Save Custom Shape

If you find nothing to your enthusiasm among all the different custom shapes, you can design something yourself and then add this to the different shapes.First requirement is that you have drawn something natural.

Then click the “Edit” button in the menu bar and select “Define Custom Shape” in the drop-down menu.

This opens a dialog box where you type a name and click the OK button.

When the window opens up with the different shapes again, you will see that the shape you created is added.

Edit Custom Shape

In the previous part of this lesson, I told you how to save your own design as a shape.

Now, it may not be necessary to have your own design, you can also design a new shape from existing shapes.

In the example below, I get a rectangle with rounded corners. This shape is found in one of several categories. Then I select the option “Subtract from shape area” (1) and select “Hexagon” shape that we find somewhere in all the existing shapes.

I select the vector mask (2) in the lower panel by clicking on it.

Then I click and drag with the new shape over to the old. This will make a new cut from the old shape.

That’s all, I just created a new shape based on two existing shapes.

If you want to store this new shape, do the same as what I have explained in the last part of this lesson.

Regarding the other buttons in the options bar.

The first adds a shape area to a shape.

The second will subtract from the shape.

The third, an intersection of different shapes.

And the fourth will exclude overlapping areas.

If you wish to make a new shape using more than two existing shapes, no problem, you can use as many as you want.

Please note that when you draw, a shape’s vector mask should be selected.
If this is not the case, you will draw a new shape in a new shape layer.

In whatever color you draw the shape, it does not matter, a shape is always black.

The color of the shape is determined in the options bar or set by your foreground color.

This is indeed the same. If you change one, the other will change automatically.

If you ever want the created shape to appear in the library of shapes, you must save it.
Just click the right pointing arrow in the shape window and select “Save Shapes” from the drop-down menu.

In the dialog that appears, you give the custom shape a name and click the “Save” button.
Now, when you exit Photoshop and then start it up again, you will see that your category has been added to the list.

From bitmap to custom shape

With everything we have learned so far, it would not be a problem for us to draw custom shapes in a picture.
Would it? Then start again at lesson 1.
No, just kidding.
What do we know here?
We know how to make a selection (1).

We know how to make a path from this selection.

Just by clicking the “Make Work Path from Selection” button (2) at the bottom of the “Paths” pane this adds a temporary path to the “Paths” panel (3).

We know how a path can create a shape.
Forgotten? Click the “Edit” button in the menu bar and select “Define Custom Shape” “in the drop-down menu. In the dialog you give the shape a name and click the OK button (4).

And we know how to use a custom shape.
Forgotten? Select the tool “Custom Shape” in the tool bar (5).
Choose the shape in the options bar (6).
And just let it loose.
Forgotten how? Then I definitely think you should start from lesson 1.

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