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Intro

In lesson 203 you will learn about paths in Adobe Photoshop, including what they are, how to create paths from selections, and how to draw custom paths by hand using the pen tools. We will go over a variety of techniques and tricks for working with paths, building on concepts taught in earlier courses like layers and selections. This lesson uses version 7 of Photoshop, but the topics covered apply to most versions.

Transcript

Welcome to Photoshop 203 brought to you by PhotoshopLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

Today's class is all about paths. Today we're going to learn what paths are. We're going to show you how to create paths from selections and show you how to create paths by hand using the different pen tools.

We are going to do all kinds of nifty tricks using paths and explain exactly what paths are. You'll find out in a few minutes.

This class follows Photoshop 202, and I strongly recommend you take all of my 100 level Photoshop classes in addition to Photoshop 201 and 202 before taking this class. We're going to be using a lot of concepts such as layers and selection tools that we learned in those previous classes.

There are some samples and images that go with this class. You don't have to download them; they're not necessary. You can use whatever pictures you'd like, but if you want to download them you can find them on the website at PhotoshopLearningZone.com/studentfiles.

In this class I will be using Adobe Photoshop version 7, but you should find the lessons today will work in just about every version of Photoshop.

Of course, as always, I recommend you watch each lesson completely through once before trying to do it on your own. Then play the lesson again, following along with my examples. Even though some of my examples might be silly, you'll find that you learn better if you do the example that I do in class instead of just trying to instantly work on something of your own. So follow the silly little examples that I do in class, and you'll find that you learn a little bit better.

Something new: if you haven't taken any of our classes since Photoshop 202 came out, we now have student interaction forums on our website where you can post your questions and join a discussion about this class right on the website.

If you're watching this video in our custom video player software, you should see the student forum information pop up on the right hand side in the program just to the right of the video. If you're not online, that window won't open, but you can get to it on our website at PhotoshopLearningZone.com.

And of course, the best way to learn is to think positive. Remember, you're not going to remember all this stuff the first time through. Even I sometimes have to go back through and look at my notes and my research to figure out exactly how I did something six months ago. So you're not going to remember everything the first time through. Watch the videos a couple of times if you really want to learn this stuff, but just be patient. Learning takes time and practice; you have to practice.

But everyone can do it. If I can learn this stuff, so can you.

Quiz

Q1. What is the primary focus of Photoshop 203?
A. Learning about layers and blending modes
B. Understanding brushes and painting tools
C. Working with paths, including creating and editing them
D. Exporting files for print and web

Q2. What tools will be covered for creating paths by hand in this class?
A. Brush tool
B. Pen tools
C. Healing brush
D. Eraser tool

Q3. According to the introduction, what should students do before taking this class?
A. Familiarize themselves with only version 7 of Photoshop
B. Complete all 100-level Photoshop classes and Photoshop 201 and 202
C. Practice only with .jpg images
D. Install special plugins

Q4. Where can students find sample images for this class?
A. Only on the Photoshop 203 CD
B. By emailing the instructor
C. On the website under student files
D. Through Photoshop's built-in tutorials

Q5. What advice does the instructor give about learning from the video lessons?
A. Watch the lessons once and try to create your own project immediately
B. Ignore the instructor's examples and use only your own images
C. Watch the lesson fully first, then follow along with the examples in a second viewing
D. Memorize all the tools' shortcuts

Q6. What new feature is available for students who have taken Photoshop 202 or later?
A. Offline video downloads
B. Student interaction forums on the website
C. Printed textbooks for every lesson
D. Free one-on-one lessons with Richard Rost

Q7. What should students do if they are not online while using the custom video player?
A. Wait until they are online to finish watching the video
B. Ignore the forum and continue with the lesson
C. Access the student forum directly on the website
D. Call technical support

Q8. What general advice does the instructor give about learning Photoshop?
A. Strive to remember everything the first time through
B. Practice is not necessary as long as you take notes
C. Be patient and review material multiple times
D. It is only for advanced students

Answers: 1-C; 2-B; 3-B; 4-C; 5-C; 6-B; 7-C; 8-C

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Photoshop Learning Zone is focused on paths in Adobe Photoshop. In this lesson, I will introduce you to the concept of paths, explain what they are, and show you how to create them both from selections and by drawing them manually with the various pen tools.

We'll explore several techniques involving paths and clarify their role in your Photoshop projects. If you're not familiar with paths yet, you'll have a solid understanding after today's lesson.

This class builds on what was covered in Photoshop 202, so I highly recommend completing all of my 100 level Photoshop classes, along with Photoshop 201 and 202, before starting with this course. We will be working with several concepts like layers and selection tools that were explained in earlier classes.

There are some sample images available that go along with this lesson. You are not required to download them; you can use any pictures you prefer. However, if you want to use the same images I do in class, they are available on my website under the student files section.

I am using Adobe Photoshop version 7 for this course, but the material should apply to nearly any version of Photoshop.

As always, I suggest watching each lesson all the way through once before trying it yourself. Then, watch it a second time and practice along with the examples I provide. Even if the examples seem a bit silly, working through them will help reinforce your learning more effectively than jumping straight into your own projects. Following my examples step by step will make the concepts clearer.

There's also a new feature since Photoshop 202. We now have student interaction forums on the website where you can ask questions and participate in discussions about the class. If you are using the custom video player software, information about these forums should appear on the right side of your screen during the lesson. If you're offline, that window will not open, but you can still access the forums directly through the website.

Keep in mind that learning Photoshop, or any software, takes patience and practice. It's normal not to remember everything after watching a lesson once. Even I occasionally have to look back at my notes to remember how I did something months ago. Give yourself time, watch the videos more than once if needed, and keep practicing. Anyone can learn this material with some effort. If I can do it, so can you.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

This is an introduction to a Photoshop tutorial video that will cover paths, including creating paths from selections and using pen tools to create paths by hand.