In this tutorial, we'll learn the basics of drawing vector shapes in Photoshop CS6 using the simple Shapes tools! We'll start by examining how the tools work. "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool ), "Rounded Rectangle"(Rounded Rectangle Tool), "Ellipse"(Ellipse Tool), "Polygon"(Polygon Tool) and "Line"(Line Tool). Next, we'll learn how to choose fill and stroke colors for shapes, change the appearance of strokes, edit shapes using the useful properties of shape layers, and much more! We have a lot to learn, so in this tutorial we will focus on the operation and properties of the five basic tools in the Geometric Shapes group. In the next lesson, we will learn how to add more complex shapes to our document using the Freeform Shape tool!
This tutorial is for Photoshop CS6 users. If you are using an older version of the program, check out the original Shape and Shape Layer tutorial in Photoshop.
Most people think that Photoshop is only used for processing pixelated images, and if you asked them for a good image editor, in most cases the answer would be "Adobe Illustrator". Indeed, the capabilities of the Adobe Illustrator editor are much wider than the Photoshop programs, but, nevertheless, as we will see from this and the following lessons, the various tools of the Shapes group make it easy to add simple vector images to pictures and drawings
If you don't know what a vector shape is and how it differs from a pixel shape, check out this tutorial.
Shapes Tools
Photoshop offers us a choice of six tools in the Shapes group: "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool), Rounded Rectangle(Rounded Rectangle Tool), "Ellipse"(Ellipse Tool), "Polygon"(Polygon Tool), "Line"(Line Tool) and "Free figure"(Custom Shape Tool). All of these tools are located in one place on the toolbar. By default, we see the Rectangle tool, but if we click on the tool icon and hold down the mouse button, a drop-down menu will appear on the screen with a list of other tools from which we can select the one we need:
Clicking on the Rectangle tool icon will allow us to view other tools in the Shape group.
I'll select the first tool in the list, the Rectangle tool:
Vector Shapes, Paths, and Pixel Shapes
Before we start drawing shapes, we need to tell Photoshop what type of shape we want to draw, because in reality, Photoshop allows us to draw three different types of shapes - vector shapes, paths, and pixel shapes. We will look at the difference between these types of shapes in more detail in other lessons, but as we already learned from the lesson "Draw vector shapes and pixelated shapes in Photoshop CS6", in most cases you will be drawing vector shapes. Unlike pixel shapes, vector shapes are highly resizable, completely scalable, and resolution independent. This means that we can edit, resize as we wish, without losing image quality. The edges of vector shapes remain sharp and sharp both on screen and when printed.
To draw vector shapes rather than paths or pixelated shapes, select "Figure"(Shape) in the tool settings bar at the top of the screen:
Select the "Shape" tool mode on the settings panel
Filling a shape with color
Click on the fill color swatch icon
As a result, a dialog box will open where you will be asked to choose one of four ways to fill the shape, indicated by a separate icon. From left to right, you can see a No Color icon (with a red diagonal stripe), a Color fill icon, a Gradient icon, and a Pattern icon:
4 shape fill options (No Color, Solid Color, Gradient, and Pattern)
Fill method "No color"
As the name suggests, the fill method "No color"(No Color) does not fill the shape with any color. Why do we need an empty shape, you may ask? Well, in some cases, you may want the shape to only have a thin outline. Next, we'll look at how to add a stroke to a shape, but if you want the shape to have only a path with no fill color, select the No Color option:
No color fills the shape with any color
Below is a sample shape after applying the No Color option. All that we see is the thin outline of the figure, the so-called "contour". The outline is only visible in Photoshop, so if you start to print the document or save it in JPEG or PNG formats, the outline will disappear. To make it visible, we need to add a stroke to it, which we will explore further after we have covered all the options. fill(Fill):
When "No Color" is selected as the fill method, only the outline of the shape is visible (and even then, only in Photoshop)
Solid color fill method
To fill the shape with color, select the option "Pure color"(Solid Color) (second icon from the left):
Click on the "Solid Color" parameter icon
After selecting the "Solid Color" option, select a color for the shape by clicking on one of the color swatches. The colors you recently used will appear in the row "Recently Used Colors"(Recently Used Colors) above main swatches:
Choose a color by clicking on its swatch
If the required color is not among the swatches, click on the Color Picker icon in the upper right corner of the dialog box:
Click on the Color Picker icon
Then select the desired color in the Color Picker. Click OK to close the Palette when you decide on a color:
In the Color Picker, select a color for filling the shape
Below is the same shape, only this time filled with color:
Our shape is now filled with color
Fill method "Gradient"
To fill the shape with a gradient fill, select the option "Gradient"(Gradient). Then click on one of the thumbnails to select the desired gradient swatch, or create your own using the options below the gradient thumbnails. In a separate tutorial, we'll look at how to create and edit gradients:
First, select the "Gradient" parameter, and then - the desired gradient swatch
Below is the same shape, only this time filled with a gradient fill:
Our shape is now filled with one of the predefined gradient swatches.
Pattern fill method
Finally, choosing the option "Pattern"(Pattern), we can fill the shape with a pattern. Click on one of the thumbnails to determine the finished pattern. Initially, there are not many patterns in the program, but you can also download additional patterns downloaded from the Internet or created by yourself by clicking on the small gear icon (under the Color Picker icon) and selecting "Download Patterns"(Load Patterns) from the pop-up menu:
First, select the "Pattern" parameter, and then - the desired pattern sample
And this is how the shape will look like, filled with one of the patterns in Photoshop. To close the dialog box "Fill"(Fill), press the Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) key or click on an empty space in the preferences panel. If you are in doubt about choosing the right color, gradient or pattern for your shape, don't worry, we will explore later how you can change them:
A shape filled with a selected pattern
Add a Stroke to a shape
By default, Photoshop does not add strokes to the edges of a shape, but adding one is as easy as filling it with color. In fact, parameter options "Stroke" ("Stroke")(Stroke) and "Fill"(Fill) are the same in Photoshop CS6, so you already know how to use them!
To add a stroke, click on the stroke color swatch in the options bar:
Click on the stroke color swatch
As a result, a dialog box will open with the same options as for the fill, except that now we are choosing a color for the stroke. There are again four icons at the top of the window "No color"(No Color), "Pure color"(Solid Color), "Gradient"(Gradient) and "Pattern"(Pattern). By default, the No Color option is selected. I, in turn, will select the Solid Color option and then set the stroke color to black by choosing it from the swatches. As in the case with the fill, if the color you need is not among the swatches, click on the Color Picker icon in the upper corner to select the desired color manually:
Select the "Solid Color" option for the stroke, and then select the desired color from the color swatches.
Change the width of a Stroke
To change the width (thickness) of the stroke, use the parameter "Width"(Width) located to the right of the stroke color swatch in the Options Bar. By default, its value is 3 pt. To change the width, you can either enter a specific value directly into the data entry window (by pressing Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) after entering to confirm the data), or click on the small arrow to the right of the value and move the slider:
Change the width of the stroke
Align Edges Option
If you look further to the right side of the settings panel, you will see the option Align Edges(Align Edges). When this option is enabled (checked), Photoshop will align the edges of the shape to the pixel grid, as a result of which they will remain sharp and crisp:
Make sure the Align Edges option is on
However, for the Align Edges option to work, it is not enough to simply select it. You also want the stroke width to be in pixels (px), not in points (pt). Since the width of my stroke is currently measured in points (the default unit), I'll go back and enter a new width value of 10 pixels (px):
For the Align Edges option to work, set the width of the stroke in pixels (px)
Below I have applied a 10 px black stroke to the shape:
A simple shape with a black outline around it
After adding a stroke to the shape, if I go back and click on the fill color swatch in the options bar, choosing a fill method "No color"(No Color), I will only have the outline of the shape with a stroke. The shape will become empty inside. The shape may appear to be filled with white, but that's only because the background color of the document is white, which is what we actually see.
The same shape, with the fill option "No Color"
Additional stroke options
By default, the program draws the stroke as a continuous line, but we can change this by clicking on the button Set Shape Stroke Type(Stroke Options) in the settings panel:
Click on the button "Set the stroke type of the shape"
This will open a dialog box Stroke options(Stroke Options), where we can change the appearance of the stroke from a continuous line to a dashed or dotted line. Parameter Align(Align) allows us to choose the type of alignment for the stroke: inside the path, outside or in the middle. We can make the ends of the lines for the stroke (parameter "Ends"(Caps)) rounded, square, or thickened, and the junction of lines in the stroke (parameter "Corners"(Corners): sharp, rounded or beveled. When the button is pressed "Other parameters"(More Options) located at the bottom of the dialog box will open another window where we can set specific values for the strokes and spaces of the dotted line and even save the settings as a preset:
Stroke options
Below is a shape with the same stroke, but this time, instead of a continuous line, the dotted line is selected:
The appearance of the stroke has changed from a continuous line to a dashed line
Rectangle tool
So, we've already learned how to select the various Shapes group tools on the toolbar, how to select the fill and stroke color, and how to change the appearance of a stroke. Now let's learn how to draw the vector shapes themselves! We will start by examining the first shape group tool in the list - "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool). I'll select it from the toolbar, as I did before:
Selecting the Rectangle Tool
The Rectangle Tool lets us draw simple quadrilateral shapes. To draw a shape, click in the document window to define the starting point of the shape. Then, while holding the mouse button down, drag your mouse cursor diagonally to finish drawing the shape. As you move the cursor, you will see the thin outlines (outline) of the future shape:
Drag the cursor to draw a rectangular shape. As you move the cursor, a thin outline of the shape appears.
When you release the mouse button, the program fills the shape with the color you selected in the preferences panel:
The program will fill the shape with color as soon as you release the mouse button
Resizing a shape after it is drawn
Once you've drawn the initial shape, its current dimensions will appear in the options bar: width(Width (W)) and height(Height (H)). In my case, I drew a shape 533 pixels wide by 292 pixels high:
The initial dimensions of the shape (width and height) are visible in the settings panel
If you need to resize a shape after you've drawn it (this method works for all Shapes tools), just enter the new values in the appropriate Width and Height boxes. For example, let's say I need my shape to be 500px wide. It only needs to change the width value by 500 pixels. If necessary, I could also enter a specific height value. If, when changing the height or width of the shape, the proportions should remain unchanged, first click on the small chain icon between the values of the height and width:
Next, after activating the chain icon, enter a new value for the height or width. In this case, Photoshop will automatically replace the corresponding value of the second parameter. In my case, I manually entered a new value for the width of 500 pixels, and since the chain icon was activated, Photoshop also changed the height value to 273 pixels:
Resizing the shape
Resizing a shape before it is drawn
If you happen to know the exact height and width of the shape before you draw it, there is one handy trick. With the Shapes tool selected, just click anywhere inside the document. As a result, a dialog box will instantly open where you can enter the desired values for the height and width. Click OK to close the dialog and the program will automatically draw the shape:
Click anywhere inside the document to enter values for the width and height, and the program will automatically draw the shape
Drawing a shape from the center
Let's explore some simple yet useful keyboard shortcuts. If you press and hold the key Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) as you move the cursor, then you will draw the shape from the center, not from the corner. This technique works with all Shape tools, not just the Rectangle tool. Please note that you first need to start drawing the shape and only then press the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key. You also need to release the first mouse button and only then press the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key, otherwise the technique will not work:
Press and hold Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) to draw a shape from the center
Drawing squares
To draw a square, place the cursor in the document window and start dragging it out, drawing a rectangular shape. Once you start doing this, press the key Shift and keep holding it down as you move the cursor. Pressing the Shift key will convert the shape to a square. Again, remember to press the Shift key after you start moving the cursor and release it last, otherwise the square will not be drawn. You can combine two keyboard shortcuts together by pressing and holding the keys Shift + Alt(Win) /Shift + Option(Mac) when using the tool "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool), as a result of which you draw a perfect square from the center:
Press and hold the Shift key as you move the cursor to draw a square
Again, as you paint, you will only see a thin outline of the square, but when you release the mouse button, Photoshop fills it with the selected color:
The program always waits for you to release the mouse button before filling the shape with color
Shapes tool options
If you look at the settings panel, then to the left of the parameter Align Edges(Align Edges) you will see a gear icon. By clicking on it, you will open a dialog box with additional settings for the tool of the "Shapes" group that is currently selected:
Click on the gear icon
Since I have the tool selected "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool), clicking on the gear icon will display additional options for the Rectangle tool. Except for working with the Polygon and Line tools, which we'll explore later, you won't use this menu too often because we've already covered how to access these options from the keyboard. For example, the parameter "Arbitrarily"(Unconstrained) allows us to draw shapes of any size and aspect ratio, but since by default all shape group tools work this way, there is no need to specifically select this option. Parameter "Square"(Square) allows us to draw squares with the Rectangle tool, but we can do that simply by pressing and holding the Shift key as we move the cursor. Parameter "From the center"(From Center) is responsible for drawing the shape from the center, but again, we can do this by holding down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac).
If you choose options "Target size"(Fixed Size) or "Set proportions"(Proportional) and enter the values for the width and height, these values will also affect the next shape to be drawn, not just the one you have already drawn. Therefore, you need to remember to return after drawing the figure and re-select the parameter "Arbitrarily"(Unconstrained), otherwise each new figure drawn will be the same size or proportions:
The options you see depend on which tool in the Shapes group is selected.
Editing shape layers
Earlier we learned that in order to draw vector shapes in Photoshop, we need to set the drawing mode - "Figure"(Shapes) (as opposed to paths and pixel shapes). When we draw a vector shape, the program automatically places it on a separate special layer called Shape Layer(Shape layer). If we look at the layers panel, we can see that the shape that I drew with the tool "Rectangle"(Rectangle Tool), located on a separate shape layer "Rectangle 1". The name of the layer will depend on which tool was used, so if I draw an oval with the Ellipse Tool, the shape layer will be called Ellipse 1:
Each new vector shape is placed on a separate shape layer
The visual difference between a regular layer and a shape layer is that shape layers have a small shape icon in the lower right corner of the layer thumbnail:
The icon on the layer thumbnail tells us that this is a shape layer.
The main difference between a shape layer and a regular pixel layer is that shape layers remain fully editable. When we previously learned how to choose the fill and stroke colors for a shape, I mentioned that we can always go back and change the color even after the shape is drawn. All we need to do is make sure that the shape layer is selected in the Layers panel, and the Shapes group tool is activated. Then just click either on the color swatch Fillings(Fill), or by color sample Strokes(Stroke) in the settings panel to select a different color. You can also change the stroke width as needed and work with other parameters. I'll click on the Fill color swatch:
With the shape layer selected, click on the Fill color swatch.
Click on the blue sample
As soon as I click on the swatch, the program immediately fills the shape with a new color:
The shape's color has been changed without having to re-draw the shape
And, if we look at the layers panel again, we will see that the thumbnail of the shape layer also changed its color:
When we made changes, the shape layer thumbnail also changed its appearance.
Rounded Rectangle Tool
Let's take a look at the second of the Shapes group tools - Rounded Rectangle(Rounded Rectangle Tool). I'll select it from the toolbar:
Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool
The Rounded Rectangle tool is very similar to the Rectangle tool except that it allows us to draw rounded rectangles. We adjust the rounding of the corners using the parameter "Radius"(Radius) in the settings panel. The larger the radius value we enter, the rounder the corners become. The radius value must be set before starting drawing the shape, in my case, I will enter the value of the "Radius" parameter, equal to 50 pixels:
Use the Radius option to define the degree of rounding of the corners
After setting the radius value, drawing a rounded rectangle is similar to drawing a regular rectangle. First, click in the document window to define the starting point of the shape, and then hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse cursor diagonally to finish drawing the shape. As with the Rectangle shape, as you move the cursor, the program will draw a thin outline of the shape:
Drag out to draw a rounded rectangle after you enter a radius value in the Options Bar
When you release the mouse button, Photoshop finishes drawing the shape and fills it with color:
When you release the mouse button, the shape will fill with color.
Below is another rectangle with a radius of 150 pixels. This value is so great (for this shape, anyway) that the left and right sides of the rectangle are shaped like a curve:
The larger the radius value, the more round the corners will be.
And here is a rectangle with a small radius value of 10 pixels, which only slightly rounds the corners of the shape:
Small radius value less rounds corners
Unfortunately, there is no preview of the degree of corner rounding in Photoshop CS6. We can see how round the corners are only after we draw a rectangle. Also, we cannot change the radius value while drawing the shape, and yet Photoshop does not allow us to go back and change the radius value after we have drawn the shape. All of the above means that drawing rounded rectangles is essentially a trial and error process.
If you do not like the rounding of the corners of the rectangle, after you have drawn it, go to the menu section "Editing"(Edit) at the top of the screen and select Undo: Rounded Rectangle Tool(Undo Rounded Rectangle Tool) (or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Z (Win) / Command + Z (Mac)), as a result of which the shape will be removed from the document. Then enter a new value for the radius in the Options bar and start over drawing the rectangle.
Choose Edit> Undo: Rounded Rectangle Tool
The same keyboard shortcuts that we looked at when we learned about the Rectangle tool work with the Rounded Rectangle tool. To draw a square with rounded corners, start drawing a shape, and then press and hold Shift. Release the Shift key after you release your mouse button.
To draw a shape from the center instead of a corner, start drawing the shape, and then press and hold Alt (Win) / Option (Mac). And finally, shared keystrokes Shift+ Alt (Win) / Shift+ Option (Mac) will cause a square to be drawn from the center. The keys must be released only after you release the mouse button.
Ellipse tool
Tool "Ellipse"(Ellipse Tool) allows us to draw ellipses and circles. I'll select it from the toolbar:
Selecting the Ellipse Tool
Just as with the other tools we've looked at, click in the document window to define the starting point of the shape, and then hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse cursor diagonally to finish drawing the shape:
Draw an ellipse with the Ellipse Tool
Release the mouse button to finish drawing the shape and fill it with color:
The shape is filled with color.
To draw a perfectly straight circle using the Ellipse tool, start dragging and then press and hold Shift... To draw an ellipse from the center, press and hold Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) after starting drawing. Holding down the keys at the same time Shift+ Alt (Win) / Shift+ Option(Mac) will let you draw a circle from the center. And as always, release the keys only after you release the mouse button:
Circle drawn with the Ellipse tool
Polygon tool
Tool "Polygon" The (Polygon Tool) is more interesting for us in terms of the possibilities of drawing shapes. I'll select it from the toolbar:
Selecting the Polygon Tool
While using the Rectangle tool we can only draw quadrilateral rectangles, the Polygon tool allows us to draw polygons with as many sides as we want. Next, we'll look at how you can even draw stars with this tool! To draw a shape using the Polygon tool, first enter the number of sides you want in the parameter box "Parties"(Sides) in the settings panel. You can enter any number between 3 and 100. By default, the number of sides is 5, and I'll leave it like this:
Enter the number of sides in the "Sides" parameter box
Once you specify the number of sides, position your cursor in the document window and start dragging it out to draw a polygonal shape. Photoshop always draws polygonal shapes from the center, so you don't need to hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac). Pressing and holding a key Shift after you start drawing the polygon, it will allow you to limit the number of corners for your shape and place it on the screen exactly as you want:
5-sided shape drawn with the Polygon tool
By specifying the number of sides to be 3, we can easily draw a triangle:
Simple triangle drawn with the Polygon tool
Below is a polygon with 12 sides. Just as with the Radius option for the Rounded Rectangle tool, we cannot change the number of sides after drawing the shape, so if you make a mistake, you you need to go to the menu section "Editing"(Edit) at the top of the screen and select Undo: Polygon Tool(Undo Polygon Tool) (or press Ctrl + Z (Win) / Command + Z (Mac)), then enter a different value in the "Sides" box and redraw the shape:
Polygon with twelve sides
Drawing stars with the Polygon tool
To draw a star using the Polygon tool, click on the gear icon in the settings panel, then select the option "Star"(Star):
Click on the gear icon and select the "Star" parameter
Then click in the document window and drag the cursor to draw a star. Parameter "Parties"(Sides) in the settings panel determines the number of vertices of the star, so if the default value of the parameter is five, we get a five-pointed star:
Five-pointed star drawn with the Polygon tool
By changing the Sides parameter to 8, we get an eight-pointed star:
Define the number of vertices of the star using the Sides parameter
We can draw a shape that looks like an exploding star by increasing the sharpness of the star's rays using the parameter "The depth of the rays"(Indent Sides By). By default, the value of this parameter is 50%, I will increase the value to 90%. I will also increase the number of vertices of the star to 16:
Draw a shape that looks like an exploding star by increasing the Rays Depth value
And here's the figure I got:
Exploding star drawn with the Polygon tool
By default, the vertices of the stars have sharp corners, but we can round them by selecting the option Smooth Outside Corners(Smooth Corners):
Selecting the Smooth Outside Corners option
Below is a five-pointed star with the Smooth Outer Corners option selected:
Smooth Outer Corners softens the angularity of the stars
We can also round off the corners at the base of the star's rays by selecting the option Smooth Inner Corners(Smooth Indents):
Selecting the Smooth Inner Corners option
Again, our star looks completely different:
A drawn star with Smooth Inner Corners selected
Line tool
The last of the main tools in the Shapes group is the tool "Line"(Line Tool). I'll select it from the toolbar:
Selecting the Line tool
This tool allows us to draw simple straight lines, but we can also draw arrows with it. To draw a straight line, first, set the line width by entering a value (in pixels) in the parameter box "Thickness"(Weight) in the settings panel. By default, the thickness is 1 pixel, I will increase it to 16 pixels:
The parameter "Thickness" is responsible for the thickness (or width) of the line
Secondly, just as with the other Shapes group tools, click in the document window and drag the cursor to draw a line. To make it easier to draw a horizontal or vertical line, press and hold the Shift, after you start drawing the line, then release the mouse button and last the Shift key:
Hold down the Shift key to draw horizontal or vertical lines
Draw direction arrows
To draw arrows, click on the gear icon in the settings panel to open the options "Arrows"(Arrowheads). Choose where you want to add arrows: at the beginning of the line, at the end, or at both ends at the same time (if you want the arrow to point in the same direction in which you draw the line, select the option "In the end"(End)):
Click on the gear icon to access the Arrows options.
Below is a line similar to the previous one, except that there is an arrow icon at the end:
Easy to draw guide arrows with the Line tool
If the default arrow size does not suit you, you can change it using the options "Width"(Width) and "Length"(Length). We can also add a curve to the arrow using the parameter "Curvature"(Concavity). By default, the value of this parameter is 0%, but I will increase it to 50%:
Change the shape of the arrow by increasing the value of the parameter "Curvature"
And this is what the arrow looks like now. Be sure to select the value for the Line tool options before you start drawing the line, as you cannot change them while you are drawing. If you want to make changes, you will have to delete the shape and redraw it:
Arrow with a Curvature value of 50%
Hide an outline around a shape
Whenever we drew a shape in this tutorial, the program displayed its thin outline. When we released the mouse button, the program finished drawing the shape and filled it with color. The problem is that if you look closely at the shape you have drawn, you will most likely see a thin outline around it that has not gone anywhere. V&
Vectors are very popular, but creating them requires a lot of patience and perseverance for a beginner. Photoshop is used in the preparation of such illustrations - with its help you can convert a photo into a vector image. In this article we will tell you how such a drawing differs from a raster one and how to make a vector image in Photoshop.
Vector
When you create a new document in Photoshop, write any word on a white sheet, choosing a convenient size (using the "Text" functions - the icon with the letter "T" in the toolbar).
Zoom in with the Loupe tool - you will see that the letters are composed of pixels. In fact, the view is specified by formulas, only the display in the program is performed by pixels.
Return to normal size by double-clicking on the hand icon. Reduce the size as follows: "Editing" - "Transform" - "Scaling". By reducing the size, the quality of the letters is preserved. In the same way, we enlarge the text as much as possible, the quality also remains good, since the formulas work well at any scale.
Raster
To convert a vector image into a raster image in Photoshop, we will reduce the finished image. Then we go to the "Layers" tab, there we select "Rasterize" - "Text". We now have letters that are actually pixels.
When you enlarge a bitmap / text using the "Edit" - "Transform" - "Scaling" functions, the quality deteriorates greatly. As the procedure is repeated, the quality gets worse every time - the letters become blurry.
In such illustrations, when enlarged according to the algorithm of the program, new pixels are filled with color. This is less accurate than with formulas.
Create vector graphics
You can draw a drawing using any photo. If you did not know how to convert a photo into a vector in Photoshop, convert it, follow the following procedure:
- Open your photo / illustration. Create a new layer.
- Use the Pen tool to trace the outlines of one of the elements (for example, a face). In order not to interfere with the background, set a lower transparency, up to 20-30%. Choose a fill and outline color.
- Next, draw the outlines of other details in the same way, fill them with the desired color.
- For complex color blending on a model's face, you can use Filters. Go to the "Gallery of filters", make there "Posterization" on several levels, conveniently on 3 levels. Photoshop will tell you how the shadows are superimposed, you just have to outline their outlines. You can additionally desaturate, make the photo black and white, adjust the sharpness to see the levels more clearly. When filling, choose a lighter / darker color for the layers. You have color transitions.
Patience, accuracy, slowness - and your work will be ready. With good skill, you will make simple drawings quite quickly, and translating any picture into a vector will not be a problem.
The result of painstaking work will be a picture "in curves"
How to make a vector image of a person in Photoshop based on his photograph? You will need many layers of color for this, which means that the work will take quite a lot of time. But the process itself is not as complicated as it seems, and with enough patience, you will fully cope with the task and get a decent vector.
16.03.2014 27.01.2018
He makes such a vector drawing from a photograph in a couple of minutes in Photoshop without much effort. All you need to do is apply a couple of filters, functions and adjustment layers. How to do this read the instructions in this tutorial.
With the help of Photoshop, we can transform any drawing into a vector image.
Select a photo and open it in Photoshop.
Make a copy of the layer. Ring one layer Girl 1 layer, and second Girl 2 layer.
Apply the function Image - Adjustments - Thresholds(Image - Correction - Isogelia) for layer Girl 1 layer.
Set the colors to white and black in the toolbox.
Apply filter Filter - Sketch - Photocopy (Filter - Sketch - Photocopy) for layer Girl 2 layer.
Layer blend mode Girl 2 layer install Multiply(Multiplication) and merge the layers.
Reapply the function Threshold (Isogelia)
Now you need to smooth the edges, for this apply the filter Stylize - Difusse(Styling - Diffusion)
The vector image is ready.
Now, in order to transform it somehow, you can color it. To do this, simply take a black brush and correct the lines of the facial features.
To fill with color use Paint bucket tool (Fill). This will not be a problem for you.
Everyone who works with graphic editors sometimes has to deal with both vector and raster graphics.
What if we needed to add some Photoshop special effects to the vector file. Today I will show you how to properly work with vector files in Photoshop.
1) Just drag the AI or EPS file to PHOTOSHOP. We see:
2) The size is very important here - after all, in Photoshop the image will become a bitmap, and it will be difficult to increase the size without loss of quality. Therefore, it is best to take the large size right away.
3) When we opened our file, all the images were on one layer. In order to separately work with each of them, you will have to use a selection, for example, the Rectangular Marquee Tool, and then cut to a new layer.
4) Since we are not sure what size the image will have to work with, we will convert it to a smart object. Just right-clicking on it and selecting the appropriate item. It turns out that the object has become similar in characteristics to a vector object, and it can be enlarged as desired.
5) In this example, I copied one of the skulls and then turned it into a smart object, and stretched both objects. While no difference is visible
6) But let's zoom in on the image. The difference is obvious!
7) All that's left to do is place everything right). You can use layer properties (Image> Adjustments) and blending options (Right Click> Blending options).
Still, why is it better to open vector images in vector editors?
Because here you can change not only sizes, correct lines, colors, which is not always easy in Photoshop, especially for a beginner.
Finally, you should know that in Photoshop you can insert an image directly from Illustrator - just select the desired image in Illustrator, Ctrl + C, and then Ctrl + V at Photodhop.
Further, the procedure is identical to that described above.
Final result 
As you know, vector illustrations are currently very popular in web graphics. Professional designers can create such illustrations in a matter of hours. Whether you are a beginner or a hobbyist, web graphics lessons will certainly be extremely useful for you. The purpose of this lesson is to shed some light on the process of creating the selected image. I will demonstrate the whole process step by step and explain all the steps using my comments.
To create a really cool image, you have to choose the program you want and follow certain rules. If you want to draw a vector illustration, you should keep in mind that such editors are used for this, such as Adobe illustrator or CorelDraw... However, Photoshop has sufficient funds to develop vector illustrations. I will clearly show this in my lesson on how to translate a drawing into a vector. I have chosen a sketch of a cat as the basis for the illustration. I decided to portray a blue cat with pink flowers in its paws.
Step 1
Let's start by creating the background. Draw the shape using the Selection Tool () (in the Shape layers(Layer Shape)). Settings - (Fill Opacity) = 0% ... Now use a gradient overlay: ((Layer Style - Gradient Overlay)) to fill the created shape. All settings are default, you only need to change the angle (I will specify the degree) and the gradient. Add Stroke(Stroke) ((Layer Style - Stroke)). We use all the default settings, except for the width in 1 px and colors.
