Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: USRanger on September 19, 2010, 11:10:40 PM

Title: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: USRanger on September 19, 2010, 11:10:40 PM

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? :pray

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: grizz441 on September 19, 2010, 11:31:53 PM

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.

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: RTHolmes on September 20, 2010, 03:42:47 AM

yeah google paths and bezier curves :aok

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: The Fugitive on September 20, 2010, 04:01:48 PM

I zoom in and use the pen on my wacom tablet  :P 

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: USRanger on September 22, 2010, 04:13:23 PM

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

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: Krusty on September 22, 2010, 06:13:53 PM

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.

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: cactuskooler on September 22, 2010, 06:38:44 PM

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.
(http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh473/cactuskooler/moss.jpg)

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

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: USRanger on September 22, 2010, 07:05:31 PM

Thank ya fellas. :salute

Title: Re: How do you make curved lines in Photoshop?
Post by: Krusty on September 22, 2010, 08:01:34 PM

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.