Photoshop shapes.
May 28, 2006 2:17 AM   Subscribe

Sorry to ask a Photoshop question here, but I can find no answer elsewhere.

How do I use the rounded rectangle tool to draw an unfilled shape? I.e. a rounded rectangle with a colored outline of X pixels, rather than a completely filled shape? At the moment I draw a rounded rectangle filled with the desired color, then draw a white rounded rectangle within it, to leave the colored outline. It takes a fair bit of trial and error to get the thickness of the outline exactly right.

There must be an easier way - hell, I used to do this easily in MacPaint in 1985.
posted by TiredStarling to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)
 
Well, you could highlight the layer containing the shape, click on the Path tab, right-click on the "Blah Blah Vector Mask" and choose "Make Selection..." from the contextual menu, then choose Edit menu -> Stroke.

Or you could rasterise the layer that contains your shape (right-click on the layer to get the contextual menu), use the magic wand to select it, then Edit menu -> Stroke.

And there is probably some path trick that someone who really knows how to use Photoshop might tell us about.
posted by hifimofo at 2:36 AM on May 28, 2006


Isn't there a way to set the fill colour to "No Colour Selected" (a red diagonal line)?
posted by divabat at 2:42 AM on May 28, 2006


If you're talking about drawing a scalable path-based shape that is transparent with only a visible stroke, I don't think you can do that in Photoshop (Illustrator does that best). But if you're OK with a colored shape with a different color stroke, just create the object using the desired fill color and then use the Layer Effects to add the type of stroke you want.

Another thing you can do is create your rounded rectangle as a path, and then use ctrl/command-click on that path's layer. This will create a selection of that path. You can use Edit > Stroke and you'll have your transparent box. You won't be able to resize it though.
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 2:46 AM on May 28, 2006


Hmm. Ok. I usually do this a whole different way, but what you're doing looks pretty easy if you know what to look for. This is Photoshop CS:

Before you make your shape, go to the toolbar for the Rounded Rectangle Tool (or whatever shape tool) and click on the icon that looks like a pen in a rectangle. What this'll do is make it so when you make your shape, it's a work path, and it's not filled or anything.

Then, select that work path, make sure you've selected a brush or whatever other tool that's of the thickness you want the outline shape to be, and Stroke Path. That's it.

Oh yeah and on preview none of that creates a vector shape. Shrug.
posted by furiousthought at 2:57 AM on May 28, 2006


I believe you are looking for:

Select->Modify->Border
posted by jaded at 3:48 AM on May 28, 2006


It's a bit hacky, but you could also:

1. Draw your rounded rect with the tool
2. Ctrl-select that layer to select the shape
3. Create a new layer
4. Edit -> Stroke... to create the outline
5. Delete the original shape
posted by TonyRobots at 7:27 AM on May 28, 2006


all of the above will work, but keep in mind that Photoshop is not a drawing tool. Probably not the answer you want but, the best way to do things like this is to use Illustrator, and import or paste in the shape. That gives you the most control over the degree of roundness of the corners, and you can import as a vector smart object, which is scalable and looks and prints better than a stroked path...
posted by ab3 at 7:31 AM on May 28, 2006


Quick mask, people! Draw the roundrect as a mask, then switch to selection mode, invert the selection, and stroke it at the desired width.
posted by kindall at 8:27 AM on May 28, 2006


I'm assuming you're using CS2, I'm not sure when the layer "Fill" attribute was introduced, CS1 or CS2:

1. Create your rounded rectangle using the shape tool

2. In the layers palette, directly below the opacity slider, is the "Fill" slider. Set it to 0%.

3. Bring up the "Effects" dialog (usually by double clicking in an empty area on the layer)

4. Select the "Stroke" option from the left menu, make sure it's checked. Adjust your stroke settings as desired.

This will leave you with an editable vector, with a stroke applied. You can add/remove path points, change the shape, etc, and the stroke will dynamically adjust.
posted by dvdgee at 9:11 AM on May 28, 2006


dvdgee has it. Create the shape,set fill opacity to zero and then use layer effects to create the stroke. As a rule, setting the stroke to "inner" will give you a cleaner line.
posted by doctor_negative at 9:33 AM on May 28, 2006


I've been doing this for years using dvdgee's method and have never found a simpler way. If you save Stroke/0%-Fill as a style, it's even easier.
posted by grumblebee at 3:18 PM on May 28, 2006


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