Master the Pen Tool in Photoshop in under 8 minutes — the most accurate way to make selections, and the tool of choice for cutting out anything with hard edges. This is a fast, guideline-driven crash course: simple vs. complex curves, the key shortcuts, and a live cutout to practice on.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Why master the Pen Tool
00:52 Five reasons to use the Pen Tool
01:26 Simple vs. complex curves explained
02:14 Continuous curves vs. angles
03:13 Key shortcuts for editing curves
03:56 Practicing on a real cutout
THE STEPS
1. Understand the two curve types: a simple curve has one bend, a complex curve changes direction and needs a point between two simple curves.
2. Click and drag to create curves, or click without dragging for straight-line points.
3. Hold Alt/Option to convert a point between a curve and a corner on the fly.
4. Hold Cmd/Ctrl to reposition any point or curve handle at any time, even after the path is drawn.
5. Trace your subject using this mix of simple and complex cur...