Pen Tool Multiple Path Selection

Just upgraded to CC 2014. I frequently remove photo backgrounds by creating paths with the pen tool. I have always been able to create multiple paths for areas that I want to delete using the pen tool, then upon completion, right click, choose "Make Selection" and then delete all the areas at once. Since upgrading, only the last path region is selected using this method and the other areas disappear. Any help would be greatly appreciated, have been going crazy trying to figure this out.

That particular aspect should work the same as previous versions. When you make the first path, click outside that path in the Paths panel, and then click back on it. You only need to do this if you have left the previous path open (not closed it by joining the two ends.
Continue using the pen tool and the new path segments will be there in the same path.
You need to be aware of the Pen tool options, like Combine, Subtract, Intersect.
If you use that path for making a selection for instance, and then use the Pen tool again, you will lose the first path. A quick and easy way to save paths is to drag them to the New Path icon at the bottom of the Paths panel.
This graphic might be of help.

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Photoshop CS3, using pen tool to make selection or path without any color

OK, here is my problem. I'm using CS3 photoshop right now. Last time I was using it regularly was in 2001, so it was version 5 or 6. At that time you could use the pen tool to make a selection or a path without ANY color. I'm trying to cut out something that needs precision (therefore the pen tool) but I need to be able to see what I'm doing. Therefore, would prefer no color option. This used to be easy, with paths, it was the default.
Can't figure it out now, HELP is no help. And, the User Guide is no longer available on Adobe.com. Looked for the one for the CS4 suite, not much much luck there either. I can call them tomorrow about that. *Right now, all I'm trying to do is put together a little pasted together thing for my niece. Two stuffed animals with antlers and santa hats on a Xmas background. Everything is done but cutting out around the stuffed animals. They need their little tufts of stuffing, so I need a tool that can create a smooth path without blocking what I'm doing with color.* Any help will me appreciated. I've tried for days to figure this out on my own, since last time I posted, I figured it out before someone responded. And, the response was quick, so I didn't want to waste anyone's time.
The pdf user guide for this is unavailable, I just ordered a book to help me with the stuff I can't figure out by myself. Thanks for everyone's quick help. –Suze

{quote:title=Suze159 wrote:}
I'm trying to cut out something that needs precision (therefore the pen tool) but I need to be able to see what I'm doing. *Right now, all I'm trying to do is put together a little pasted together thing for my niece. Two stuffed animals with antlers and santa hats on a Xmas background. Everything is done but cutting out around the stuffed animals. They need their little tufts of stuffing, so I need a tool that can create a smooth path without blocking what I'm doing with color.*{quote}
Suze,
I too use CS3 and I may be confused about your post. If so, I apologize for wasting any reader's time.
When I need a precision tool for rotoscoping a subject, I usually choose the Polygonal Lasso tool. Of all the Lasso tools, using the polygonal is the most labor intensive, but gives you the highest degree of control. With a little practice you can get quite good at it. If necessary, blow up the image to help you see what you are doing.
-- Duplicate the background layer
-- Rotoscope the subject
-- Click Refine Edge and adjust Radius, Contrast, Contract/Expand, Smooth and Feather to taste
-- Choose New>Layer via Copy or Cut
-- Hide background layer(s) and Save As or Move this layer onto your original graphic.
There may be other ways of doing it but this is what works for me. I hope that helps.
Eddie

Creating action for pen tool "add to selection" problem.

I am trying to quicken my workflow and want to create an action for this instead of right click>make selection>add to selection. I do this a lot for my job and it gets tedious. I got an action to work except on little quirky issue. When I did this without using an action, when I clicked "OK" on the dialog box for the "add to selection" area, then I got the resulting marching ants with my intended selection and that pen path would automatically disappear. And on to the next pen path to start it over...All is good so far(except the tediousness Im trying to stop).
So the action for this results in the same thing except that instead of getting just the marching ants(as I want), I get the marching ants with the last pen path still showing under that area of marching ants I just had "added to." I know I can just then hit "delete" to get rid of that pen path and get just my selection, but that defeats my intent on streamlining the process.
Any ideas on why this happens or a completely different way to do this with as quick of a result as the hotkey I set for this action?
Thanks.

It looks like what is needed is some way to deselect all the points on a selected object, while keeping the object itself selected.
Using the built-in InDesign tools, the way to do that would seem to be: switch to the direct selection white arrow tool (by pressing CMD) as you have been doing. Click anywhere on the path of the object. This clears all selected points while keeping the object selected. Now release CMD to get back to the Pen tool, and add your point.
If this is too fiddly (it can be tricky to click on the path itself, although the white arrow changes subtely to show you that you're over the path), you can alternatively use the following one line script:
try {app.selection[0].select()}catch(_){};
This does the same thing: It deselects all selected points on the current page item.
To use, copy this line to a text editor. Save with the extension .jsx and place in your InDesign scripts folder. You can then assign a keyboard shortcut to the script, so that it should be very easy to deselect all the points.

Pen tool - accidental inverse selection.

Sometimes when my students use the pen tool to create a path, and want to fill it, the inverse area is filled instead. This never happens to me - so I am unsure what they are doing wrong. Can anyone help?

That particular aspect should work the same as previous versions. When you make the first path, click outside that path in the Paths panel, and then click back on it. You only need to do this if you have left the previous path open (not closed it by joining the two ends.
Continue using the pen tool and the new path segments will be there in the same path.
You need to be aware of the Pen tool options, like Combine, Subtract, Intersect.
If you use that path for making a selection for instance, and then use the Pen tool again, you will lose the first path. A quick and easy way to save paths is to drag them to the New Path icon at the bottom of the Paths panel.
This graphic might be of help.

Pen Tool clipping paths to light/ low contrast.

Mac (10.6.8)
When using the pen tool to make clipping paths (silhouetting) the lines are much to light, thin and low contrast to be properly seen. I spend a lot of time clipping products (often middle greyish colored ones) and find in some places it is virtually impossible to even see the line/path being created.
I downloaded the CS6 beta with hopes that this problem was resolved but am unable to see where/how to fix it. (fixed outright? adjustments to line weight? Ability to change path color? Etc) Anyone else get it working properly?
FYI It worked fine up until CS3 but with CS4, CS5 and CS5.5 Adobe seems to have gone backwards. When researching a work around I have often seen it blamed on the MAC OS but that is untrue as I have both CS3 and CS5.5 installed on the same machine and the pen tool for clipping paths still works great in CS3.

We do lots of paths as well, this helps somewhat:
http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/paths-guides-difficult-see-photoshop.html
Dan Clark
www.weinberg-clark.com

Selection Tools (Polygonal Lasso, Pen Tool) adding extra selections

Ok, so I'm having a weird problem in Photoshop CS4 for Mac OS X on 10.6.3. When I try to make a selection and complete the selection Photoshop is just randomly adding extra selections. Here is an example:
Above, I made a pretty straight-forward selection with the Pen Tool, nothing fancy or anything.
And then, when I right-click and Make Selection I get this crazy selection above that is no where near what I had originally selected.
It does this with the Polygonal Lasso Tool as well. I've tried reseting the tools, restarting Photoshop, and restarting the whole Mac and the problem won't go away and now it's starting to drive me crazy.
Anyone have any idea on what is causing this and how to fix it? Please and thanks!

I wasn't sure how to search for the problem, and anything I did find didn't offer a solution. If you could point me to some of these posts that would be awesome. Thanks.

Photoshop CS6 Pen tool ( Clipping Path )

Hello all what is new feature adding photoshop CS6 for Pen tool anybody know ?

There are many ways to mask and many ways to create mask. When something you want to mask has a well defined shape it edges are made of straight and curved line segments then the pen tool is the best tool for selecting that object. Masking is all about making good selections. You would not use the pen tool to select/isolate a person with hair that is flowing in the wind. I do not know if anything new was added to the pen tool in CS6. You can look up what was added to photoshop in each release on the web adobe and other sites have that information available.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop_version_history

Fixing paths after drawing with pen tool?

Afer you draw a shape with the pen tool and you are not happy with the way you drag the curves and drew the path, do you do anything more with the pen tool at that point or do you later fix it with the Direct Selection tool to manipulate the anchor points to fix it?
Thanks.

Access to the direct selection tool works only when you clicked on it before choosing the pen tool
If you select the direct select tool before you choose the pen tool it will be accessible by holding the command/control key but if you have the selection tool selected first and then of course it shows up you can in CS 4 and 5 also then hold the command/option Tab key to toggle the direct select and selection tools while still in the pen tool.

Keeping brush selected with pen tool cs4

I like to use the pen tool with a selected brush, in previous versions was able to select a brush and
it would remain selected, but I can't find the a preference for that in cs4. any suggestions ?
thanks.

In the Appearance Panel Menu, uncheck "New Art Has Basic Appearance."

Pen tool: Resize image inside a layer/ stop pen outline / white space after crop

I have 3 noob questions all related to the pen tool.
1. Whenever I use the pen to outline something and drag the image to another psd file I see a grey pen outline around the image.
ex. http://screencast.com/t/GmKWAr5UH
2. Whenever I outline with the pen and then select inverse and then delete the background, the background becomes white. I want to drag my outline into my new file but without a white background. it should be transparent so it appears like a collage.
ex. http://screencast.com/t/Rh4Uvq4xBM
3. how do I select an image inside a layer to resize it. Nothing I do creates handles around the image isnide the layer.

Theres some basic stuff you are not understanding…
1. In Photoshop there is the pen tool for creating abstract vector edges, and selection tools (lasso, magic wand etc). You need to turn the results of the pen tool into a selection. Best way is using the the Command/return shortcut, or command clicking on the path in the paths panel.
2 layers need to be , not - If you want to delete areas (make them transparent). To do this either go to Layer/New/Layer from background - or hold Option and double click the Background layer.
3 See answer 2, and use Free Transform (command T)

Layers feature and a layer mask pen tool

Could we see a simple Layers feature and a layer mask pen tool - so that we don't have to go to photoshop for simple cutout etc.

Theres some basic stuff you are not understanding…
1. In Photoshop there is the pen tool for creating abstract vector edges, and selection tools (lasso, magic wand etc). You need to turn the results of the pen tool into a selection. Best way is using the the Command/return shortcut, or command clicking on the path in the paths panel.
2 layers need to be , not - If you want to delete areas (make them transparent). To do this either go to Layer/New/Layer from background - or hold Option and double click the Background layer.
3 See answer 2, and use Free Transform (command T)

Fill after use pen tool

it is possible after using pen tool in path mode ifill the objetc i made with color ? I need the steps/ Thanks

Use the path selection tool to select the path. Then copy it: ctrl/cmd-C. Use the pen or shape tool to create a SHAPE layer. just make a small box or something to create the layer. Then press ctrl/cmd-V to paste your path into that shape layer. Select the small shape you made to create the layer and delete. it.

Photoshop CS5 Smart objects, Pen tool, Layers.

Hi Ive got few questions about Photoshop CS5.
Every time I open new image in my project photoshop opens as Smart Object and I always have to Rasterize its really annoying. How to change it?
When im using Pen tool and making selection its selects now the part which I selecte but background so I always have to inverse selection to select the part I want to its never happens in Photoshop CS3
When im working on two different projects and I want to copy layer from one project to another how you do it?
Thanks for your help.

1. If your dragging or placing into the image, you can go to Edit>Preferences>General and uncheck Place or Drag Raster Images as Smart Objects.
2. When using the Pen Tool enable Add to Path Area before drawing the path. You can change it after drawing the path by using the Path selection Tool.
3. If your using tabs you can select the Move Tool and drag from the document area on the screen to the other tab and the other document should reveal itself.
Another way is to right click on the layer in the layers panel, choose Duplicate Layer and then in the dialog that follows choose the document under destination.

Photoshop 7 Pen tool help

I would like to know how to select a portion of a photo with the pen tool, save the selection and use the selections as .jpg to create a montage of pictures for a newsletter. I have done this in the past and forgotten how.
Thanks for your help.
Sylvia

google "pen tool selection photoshop tutorial" for a myriad of answers.

Cut and pasting object with pen tool

I have a photo in which I outlined something with the pen tool and have selected it, but when I paste it to a new background, it is still surrounded by a white square, how can I paste just the shape? Sorry kind of new :/

Could you post a screenshot of the Layers Panel of the receiving document after pasting (with the camera-icon)?
Because I’m not sure about your »new background«.
By the way Command-clicking would save you one menu-selection.

Pen Tool Multiple Path Selection

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