Expert: LizaL - 8/17/2005

Question
Lizal...

This question actually pertains to Photoshop Elements, but probably there is enough overlap in the two programs that you might be able to help.  Also, the question is fairly elemental/easy.  I want to do a fairly simple thing, but I cannot figure out how, and I have searched HELP plus a 3rd party manual and they have been of no help.  They seem to help with more complex things, but the 'simple' things aren't covered.

I want to take an image (photograph), and some way draw a circle (or other shape, maybe ellipse, or rectangle) around various items in the picture for identification.  What I have figured out is to use the tool (in the menu of various tools along the upper left of screen) called ELLIPSE.  If I click on this, it actually gives a further choice to choose other shapes if needed.

Is this even the right tool?  What happens to me is, when I draw the circle or ellipse around the item in the picture, when I click to stop drawing the shape, the shape fills in with solid black.  I just want the "outline" of the circle etc around the object, i.e., I still want to see inside the circle.  I am sure this must be a setting somewhere, but I just have not been able to find it.

Second, I would like to be able to change the color of the circle (shape).  It defaults to black right now, but if on a dark background, I would like to change this to white or yellow for example.  How?

I realize this isn't Photoshop per se, but I am hoping you can help me as this relatively simple task is driving me crazy.  I am using Photoshop Elements 2.

Thanks in advance,

L.J.

Answer
Hi L.J.,

I think sometimes the simplest things are the ones that bug us the most! I know just what you're trying to do, and I'll try and explain how I do it.

BTW, I used to have Elements on one of my PCs, but it was the first version and I haven't upgraded. But I think you're right about there being enough overlap between Photoshop and Elements that this answer should work.

What's happening with you is you're using a shape tool -- nothing wrong with that at all, but personally, I find those shape tools more of a nuisance than a feature, and I rarely (if ever) use them.

So let's talk about using a marquee selection tool -- in particular, the elliptical marquee. It's the top left tool in the toolbox, and might be hidden by the default rectangular marquee selection tool. If that's the case, click and hold the rectangular marquee till you see the ellipse.

Select that tool and in your file, using the elliptical marquee tool, draw out a circle the size you need (hold the Shift key for a proportional circle). Now go to the Layer pulldown menu and select New... and just select the first choice, Layer. You don't need to create a layer by copying or cutting, in this case.

Your circle is now on its own layer, and should be an active selection. Go to the Edit pulldown menu and select Stroke... where you'll see options for changing the color of the circle (which, by the way, will NOT have a background!), and the width of its stroke. Confirm your settings, and you're done.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/ellipse.mov

(You  might have to give it a minute to load.)

Now about the shape tools -- they're great, I guess, if you have a preset shape that you know you want to use, as Photoshop does offer a bunch of them. They're also good if you have a shape you've created that you want to use, repeatedly. But that's as far as I can go, LOL! I really don't like them, and don't use them.

What's happening when you use them is that you're accidentally filling them. There's this TINY setting that, if selected, will fill a shape. It's located at the top left of your screen, right beside the box that shows the preview of the shape tool you've selected. Actually, there are two boxes, and the first designates a filled shape, and the second, an unfilled shape.

So if you wanted to use the ellipse shape tool, as opposed to the marquee, you would select the shape tool, make sure that fill button isn't selected, and draw with the shape tool.

Then, the way that I was able to stroke the shape was to draw it on its own layer (as in the previous method I've explained), then go to the Paths palette, make it a selection, then follow the steps of going to the Edit menu, Stroke, and choosing the options there.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/ellipse2.mov


So the end result is the same, but personally, I like using the marquee tool(s) better!

Hope this helps!

Lisa