# Newbie Photoshop question about drawing lines



## Harsky (Feb 29, 2008)

I like to dabble about with my PS7 and generally try and form something that vaguely resembles some drawing but what I wanted to know is that is there such an option where if I draw a line, freehand, with a mouse it'll automatically smooth it out? Every line I attempted to draw always resembles something that looks jagged and edged when I try to draw a curve


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## benchma®k (Feb 29, 2008)

Thats a feature i've always been keen to find out about too... apparently its something to do with the pen tool and an 'apply pressure' effect. I've never been able to figure out the pen tool though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Check online tutorials dude, they're probably your best bet. Theres enough people in here that use photoshop though... one of them must be able to help.

I wait in anticipation!


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## matriculated (Feb 29, 2008)

Make a new path layer (in the path palette), use the pen tool to draw a bezier line. In the path palette, go into the fly-out menu and choose stroke path.

Or you could draw lines with the shape tool - it's harder but it's easier to edit.


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## mthrnite (Feb 29, 2008)

If you want to get a quick leg up on the pen tool, check out Pixel Perfect with Bert Monroy.
Specifically this: http://revision3.com/pixelperfect/pentool/
He's really fun to watch, and actually reminds me of Bob Ross, a LOT.
All his early episodes are great for generating AHA! moments where PS is concerned.


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## Harsky (Mar 1, 2008)

I've been checking out the pen tool. the whole anchor point thing seems to be something that's still over my head. Surely there must be a simpler way of drawing freehand which would then automatically smooth it out?


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## Awdofgum (Mar 1, 2008)

The pen tool, isn't all that difficult
and it is your best option, paths are the next best thing in photoshop, once you learn how to utilize the pen tool and create paths, you will find whatever you want to do much easier.


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## Psyfira (Mar 1, 2008)

I don't use Photoshop often so I'm stabbing in the dark here, but there's a tickbox in the brush settings window for smoothing, does that help?

In a slightly unrelated note, Paint Shop Pro 7 does exactly what you want through the freehand line drawing tool. Photoshop must have an equivalent... somewhere.


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## Kyoji (Mar 1, 2008)

I don't believe there is a tool like that in Photoshop, this is mainly because when you draw a line in PS, its just some pixels being laid down. Photoshop is not aware this is indeed a line. Vector programs like Illustrator and Flash are set to automatically do this with the brush or pencil tool, I cant quite remember. When you draw in these programs you are laying down mathematical coordinates that the program then applies an algorithm to in order to "smooth out" some of the harsher curves. This is of course assuming you didn't mean anti-aliasing on brush strokes. In which case, put down the dang pencil tool and use the brush tool.


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## Destructobot (Mar 1, 2008)

Maybe the brush tool is what you want? It's like the pencil tool, but with blurry (i.e. smooth) edges.

Right click on the pencil too button to select the brush tool.


Edit: Maybe I misunderstood what you're talking about. Are you referring to the smoothness of the edges of the line, or the path that the line takes?


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## Harsky (Mar 2, 2008)

Destructobot said:
			
		

> Maybe the brush tool is what you want? It's like the pencil tool, but with blurry (i.e. smooth) edges.
> 
> Right click on the pencil too button to select the brush tool.
> 
> ...


I suppose it's the path the line takes. I draw things with my mous sometimes and it's very frustrating to try and draw something decent but when you try to draw a smooth curve freehand, it ends up really jaggy.


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