Expert: LizaL - 11/24/2004

Question
Liza,
I'm new to Photoshop, using CS, (Mac OS X 10.3), and I have a
specific question. When I use the pen tool to make a vector
based, curved line it defaults to a "closed" path.  How do I make
it change to be an "open" path -- that is, so it is just a simple
line, and will stop connecting the end point back to the
beginning point. This has been very frustrating for me, any help
would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Michael

Answer
Hi Michael,

The only thing I can think of that would be causing your problem is that you might have an unwanted option selected. Let's check it out:

1. First, select your pen tool.

2. At the top of your Photoshop window, you'll now see all the options that relate to the pen tool. In fact, right under the word 'Photoshop', you'll see three little squares.

3. The first is the one I think you might have selected. When you draw with this option chosen, you'll be drawing shapes, instead of paths, which would cause your line to close and fill with the foreground color.

4. The next square over will let you draw a path, and it won't fill when you draw it. This is what I think you need to have selected when you use the Pen tool.

5. The last square over, by the way, is for filling a shape with pixels, and applies more to the shape tools; it's not really applicable here.

Watch the little movie I made and you can see what I mean. First I choose the shape-drawing option, and draw the black shape. Then I choose the middle box, and draw an open path. (The direct selection tool, the one I choose near the end of the movie, will let you alter the points on your path.)

Here's the link:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/pentool.mov

So try making sure you have that middle box selected before you draw, and you should see different results.

Hope this helps!

Lisa