Curvature Pen Tool
The Curvature Pen Tool will automatically create a perfect curve around the anchor points that you add. If you add the anchor points accurately, this does a great job.
Also see other Pen tools that share the button on the Toolbar. These tools create paths.
These are tools, to be used in conjunction with the above tools, to edit paths.
For a complete list and description of all Selection Tools, see Selection Tools Summary.
Curvature Pen Tool Options
Detailed descriptions of each tool option
Tool Presets
You can create and save a Tool Preset for any tool, which will remember settings that you choose for that tool, so you can quickly and easily select different presets and settings for a particular tool. The degree of usefulness of presets varies, depending on the tool.
You can reset any tool back to its default settings by right clicking on the Tool Presets button and select Reset Tool. Take care not to Reset All Tools, unless that is intended.
Tool Mode
There are three options;
Shape Create a shape layer and color it.
Path Create path, which you can then easily convert into a selection.
Pixels You can apply the Curvature Pen tool directly to the pixels in the selected layer, but this will make changes directly to those pixels, which is destructive editing. Alternatively select the Path option in the Tool Mode, which you can turn into a selection, and then apply it to a Layer Mask. This option is non-destructive and permanently editable.
Make Options
When you have created a path, you can choose what to do with it.
Selection Convert the path to a selection, which you can then edit or refine, before either applying to a Layer Mask, or applying an adjustment directly to it.
Mask Convert the path straight to a Layer Mask. This is ideal if the selection does not need any further editing or refining, although with Layer Masks, you can still always do that.
Shape Convert the path straight to shape.
Path Operations
Select the appropriate operation.
For examples of how selections interact, see Selections Interactions.
Path Alignment
Select options regarding Alignment and Distribution.
For more information, see Align & Distribute.
Path Arrangement
Arrange elements, by bringing forward, so they are in front of other elements, or sending back, so they are behind other elements.
Bring Shape to Front brings the shape to the front, so it is visible over all other shapes.
Bring Shape Forward brings a shape forwards, so it is in front of the next shape. It may still be behind other shapes.
Send Shape Backward Sends a shape backwards so it is behind other shapes. It may still be in front of other shapes.
Send Shape to Back Sends a shape to the back, so it is behind all other shapes.
Path Options
These are some options for your preference while you work with a path.
Set the thickness for the visible path, while your work.
The Rubber Band option creates a line while you move the cursor to create the next anchor.
Align Edges
This option is not available while using the Curvature Pen Tool.
How to use the Curvature Pen Tool
To make it easier to compare the different Pen tools, I will use the same image of an egg, as I did with the guides to Pen Tool, Freeform and Magnetic Freeform Pen Tools.
Step 1
Select the Curvature Pen Tool. Like most tools it shares the button with other tools and the one that is visible, is the last used tool. All the tools on this button are Pen tools.
Step 2
The Curvature Pen Tool creates a perfect curve around the anchor points that you manually add, by clicking.
Make sure that you add the anchor points accurately.
I recommend you zoom in to see the edge clearly. Use either of the following two methods to pan around the image while zoomed in.
Step 3
Once zoomed in, when you want to pan around the image, press and hold the spacebar, which temporarily turns the tool into the Hand tool, while the spacebar is pressed. Then click and drag to pan around the image. Then release the spacebar to add the next anchor.
Or use the Navigator panel. Click and drag on the red box to move to another part of the image. For more details, see Navigator Panel.
Step 4
You can choose where to add the points. If one isn't right, then Undo using Ctrl + Z, or click on the previous state in the History Panel.
Step 5
To complete the path, click on the first anchor point.
Unlike other Pen tools, the cursor doesn't change.
Step 6
To complete the path, click on the first anchor point.
Unlike other Pen tools, the cursor doesn't change.
Step 7
I've added a Layer Mask, to clearly show the egg against a different background.
For details see:
How to add a new backgroundSummary of the Curvature Pen Tool
If you are very accurate with the placement of anchor points (that you do by clicking on the edge), then you will achieve a very good quality path of a curve.
To achieve precise accuracy, you must zoom in.
