How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?

[USRanger]

I use Photoshop CS3.  For the life of me I can't figure out how to make nice curved lines.  This lil problem is holding up 3 skins I've had almost done for quite some time.  Can anyone help?

[grizz441]

I think you have to create a work path in the shape of the line you want, then right click on the work path and create a stroke path.  Then brush.  You should define what kind of brush you want to use before you do this and it will stroke the work path with that specific brush.

[RTHolmes]

yeah google paths and bezier curves

[The Fugitive]

I zoom in and use the pen on my wacom tablet   

[USRanger]

Could a skinner just post how to do it real simple like?  Just a basic curved line.  I'll self-teach from there.

[Krusty]

I find that when I stroke to a path it makes it look thick and blocky, as compared to a 1-pixel pen or brush.

I shift-click (which creates segments to your current point from the previous, in PS 5.1) and do a multi-faceted curve made out of straight segments. Often times you can do it so it looks passable.

I'll do the straight panels, lines, all on 1 layer, then on top of that will do the curves. If I totally screw up a curve I won't ruin the straights as I erase it. Then when satisfied, merge those layers into 1.

[cactuskooler]

I do it the same way as Krusty does. Assuming you're talking about something like a panel line. I use the Brush tool at 1 pixel and just hold shift and click down the curve I want. I don't think the result is any worse than using the Pen tool, faster too. If we were working at higher resolutions then I don't think it would work as well.

The curved panel line I made above the cannons on the Mossie here was done from just shift clicking. I only did one side, then duplicated it and flipped it vertically, rather than draw both sides. That way it will be symmetrical.


Here's a tutorial on using paths to draw a curved line.
http://www.agavegroup.com/?p=68

[USRanger]

Thank ya fellas.

[Krusty]

Oh, that's right... I forgot to mention the mirroring.

You only have to do one half, and then copy+flip it for the other. Sometimes I have started on only 1 corner (such as in the rounded-corners type of box panel line) and then flipped that one way, moved down, and then once I had that half, flipped both of those and moved them over. Thus all 4 corners were really the same. Can also be done for circles. If you like half, but the other is oblong.... delete the bad half and flip the good.