Expert: LizaL - 11/15/2005

Question
Dear Lizal,
    first let me take this opportunity to thank you for your help in the past.  Your answers were concise and accurate.
I now need to ask for your help in how to use the pen tool.  Basically what I am trying to do is making a selection around a butterfly or a flower.  What is happening is I can't seem to close the selection in other words get the marching ants.  If possible could you give me step-by-step directions on the basic use of the pen tool.  After learning how to use the basics if I have trouble advancing myself I will call on your help again.  I am using Photoshop No. 7 I am using a Mac.  If it matters and Epson printer 1280 a Gateway computer with more memory then I would ever use.  Respectfully yours Stewart Arno up

Answer
Hi Stewart,

Good to hear from you. How's it going?

The pen tool is a very accurate way of making selections. But it works in conjunction with the Paths palette, when you want to activate that selection -- in other words, see the "marching ants."

Basically, what you need to do is select the pen tool, and click and drag to add points and outline the part of your image you want to select. When you get to the end, go ahead and close the line you've just drawn by clicking on the first point you created -- but at this point, you won't see the "marching ants." That's where the Paths palette comes in.

Once you've made your selection with the Pen tool, and finished the line, go to your Paths palette (Window pulldown menu > Paths) and select Make Selection, from the fly-out menu (the little triangle on the top right of the palette window). That should activate the path you've just drawn with your pen tool.

Take a look at the little movie I did:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/pentool.mov

Once your selection is activated, you're free to do whatever you like with it. In that example mentioned above, after I'd activated my selection, I went to the Layer pulldown menu and selected New Layer Via Cut, which put the dog's head on a separate layer.

The little movie I did was a very rough and quick demonstration -- I'm sure you'll take better care to outline your selection! The pen tool is good for that, though, as you can get into all the nooks and crannies of what you want to select.

But basically, that's probably the step you're skipping. Let me know how this works for you, and if you need more help, just holler --

Lisa