This tutorial will teach you how to use the Pen Tool. It’s used as one of Photoshop’s main drawing tools and has the ability to make selections like the Lasso Tool and make custom shapes which can be saved for later use.

Before we start, lets have a look at the Pen Tool, and its alternate tools.

To access this menu, just right click the Pen Tool in the tools list.

Pen tool

The Pen Tool can be used to create or edit straight lines, curves and custom shapes in Photoshop. As stated before, it can be used to create selections and custom shapes which is a major factor for drawings and vector work in Photoshop.

As you will notice in the animation below, the path that is being created is made up of anchors which act like support points for the path. The anchors are created as a base point for the path, and they can be modified by using the Direct Selection Tool. To create a new anchor, click anywhere on the image using the Pen Tool. You can also create curved anchors and lines by holding down the mouse button and dragging it while making a new anchor. This can also be done by using the Convert Point Tool.

Pen Tool

Freeform Pen Tool

The Freeform Pen Tool uses the same idea as the lasso tool. To use it, click and drag the freeform pen tool around the chosen object. To finish the path, release the mouse button. The line that you have created will form into a path, which can be edited using the other pen tools.

Add/Delete Anchor Point Tools

The Add/Delete Anchor Point tools allow you to create and remove anchor points along your paths. They can be used for more detail on selections as you can add more in-depth anchors along the way at any given time. The two animations below show the basic functions of the Add Anchor Point Tool & Delete Anchor Point Tool.

Add Tool

Delete Tool

The Convert Point Tool

This tool is used to edit anchors along a path. Using it’s alternate options (by holding alt and/or ctrl), you can move anchor points or even move the entire path by selecting it like the marquee tool. To add a curve to a point, grab and drag the point using Convert Point Tool. Depending on the location and the direction of your point, the Convert Point Tool can create many different results. In the example below, the convert point tool was dragged vertically.

Convert Point Tool

These are just some basic functions of the pen tool. If used right, it is one of the best tools in Photoshop. Take time to learn it, and it will benefit your graphic skills in no time!