Tools of the Trade

Below is a list of the most commonly used tools for photochopping.

Tools Description: Bold letter by each tool is the keystroke for that tool

These are only the most common tools that you will use.

To access a tool that has multiple functions, hold down the mouse key over the tool that you want to work with.


Keyboard Shortcuts:

Pen Tool Basics:

The pen tool seems to be a tough one to be able to just click and make lines. Here's an easy setup to get you going. This is the perfect tool for doing toon outlines.

When you select your pen tool, Use these settings-

- First Create a new layer and call it "Line work", or something to the fact that you know this will be the layer for your outlines.


- In your Layers menu bar there is an option tab for Paths. Click that tab. This will show your lines.


- Make your outline around the car. start with the very perimeter, which will be your heaviest lines.


- Now go to your brush tool. Trust me. ;) Set your brush to these settings \/ \/ \/ \/ As you get to your thinner lines, you can reduce the brush size to 2 or 1.

- Go back to your Paths menu and right mouse click on the path layer. Choose - Stroke Path > Brush

- You can make a new path layer to seperate your heavy lines from your thinner one's. If you still have questions, I found a tutorial for the pen tool: DeviantArt Tutorial or e-mail me, I'll be glad to help out.


- Take your time learning a tutorial for the first time. I found it easiest for me to read through the tutorial first, and then go back to photoshop and start following the instructions, refering back and forth from the tutorial to my project.