re: "Select a path in the paths pallete" - how to?
Mr. Tom, your drawing attention to the distinction between a "shape" and a "path", as indicated on the top options bar, is what I was missing. After I read that, I remember reading something about it, but, I had overlooked it. That is what I was doing wrong - once I choose "path", then it worked just as described in the manual. I was able to use several drawing tools, such as pencil, clone stamp, smudge, etc., and it does exactly as described, where the path directs the tool as if that would be how I would move the mouse. That is just what I needed.
Even though you cannot adjust the stroke afterwards, a trick I have been using elsewhere is to "stepbackward" when I need to make a small adjustment, and, repeat that for fine tuning, so, it works out ok.
One thing I haven't found yet is a brush that will allow for the width, color, brightness, and other attributes to vary along the path - so that, for example, a stroke might start out at, say, 10 pixels thick and increase to 20 pixels in the middle of the stroke, and, then reduce back to 10 pixels toward the end of the stroke. I fear that feature is not offered by photoshop cs2.
Still, being able to craft a path with such precision (multiple anchor points, with varying and finely tuned direction points) provides a workable method of precisely outline an edge, to be either selected, stroked, or filled, or whatever. Getting pixel-level precision is the solution I was seeking.
Thanks.
I don't know what a "shape" is, but, I'll get to it as I continue learning about photoshop in practice. But, already I know you can't "stroke" a shape.
Oh, and, I also notice that whenever I select "stoke" from the popout, it gives me a little box which reminds me of the particular tool that will be used to complete the stroke, and waits for me to respond - I wish I could skip that, but, I don't see any option to make that an automatic "yes".
Oh, and, I am usually only working with the initial layer, which photoshop gives you when you use the BROWSE application to choose an existing photo to load - it gives you an editable layer which it calls "background". I will get extra layers whenever I paste from the clipboard, but, once I have finished positioning and editing the paste, I usually merge visible and continue with the one "background" layer. I suppose I am missing out on a more comprehensive method by not making better use of multiple layers, but, I'll eventually see the advantage and get the hang of that (I am reminded of OBAMA's birth certificate, which was on the 'net and had many layers, which made me wonder why on earth?).
There's just a whole whole lot about photoshop to learn - a lifetime's worth.
