new tool preset button
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/51723803-L.jpg

In the New Tool Preset dialog, give your preset a name
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/51723794-L.gif

Now when you go back and open the tool preset picker for the line tool you'll find your preset
http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/51723802-L.jpg

Just click on your preset and you're ready to make arrows!