Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

By Greg Bowden

Chapter 28

Creating Accurate
Shapes

Guided Computer Tutorials

www.gct.com.au
PUBLISHED BY

GUIDED COMPUTER TUTORIALS

PO Box 311
Belmont, Victoria, 3216, Australia

www.gct.com.au

© Greg Bowden

This product is available in Single or Multi User versions.

Single-user versions are for single student or teacher use at any

particular time, just as a single text book would be used. If you intend
to use the notes with multiple students the single user version should
be upgraded to the multi-user version.

Multi-user versions allow the school or institution to print as many

copies as required, or to place the PDF files on the school network,
intranet and staff laptops. A certificate of authentication is provided
with multi-user versions. Bookmarks provide links to all headings and
sub-headings, and individual chapters are provided.

First published 2009

ISBN: Module 1 1 921217 69 3

Module 2: 1 921217 70 7
Module 3 1 921217 71 5

PDF document on CD-ROM

Every effort has been made to ensure that images used in this
publication are free of copyright, but there may be instances where
this has not been possible. Guided Computer Tutorials would
welcome any information that would redress this situation.
 Chapter

28
Creating Accurate Shapes
Photoshop provides the tools to create accurate shapes. Let’s say that you have been
contracted by the software producer, ArtSoft, to produce an image of the box for their
recently released graphics program, Splosh Strokes, so that it can be placed on their web
site. The following image will be produced:

Starting a New Document

1 Load Photoshop or close the current files then display the FILE menu and select
NEW.

2 Set the WIDTH to 800 pixels,

the HEIGHT to 600 pixels, the
RESOLUTION to 72 pixels/inch, the
COLOUR MODE to RGB COLOUR, 8
BIT and the BACKGROUND COLOUR
to WHITE.

3 Select OK to start the document.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 28-1

Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

Setting the Ruler and Grid Units

You will be using RULERS and a GRID to accurately create the box, so the settings need
to be checked.
1 On the Windows system display the EDIT menu, highlight PREFERENCES and
select UNITS & RULERS. On the Macintosh system display the PHOTOSHOP menu,
highlight PREFERENCES and select UNITS & RULERS.

2 In the UNITS frame set the RULERS

box to CM and the TYPE box to
POINTS.

3 Open the GUIDES, GRID & SLICES

category and, in the GIRD frame, set
the GRIDLINE EVERY box to 2 cm, the
SUBDIVISIONS to 4 and select OK.

NOTE: You can also use the GUIDES, GRID & SLICES section to set the
colour of the grid and guide lines.

28-2 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Creating Accurate Shapes 28
Turning on the Rulers and Grid
1 Display the VIEW menu and select RULERS.

2 Rulers are added to the top and left

sides of the canvas.

3 Display the VIEW menu again, highlight SHOW and select GRID.

4 A grid is added to the canvas to

match the units of the RULERS.

NOTE: You can RIGHT+CLICK or CONTROL+CLICK on the RULERS to

quickly change their units

Setting Guide Lines

You can add guide lines to the canvas to help you layout a sketch. In this case guide lines
will be needed for the front and side of the box.

1 Move the pointer into the left RULER

and drag a vertical guide in line with
4 cm in the top RULER.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 28-3

Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

2 Drag three more vertical guide lines

in line with 16 cm, 18 cm and 22 cm
in the top RULER.

NOTE: You can move guide lines to new positions by selecting the
MOVE TOOL, moving the pointer over the guide line until it
changes to parallel lines with arrows and dragging the guide
line to a new position. Dragging a guide line back to its RULER
removes the guide line from the screen.

3 Move the pointer into the top RULER

and drag a horizontal guide line in
line with 2 cm in the left RULER

4 Drag a second horizontal guide line

in line with 20 cm in the left RULER

28-4 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Creating Accurate Shapes 28

Creating the Front of the Box

A Setting a Green Rectangle
A rectangular selection frame will added to the canvas and filled with green so that it
has no border.
1 Start a new layer, rename it FRONT
then select the RECTANGULAR
MARQUEE TOOL and set the
BACKGROUND COLOUR box to
WHITE.

2 Drag a selection frame between the

guide lines from (4,2) to (16,20)

3 Display the EDIT menu and select FILL.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 28-5

Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

4 In the CONTENTS frame set the USE

box to COLOUR, select an olive green
colour and select OK.

5 In the BLENDING frame of the FILL

dialogue box check that the MODE is
set to NORMAL, the OPACITY to 100%
and select OK.

6 The colour can be made to look more realistic by adding some noise to the colour.
Display the FILTER menu, highlight NOISE and select ADD NOISE.

7 Set the AMOUNT to about 4%, the

DISTRIBUTION to GAUSSIAN and
select OK.

28-6 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Creating Accurate Shapes 28
8 The edges of the box can be given the impression of slight rounding by feathering
the edges. Display the SELECT menu, highlight MODIFY and select FEATHER.

9 Set the FEATHER RADIUS to 5 pixels

and select OK.

B Adding Highlights to the Front

Some darker green strips will be added to act as a background for the text.
1 Press CTRL+D or COMMAND+D to deselect the frame.

2 Drag a new rectangular selection

from (4,3) to (16,5).

3 Display the EDIT menu and select FILL.

4 Click on the USE box and select

COLOUR, then select a darker green
colour and select OK.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 28-7