Select with the Pen tool where you want to start your first line segment. This creates a corner point.
- What's new
-
Get started
- Technical requirements and installation
- Learn the basics
- Set up toolbars and panels
- Settings and preferences
- Generative AI in Photoshop
- Create, open, and import images
-
Create and manage layers
- Get started with layers
- Transform and manipulate layers
- Color adjustment and fill layers
-
Apply layer effects
- Add layer styles
- Work with preset styles
- Layer style effects and options overview
- Manage preset styles
- Display or hide layer styles
- Copy and paste layer styles
- Import preset style libraries
- Manage contours
- Set a global lighting angle for all layers
- Scale layer effects
- Remove layer effects
- Convert layer styles to image layers
-
Smart objects
- Smart Objects - overview and benefits
- Create embedded Smart Objects
- Create linked Smart Objects
- Update Linked Smart Objects
- View Linked Smart Object properties
- Embed Linked Smart Objects
- Package and locate linked Smart Objects
- Convert embedded Smart Objects to linked
- Filter the Layers panel by Smart Objects
- Duplicate an embedded Smart Object
- Edit the contents of a Smart Object
- Replace the contents of a Smart Object
- Convert Smart Objects to layers
- Rasterize Smart Objects
- Export the contents of an embedded Smart Object
- Reset Smart Object transforms
- Create layer compositions
- Layout and design tools
-
Crop, resize, and transform
-
Resize and adjust resolution
- Printed image resolution
- Set image size and resolution
- Resample option in the Image Size dialog
- Monitor resolution and image display size
- File size
- Printer resolution
- Resolution specs for printing images
- Preserve visual content when scaling images
- Specify content to protect when scaling
- Resize images
- Resampling options in Photoshop
- Change the pixel dimensions of images
- Change print dimensions and resolution
- Manage image file size
- Resizing parameters in Photoshop
- Crop and straighten
- Transform, manipulate, and reshape
-
Resize and adjust resolution
-
Make selections
- Get started with selections
- Automatic and color-based selections
- Freehand selections
-
Refine and modify selections
- Move a selection or selection border
- Refine your selection and mask
- Create multiple copies of a selection within an image
- Delete or cut selected pixels
- Inverse selection
- Adjust a selection manually
- Select only an area intersected by other selections
- Select pixels using anti-aliasing
- Create a selection around a selection border
- Expand or contract a selection
- Clean up stray pixels in a color-based selection
- Fringe pixels around a selection
- Create masks
-
Repair and retouch
- Remove objects and fill space
- Heal and clone
- Adjust light and tone
- Clean and restore images
-
Adjust color
- Color profiles
- Choose colors
- Color modes
- Color corrections
- Selective color adjustments
- Color effects and techniques
-
Apply painting techniques
- Fill objects, selections, and layers
- Create and fill with patterns
-
Brushes and presets
- Get started with brush presets
- Display the Brush Settings panel and brush options
- Create a brush tip from an image
- Create a brush and set painting options
- Select a preset brush
- Create a new preset brush
- Create preset brush groups
- Rename preset brushes
- Delete preset brushes
- Import brushes and brush packs
-
Draw shapes and paths
- Create shapes
- Draw lines and curves
-
Text and typography
- Get started with text
- Select and manage fonts
- Type layers and creation
- Text on paths and shapes
- Characters and glyphs
- International text and languages
-
Effects and filters
- Get started with filters
- Smart filters
- Blur and sharpen filters
-
Artistic and stylize filters
- Reshape and distort images with Transform Warp
- Warp a Layer with Cylindrical Transform
- Get precise distortions with Split Warp
- Distort specific image areas with Puppet Warp
- Overview of Liquify filter
- Overview of distortion tools
- Use Liquify to distort an image
- Freeze or thaw areas
- Work with meshes
- Work with backdrops
- Reconstruct distortions
- Replace the sky in images
- Select and manage sky presets
- Enhance images with generative AI filters
- Neural filters
- Use grids and measurement guides
- Add video and animation
-
Automate tasks
- Create and record actions
- Process a batch of files
-
Save and export
- Save files
- Export files to different formats
- Metadata, CSS, and content credentials
-
Share and collaborate
- Collaborate and edit
- App integrations
- Troubleshoot
Draw paths with the Pen tool
Last updated on
2 December 2025
Learn how to use the Pen tool to draw straight segments and curves in Adobe Photoshop.
The Pen tool is one of the most powerful drawing tools in Photoshop. It allows you to create precise vector paths with complete control over curves and straight segments.
Draw straight line segments
Select again where you want the segment to end. Continue selecting to create additional straight segments.
Hold Shift while selecting to constrain a line to 45-degree angles.
Select the starting point to close the path. Press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Command + Return (macOS) to leave the path open.
Draw curved segments
Select with the Pen tool where you want to start your curve, then drag to create direction handles that shape the curve.
Position your cursor where you want the curve to end, and drag to create another curve, or just select to end with a corner point.
Tip
Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and drag a direction handle to adjust a curve while drawing.
Drag the second point in the opposite direction from the first point's direction handle to create an S-curve.
Drag the starting point to close the path with a curve.
Combine straight and curved segments
Draw straight segments with the Pen tool as needed.
Apply any of the following:
- Transition from a straight segment to a curve: Select where the straight segment should end, then drag to create a smooth point with direction handles.
- Transition from a curve to a straight segment: Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) while selecting to convert a smooth point to a corner point.
