Ferlin

I've been working with the vector part of PS partially inspired by the framed tutorial. I decided I wanted a uniform way of cutting into the side rectangular marquee. I figured that out. I know how to distribute and align geometric components into paths. What PS does not have that illistrator has is the ability to use stroke width.

To compensate for this I click on my saved path skeleton and thicken the stroke with a hard paintbrush to a layer. Now I have my saved shape - selection that I can use as a cutting tool. Is there an easier way of doing this? What am I missing? 8}

Dodo

Ferlin, I'm not sure that I understand your whole request here - can you maybe just describe how and what you did with the geometrical alignment & distribution, using path selection and so on? That'll prove a better starting point I reckon (in terms of what you ultimately want to accomplish).

You could possibly look at "Load path as selection", then "Select>Modify>Border" to select a border of your specification around the path, then filling it with a foreground colour or clearing the selection (with some feathering maybe).

If you wish to preserve the selection you can in turn convert this to a path ("Make work path from selection") which you can then fill as required. If it's quite a detailed path, it's better to work in a large image (then scale down at the end) as the vectorization approximates to curves and lines until the deviation is small enough to be neglible. This results in a loss of detail in smaller images - or so it seems anyway.

I'm not very clued up with paths myself, so I'll keep an eye on this post.

retired_paddza

Actually, paths are mathematical... so they describe perfect curves and lines. When you rasterize them, e.g. turn them into pixels, that's when you employ limiting and defining a curve by approximation.

When you work with vectors, it doesn't matter what size the image is, as the math is infinately scalable. If you mean that when you rasterize that you should use a larger file, that is partially true. The beauty of working with vectors is that you can make the objects any size that you want. So you can actually build your rasterized versions at scale, which is always better than resampling.

Ferlin, I'm also not sure what you're trying to do... you can get editable strokes by using layer styles on shape layers, that would approximate the basic stroke width feature of Illustrator (of course it would only provide you with a solid stroke, and not a textured one). Try to give some examples maybe... just not sure what you're getting at.

Dodo

Thanks for the correction MB. What I actually should've said is that when you convert a selection to a path (which thus creates the approximation), the bigger the better because selections are pixel limited (in a manner of speaking), while paths are not due to their mathematical founding. (Feel free to correct me here).

Ferlin

I am new to the vector part of PS and this all came up when I wanted to make some frames like the old bambooish ones I have. First I made the shapes of the frames using combined vector ovals. Then I lined up some more ovals and liked the way they looked intertwined so I stroked them with the paintbrush. This is like in illustrator when you combine shapes and group them -except in illustrator you can apply any size stroke. I just wanted to make a template or a mold of a certain tepeated shape. What is my Point? I guess I am awkward with this part of PS , having to use the paintbrush at various sizes and paying attention to which layer what is on. But I see great potential for rythmic decoration here. I am awkward
using these paths tools. I'll try with the select- modofy- border. A lot of potential there. One thing I don't get are the shape layers! I don't see any use for them. Thanks Dodo and Mindbender

Ferlin

Sometimes I think I jumped to far into PS. I need to go back and learn about selections. You can align selections like you can with paths? Right. As some one on here said - so much to learn, so little time.

[confused]

Dodo

This just a side comment on the bamboo frame idea:
Even though I think this is a nice technique, it might be a bit too precise for something natural like bamboo. Rather draw a bamboo-ish shape - using the pen tool to make it into a path which you can easily duplicate and fill, etc.

I attempted something quick - saved a preview before attempting to do shadows etc. and then Mr. Gates said I was too exceptional for my program to work any longer. Not having saved otherwise, that's where it ended - but it might just give you and idea. It'll be nice to do some roping around the corners - like a real island type of knotty thing that holds the frame together.

Ferlin

Really nice Dodo. How did you make those brownish horizontal bands?
Then did you cut away with a marguee tool next to every horizontal band? Theu look like they go in just a tad (know what I mean) . Like the criss cross and drop shadow. [righton]

Dodo

Ferlin, I just used the pen tool to create a path in the shape shown below. Then used this path as a selection, filled it using the reflected gradient with a pale yellow and dark brown/yellow as the two colours (as done in that frame tutorial). The dark bits were made with the burn tool combined with a black grainy brush of some lowered opacity (with the selection from the path still active). I also duplicated the layer, added some noise and motion blurring in direction of the length of the bamboo segment - to create a strand-like effect/texture. This layer was then blended in overlay mode I think but it's not really that visible. You can then duplicate this segment and create your frame.

retired_paddza

Dodo - I see what you're saying. You're correct. Going from raster to vector you would want as high quality as you can get. It's not usually a great process, and I generally opt for redrawing rather than converting a selection because of it.

Ferlin - I guess you answered your own question... ? maybe? I'm still not sure what you're getting at, sorry... sometimes I'm a tad dense. As for shape layers. They are a halfway between paths and raster. They let you draw with paths, and apply things like color and layer styles to them, but they remain editable vectors so they don't loose quality like raster will. Shape layers are probably as close as you're going to get to Illustrator functionality in Photoshop, at least as far as vector objects go.