Expert: LizaL - 11/21/2004

Question
I am working in Photoshop 7 on a PC. I can make shapes, like stars, using the shapes tools. However, how can I put either a color-fill or a line in or around these objects? Once I've made them, I can't figure out how to do anything with the shapes. Help!  

Answer
Hi D,

I'm with you: I like the Shape tool, and the shapes you can create, but editing is crazy! Sometimes I wonder if it'd be quicker to draw the thing myself, freehand, LOL!

Anyway, to answer your question, I did a little movie you can watch:

http://little-works.com/all_experts/shape.mov

What I'm doing in the movie is creating a shape with a shape tool, selecting it with the Alt key held down, which makes visible all the points on the shape. Then I'm using the Pen tool to "reshape" the shape, by adding points (and you can also delete points, etc.). I then choose the Direct Selection tool, which lets me drag points.

The next part is probably the only way I know to change the stroke on a shape created with a shape tool. With the shape selected, go to the Paths palette and click on the fly-out arrow at the side. Select Make Selection. Now from the Edit pulldown menu, choose Stroke, and choose your stroke size. And you can also fill from that same menu, under Fill... .

In this movie, and this example, I'm using Photoshop CS, but I tried to stick to the tools in the tool palette, since I don't remember where the options are in version 7. CS has the Shape Tool options under the pulldown menus, and I don't think 7 has that. (See the little shapes at the top of the screen in the beginning of the movie?)

Also, before I originally drew that shape, I had the Shape Paths option selected. I'm not sure where that is in 7, as I trashed 7 when I got CS, LOL! In CS, those are the 3 squares you see under the word Photoshop in the pulldown menus at the top of the screen.

Having the Shape Layers option selected creates a layer mask for the shape. This can let you add things like Bevel and Emboss, etc.

I'm sure you have these options in Photoshop 7, and I regret that I just don't remember where they are.

Anyway, I hope this helps! And if it doesn't, let me know and I'll try to make it clearer.

Lisa