help with HPPE 4 Vector Tool for PSE4

[Bunny]

Hi, I'm looking into buying the vector plugin for PSE4. Could anyone provide me with a screenshot of what it does? thanks!

Also, is it like the pen tool in higher versions of PS?

[DannyRaphael]

Specifically, what plugin are you considering (name, link)?

Via Google searches I'm only finding reference to a Vector Plugin for Adobe Illustrator

[lkroll]

Not a plugin, but you can trace bitmaps into vector (autotracing that is) using Inkscape. It's free too (i.e., open source).

http://www.inkscape.org

[Bunny]

it was the vector one on this page: http://www.hiddenelements.com/elements4_tools.html

[Bunny]

This is kinda a double topic, but the original was in the wrong section. if you want to remove that topic, it's here: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sof...king-help.html
I was wondering if someone could provide a screenshot, or explain in detail, how the vector plugin for PSE4 works. If you don't know which one I mean, you can find it on this page: http://www.hiddenelements.com/elements4_tools.html

So, can anyone help?

[mistermonday]

Bunny, I will try to give you an explanation. In PSE, you images are bit mapped. They are made out of individual pixels and depending on the size of your image there may be many thosands or millions of them. If you wanted to create a shape such as a square, and you use the marquee tool to draw a 1" square selection and fill it with a color, and if your image resolution was set to 300 ppi, that square would contain 90,000 pixels.
In Vector Graphics, this square (or other shape) would be drawn (represented) by a mathematical formula or set of formulae. The program would be told to draw a set of lines of a certain length in certain directions. Unlike bit mapped graphics when you want to resize the shape these formulae scale to new dimensions instead of changing the number of pixels. This produces graphics which have crisp clean edges and are scalable up and down without loosing detail or having jagged edges. Vector shapes also take up a lot less memory than bit mapped ones. If you have ever used PowerPoint to make slides with shapes in them, you would see that those are vector shapes as well. Programs like Adobe Illustrator are predominantly vector based.
If all you use PSE for is to edit photos, you may not find a Vector plugin very useful.
Regards, Murray

[Bunny]

I know what vector is, I want to know if the tool enables you to use paths, like with the pen tool in higher versions of PS.

I use photoshop to create stuff, so I'm really interested in this program, but before I buy it I would like a screenshot or a detailed description of the tool.

Thanks anyway!

[DannyRaphael]

I sent an e-mail on your question to the author of the book and these tools, Richard Lynch. Given the holiday weekend and all, not sure when he will reply -- but he will when he can.

[Bunny]

Originally Posted by DannyRaphael

I sent an e-mail on your question to the author of the book and these tools, Richard Lynch. Given the holiday weekend and all, not sure when he will reply -- but he will when he can.

Thanks! I also sent him a PM earlier.

[Richard_Lynch]

Looks like this

It has all the standard tools but is a little different than Photoshop. However, with a little patience you can mostly work paths the same way.

[Bunny]

Awesome. Thanks for the help!