The pen tool.. CS2 - HELP!

Okay, I'm fairly new to designing on CS2. And the main tool I have problems with is the bloody pen tool! I don't know how to work this at all. I've tried many times, and just failed over and over. Eventually I gave up on all attempts to make it work, lol.

So, I appreciate it so much if someone could just tell me how to do the basics with that pathetic tool Soon as I master the pen tool I'll be able to make a lot more complex designs and hoepfully make myself a little cash from it! Hehe!

I look forward to reading the tips given to me.. Thanks!

Ryan.
Ytex Designs.

You can't really explain it in text, you just get used to it and become natural. Try googling to find some videos of it in use. One thing I will say, is after your second point, two lines will come out either side of the point. Click on the point, and make one of the lines smaller by dragging it towards the point, and reposition to how it was. Then when you make the next point it will be back to normal.

the pen tool is used to draw the outline points of a path. when you're drawing your outline turn the opacity down to 0 so the program won't try to fill the shape between the first and last points before you've drawn them all.

i think a lot of what is being said in here is over complicated due to it being in text (its easy for someone who uses the tool to understand what your saying but not someone who has never used it)
Secondly you may pick up bad habits so don't ever take what anyone says as gospel, just learn and make your own decisions.

Here is a link to a website i found after searching for a bit seems helpful in explaining the pen tool.
Pen Tool Tutorial

Well, it depends on what shape you are trying, for example, if you wish to make a wave shape, click where you want the shape then click again somewhere, then drag up and down using the cursor, this bends the line. Then to finish it off you could add a stroked border or brushing.

there are many websites out there to help, and the key is practice, i learnt it without a book, just takes awhile

There's two ways that I use to draw a shape with the pen tool (either Photoshop or Illustrator).

You can put down all the points of your shape without any curves to them and then come back with the point conversion tool (the arrow pointer, I can't remember the name of it, my PS in in french, )
- or
You can draw the curves at the same time you create a point (click and drag). You always drag towards the next point you draw.

In any case, you can refine the curves with the point conversion tool () or the direct selection tool (the white arrow pointer, ).

And I really hate working directly with vector shapes in Photoshop, I prefer drawing only the paths first and then fill them/stroke them or create a vector mask. ()

Sorry if the tool names aren't exact. And finally, remember that to get smoother curves, the least points is the best.

I didn't know a thing about the pen tool until, well, 2 days ago, heh. It's actually really easy once you get the gist of it.

Do a search on Google for "photoshop pen tool". You'll find some helpful tutorials, with pictures, and that always helps.

Cs2: The important parts.

K, i'll clarify what i'm talking about here. When you click, you get a box, and then when you drag out, you get a big line with two small dots at the end. So, i'll either be talking about:

The box
The line with dots on it, mkay?

First, when you make your first anchor point, drag the line to where you WANT your next point to be and then click. You'll get a line depending on distance, how far you dragged out, etc.

The most useful point is to HOLD CONTROL and you can actually bend the curve by holding control and clicking to suit your needs. You can tweak the length of the line coming out of your anchor to adjust steepness of the curve and you can move the anchor box to shift the position of the curve, probably one of the most useful points people don't mention.

Good luck with it!