Geometric shapes and vector objects

Although PhotoShop is a raster editor, it also works with vector elements. The shape tool group (key U) has six tools: rectangle, rounded rectangle, ellipse, regular polygon, line segment and Custom Shape; in the newest versions corner rounding has become a setting of the rectangle and a triangle tool has been added. The options bar sets the type of result: Shape (a shape layer), Path (an outline) or Pixels (ordinary pixels), as well as the inner colour (Fill), the border colour and thickness (Stroke), the size (W, H), the corner radius and the number of sides of the polygon. A shape layer is vector, so it does not blur when enlarged. Holding Shift while dragging gives a square or a circle. The Pen tool (key P) creates a path: points that are clicked are joined by straight segments, while clicking and dragging makes handles appear at the anchor point and gives a curve (a Bézier curve); the Pen group also has Freeform Pen, Add Anchor Point, Delete Anchor Point and Convert Point (corner/smooth). A path is kept in the Paths palette and can be turned into a selection (Ctrl+Enter), a mask or a geometric shape; so objects with curved edges can be selected very precisely with the Pen. The Pen needs skill, so practise more.