Jen
Creative Chick
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Posts: 8,309
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Post by Jen on Oct 2, 2009 15:04:12 GMT -6
Copy the picture below to your desktop and open it in Photoshop. I made it big so it was easier to see everything. You'll see the path is made up of anchor points, I put a number next to them. Each anchor point has a direction line going through it and at the ends of a direction line are direction points. What you want to do is take the pen tool and click on anchor point #1 and drag it a little bit in the direction of the red arrow. Now click on anchor point #2 and drag it a little in the direction of the red arrow. Now do the same for anchor points #3 to #8. As you go around the shape don't worry if it doesn't look like my path. When you get to the last anchor point which is #8 you need to put your cursor over anchor point #1, you'll see a hollow circle next to your cursor when you do, then click and drag a little. This will close the path.
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Jen
Creative Chick
Admin
Posts: 8,309
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Post by Jen on Oct 2, 2009 15:04:42 GMT -6
Now select the direct selection tool.
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Jen
Creative Chick
Admin
Posts: 8,309
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Post by Jen on Oct 2, 2009 15:05:05 GMT -6
If you click on the path with the direct selection tool[/color], red arrow, you'll see the two direction lines[/color] that make that curve, purple arrows.
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Jen
Creative Chick
Admin
Posts: 8,309
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Post by Jen on Oct 2, 2009 15:05:30 GMT -6
If you click on an anchor point[/color], red arrow, you'll see its direction line[/color] that has a direction point[/color] on both ends, purple arrows.
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Jen
Creative Chick
Admin
Posts: 8,309
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Post by Jen on Oct 2, 2009 15:05:54 GMT -6
What I want you to do is once your path is made take the direct selection tool and click on anchor point #1. Now one at a time click and drag a direction point and move it until it matches up with mine.
Now click on anchor point #2 and do the same thing.
As you go around the path you'll see you're adjusting the curved segments between two anchor points[/color] using their direction lines[/color] that you're grabbing by their direction points[/color]. This probably sounds confusing but as you move the direction lines and see how they work it should be easier to understand what's happening.
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