Pen tool query

[Canna W]

I have come to grips with some of the basics of the pen tool (thanks to a couple of fantastic tutorials recommended at RTP.) I am stuck though on one thing - how to make a path with the pen tool, and then subtract an area from within the first path I've created. eg how to extract a smaller circle path from within a larger circle path.

Currently I do the outside with the pen tool, convert it to a selection, and then do a plain minus selection to subtract an area from the inside. The result is therefore a smooth selection on the outside, and a jaggardy one on the inside.

Help would be much appreciated.

[creativeretouch]

Re: Pen tool query

I am not a pen tool expert either but I tried to make second path inside of the first one and than make a selection - and it works. I tried to fill with a color the area between two paths/selections and it works as well. If you need the other part of your selection you can just inverse it.

[unimatrix001]

Re: Pen tool query

In the tool bar row at the very end there are 4 buttons the first is a normal path the second is subtract from path the third is add to path the fourth is intersect path. after you create the path click on the subtract path tool draw around the path parts you dont want. It wont look like anything has happened until you create a selection from the path then it will remove and select only what you want. I hope that was a good explanation. Not to good at explaining things but i do try when i can find an answer.

[Canna W]

Re: Pen tool query

Thank you very much for the feedback creativeretouch and unimatrix 001.

Yes, I'd got the wrong button pressed in the top toolbar! I don't know how I could have done anything so silly. Having done the first selection, I changed to the subtract button and it worked perfectly. Thank you!