Up to this point, I've always hated vector work. I hated it in PSP. I thought I'd hate in Photoshop, too. While I understand the functions and methods of the pen tools, I could never get them to do exactly what I wanted. Oh, I could create curves all right, but they'd be too large, too small, too much like a wave crest in shape, too anything but what I wanted.
 |
Here's my logo made with the pen tool. Since I wasn't able to duplicate the curves, I made this into purposefully asymmetric shape. I've got to say I still am not feeling love for the pen tool.
 |
Where's my compound project, you ask. Let's not go there. (grin) Suffice it say that it was even less successful than
the projects I'm posting here.
This graphic was created by using the vector pen tool to trace the American Heart Assn. logo.
I spent much more time on this lesson than this page would suggest. I fought with the pen tool. It fought back. We have
brokered an uneasy truce - the pen tool will lie quietly on my tools palette if I promise not to disturb it. I think
that's fair.
Vector pen tool - rest in peace.
 |
After getting encouragement on the board, I tried the two tutorials that Janee suggested. The tip about too many set points was a big part of my trouble. I've posted the results of the heart tutorial. I still am vector-phobic, but have a better grasp of the tools. If you look closely at the big heart, you can see that I've tried to cover up my symmetry challenged drawing with a pattern. Still, it's much better than my poor, sad little deformed club at the top of this page.
 |
I tried this exercise again with much better results. OK, I cheated and used PSP 9. (grin) I hadn't visited the PSP vector tools for quite some time and was surprised by the goodies there. Many more options than in PS CS and one very powerful tool that came to my rescue. All hail the symmetrical vector shape tool.
Copyright © 2004 NeliaNet.com. All rights reserved.