pen tool work around

[stevenm]

was watchiing a tutorial on creating a spotlight effect using a pen tool, Unfortuanately pse 7 doesn't have one. Anyone familiar with a workaround. Insted of explainig the whole thing I've included the link to the tutorial..TIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2jufA-gBrU

[jjvera00]

I played with the tutorial and came up with this work around.

1) At the beginning, make 2 blank layers
2) In the middle layer, with the Rectangular Marquee Tool, make a Rectangle selction.
3) With your selection still active, go to Edit > Fill Selection ... then select Black as your Color. You will now have a Black Rectangle and your selection should still be active.
4) Now go to Image > Transform > Distort. Click on the corners, and make the rectangle in to the "shape" of your spot light. Go outside the area of your picture like in the video. When done, click the green check mark or press Enter.
5) With your selection still active, drag the middle layer into the trash can. Your selection should still be active.
6) After you trash it, select the remaining blank layer. Your selection should still be active and you can now proceed with the tutorial.

[Wendy]

Hi Steven ...

For straight lines like this you could use the Polygonal Lasso instead of the Pen Tool ..

If you are a subscriber then there are a couple of tutorials in the subscriber area which show how to do this effect in Elements.

Making a Complex Spotlight Beam (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_complexspotlight.php)
Making a Simple Spotlight Beam (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_simplespotlight.php)

Those would help :)

Wendy

[stevenm]

very good Wendy. I looked there and must have blinked because I missed it


Hi Steven ...

For straight lines like this you could use the Polygonal Lasso instead of the Pen Tool ..

If you are a subscriber then there are a couple of tutorials in the subscriber area which show how to do this effect in Elements.

Making a Complex Spotlight Beam (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_complexspotlight.php)
Making a Simple Spotlight Beam (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_simplespotlight.php)

Those would help :)

Wendy

[Wendy]

Hi Steven ...

There are so many in there that its really easy to miss them ... do hope that they help :)

Wendy