In this article, we'll look at how you can create an outline for text or an object in an image in Photoshop. This is not at all difficult to do and will take little time. Now you will see this.

How to make a text outline in Photoshop

Let's start with the fact that make an outline for the text in Photoshop. You can have an image with text written on it, or you can create the text yourself by choosing the appropriate size and font.

I wrote the following text using the Horizontal Type Tool and selected the settings for it that are highlighted in the image below.

Now we need to select our text. You can read about different selection methods by following the link. Since the text is monochromatic and quite contrasting in relation to the background, I will use the Magic Wand Tool.

In the tool settings, select the value “Tolerance” - selects an area with pixels of similar color, and uncheck the box next to “Contiguous” (Adjacent pixels). By unchecking the checkbox, you can immediately select all pixels of a similar color in the entire image, even if areas with a similar color are located in different places.

Click With a magic wand according to the text. As a result, it will be highlighted. If we left the checkbox next to “Contiguous” (Adjacent pixels), then only one letter we clicked would be highlighted, and we would have to click on each letter to select it.

Now let's circle the text. Place the cursor over the selected area and right-click on it. Choose from context menu"Make Work Path"

In the next window, set the tolerance value to “Tolerance” and click OK.

The text will be outlined with a thin line. To see it, in the layers panel, hide the layer on which the text is written - remove the eye in front of it.

Make the text layer visible again. Now you need to create a new layer. To do this, in the layers panel, click on the “Create a new layer” button.

Leave the created layer “Layer 1” selected.

You can make a contour in Photoshop using various tools: “Brush Tool” (Brush), “Eraser Tool” (Eraser), “Smudge Tool” (Finger) and others. But before you do it, you need to configure the necessary parameters for the tool.

We will create an outline using the Brush Tool. Therefore, select it on the toolbar and set the desired parameters. I chose a stiff brush size 7 in light green.

After that, select “Path Selection Tool” from the toolbar.

Click inside the selected path and select “Stroke Path” from the menu.

In the next window, from the drop-down list, select the tool with which we will make the contour. Select the instrument that you configured in the previous step. For me it’s the “Brush Tool”. Click OK.

The text will be outlined. In the example, with a light green brush.

To remove the thin gray line that originally outlined the text, press Backspace. In the picture, a dark stripe is visible through the light contour - this will remove it.

That's all - we made an outline for the text in Photoshop.

You can save an image on a transparent background, and then add it to any other one, without a white background. Read the article by following the link.

For this example, this is done like this: unlock the “Background” layer, delete the “Background” and “site” layers, save the image in *.png or *.gif format.

How to make an outline for an image

Now let's consider how to make an outline for an object in an image. Let's create an outline for this rose.

You can create an outline of anything: a person, a building, an animal.

Open the image or photo in Photoshop. Now you need to select the object. I'll use the Quick Selection Tool.

Select it and click on the rose. If an unnecessary part of the image is mistakenly selected, hold down “Alt” and click on it with the mouse to subtract this area from the selection.

When you select the desired object, right-click on it and select “Make Work Path” from the menu. Our rose will be outlined with a thin gray line.

In the layers palette, create a new layer and leave it selected.

Now proceed to setting up the tool with which you will make the outline. I will have a “Brush Tool” (Brush) size seven, black.

Select “Path Selection Tool” from the toolbar. Click the mouse inside the selected path and select “Stroke Path” from the menu.

In the next window, select the tool you configured.

If you turn off the visibility of the main layer, you get the following. You can delete a thin gray outline line using the “Backspace” key.

Now, with a thin brush, let's draw some outlines inside the image. Turn on the visibility of the rose layer.

We will draw on the layer where the outline is selected, so “Layer 1” should be active.

I chose black for the brush, size 4, and traced all the lines inside the rose.

This is the resulting image. You can fill the outline with any color if you wish. In a similar way, you can create interesting designs using strokes.

Sometimes you need to circle a selected area (i.e. outline). This technique comes in really handy when used in conjunction with the selection tools. For example, you can combine it with the Rectangular Marquee Tool to add a thin black outline to your photo, or with an oval selection.

When it comes to making an image pop, few effects can beat a subtle black outline.

Whether you're inserting an image into text or posting it on a blog, adding an outline makes the edges a little crisper, giving your drawing a finished look.

Here's how to add an outline around the edge of an image:

Step 1

Open the image and select it. If the image is the same size as the document, select the menu command Selection => All. If it's smaller than the document and on its own layer, Ctrl-click on the layer thumbnail instead.

Step 2

Select menu command Editing => Stroke. In the dialog box, enter a pixel value in the Width field (I set it to 10 pixels), and then click on the color indicator. Select a color from the palette that appears and click OK. When you return, set the switch in the Placement group to Inside so that the outline appears only inside the borders of the image.

Step 3

Click OK to view the new outline.

To circle someone in a photo, you'll need to follow basically the same steps:

Step 1

Open your photo and select a tool like . Drag your mouse pointer to draw an oval. Remember that you can hold down the Shift key while dragging to create a perfect circle, or the Alt key and draw an oval from the inside. Move the selection if necessary by clicking and holding the mouse button inside it and dragging the mouse.

Step 2

Select menu command Stroke, enter the width and select the color. You want it to be at least 2 pixels wide so the circle will be bold enough to be visible. In Group Location set the switch to position Centered, then Photoshop will center the stroke on top of the “marching ants.” For example, if you enter a width of 2 pixels, the program will place one pixel on the outside of the selection and one on the inside (in other words, it will “step over” the selection).

In this article, we'll look at how you can create an outline for text or an object in an image in Photoshop. This is not at all difficult to do and will take little time. Now you will see this.

How to make a text outline in Photoshop

Let's start with the fact that make an outline for the text in Photoshop. You can have an image with text written on it, or you can create the text yourself by choosing the appropriate size and font.

I wrote the following text using the Horizontal Type Tool and selected the settings for it that are highlighted in the image below.

Now we need to select our text. You can read about different selection methods by following the link. Since the text is monochromatic and quite contrasting in relation to the background, I will use the Magic Wand Tool.

In the tool settings, select the value “Tolerance” - selects an area with pixels of similar color, and uncheck the box next to “Contiguous” (Adjacent pixels). By unchecking the checkbox, you can immediately select all pixels of a similar color in the entire image, even if areas with a similar color are located in different places.

Click on the text with the Magic Wand. As a result, it will be highlighted. If we left the checkbox next to “Contiguous” (Adjacent pixels), then only one letter we clicked would be highlighted, and we would have to click on each letter to select it.

Now let's circle the text. Place the cursor over the selected area and right-click on it. Select "Make Work Path" from the context menu.

In the next window, set the tolerance value to “Tolerance” and click OK.

The text will be outlined with a thin line. To see it, in the layers panel, hide the layer on which the text is written - remove the eye in front of it.

Make the text layer visible again. Now you need to create a new layer. To do this, in the layers panel, click on the “Create a new layer” button.

Leave the created layer “Layer 1” selected.

You can make a contour in Photoshop using various tools: “Brush Tool” (Brush), “Eraser Tool” (Eraser), “Smudge Tool” (Finger) and others. But before you do it, you need to configure the necessary parameters for the tool.

We will create an outline using the Brush Tool. Therefore, select it on the toolbar and set the desired parameters. I chose a stiff brush size 7 in light green.

After that, select “Path Selection Tool” from the toolbar.

Click inside the selected path and select “Stroke Path” from the menu.

In the next window, from the drop-down list, select the tool with which we will make the contour. Select the instrument that you configured in the previous step. For me it’s the “Brush Tool”. Click OK.

The text will be outlined. In the example, with a light green brush.

To remove the thin gray line that originally outlined the text, press Backspace. In the picture, a dark stripe is visible through the light contour - this will remove it.

That's all - we made an outline for the text in Photoshop.

You can save an image on a transparent background, and then add it to any other one, without a white background. Read the article by following the link.

For this example, this is done like this: unlock the “Background” layer, delete the “Background” and “site” layers, save the image in *.png or *.gif format.

How to make an outline for an image

Now let's consider how to make an outline for an object in an image. Let's create an outline for this rose.

You can create an outline of anything: a person, a building, an animal.

Open the image or photo in Photoshop. Now you need to select the object. I'll use the Quick Selection Tool.

Select it and click on the rose. If an unnecessary part of the image is mistakenly selected, hold down “Alt” and click on it with the mouse to subtract this area from the selection.

When you select the desired object, right-click on it and select “Make Work Path” from the menu. Our rose will be outlined with a thin gray line.

In the layers palette, create a new layer and leave it selected.

Now proceed to setting up the tool with which you will make the outline. I will have a “Brush Tool” (Brush) size seven, black.

Select “Path Selection Tool” from the toolbar. Click the mouse inside the selected path and select “Stroke Path” from the menu.

In the next window, select the tool you configured.

If you turn off the visibility of the main layer, you get the following. You can delete a thin gray outline line using the “Backspace” key.

Now, with a thin brush, let's draw some outlines inside the image. Turn on the visibility of the rose layer.

We will draw on the layer where the outline is selected, so “Layer 1” should be active.

I chose black for the brush, size 4, and traced all the lines inside the rose.

This is the resulting image. You can fill the outline with any color if you wish. In a similar way, you can create interesting designs using strokes.

Instructions

There are several ways to select a contour in Photoshop. The simplest one involves using the “Magic Wand” - Magic Wand. In the Components palette, its icon looks like a stick with a star at the end. To correctly highlight contours, the Magic Wand must be configured correctly. Set the Tolerance parameter in the tool properties to 30. This value will allow you to confidently separate the contour of the desired image from the background.

Working with the Magic Wand is very simple. Bring it to the edge of the object whose outline you want to select and left-click. The outline of part of the image will be highlighted. Now press Shift and, while holding the key, left-click again near the part of the image that has not yet been outlined. Pressing Shift allows you to drag the already selected path further. Continue in the same way to create the outline. If you make a mistake, switch the layout and press Ctrl + Z – last action will be cancelled.

When the outline is closed, proceed to editing the selection. It may be needed if in some areas of the image the contouring was performed incorrectly, and the contour cut off part of the image. Reduce the tolerance value a little, then move the Magic Wand to the part of the image captured by the outline. While holding down the Alt key, click the erroneously selected area with the mouse. The outline will be corrected. Now press Del, the existing background around the image will be removed and filled with the background selected in the Components palette.

To select more complex paths, especially ones that blend into the background, use the Lasso Tool. Select it, press the left mouse button and drag the tool along the perimeter of the selected image until the contour is closed. The disadvantage of this tool is that the selection is done manually and its quality is determined by how accurately you move the mouse.

In many cases, the Magic Wand and Lasso capabilities are not sufficient to accurately highlight contours complex object. For example, you need to cut out an image of a cat from a photograph, so that the mustache and... It is impossible to select every hair with the Magic Wand or Lasso, and it is not necessary - for this there is a more convenient Pen tool.

Select the Pen Tool - Paths. Now, using successive mouse clicks, select the outline of the image element you need. Creating a complex contour is quite labor-intensive, but the result is worth all the time spent. At the same time, do not try to highlight the smallest elements of the outline (like the whiskers and fur of a cat), at this stage you need to highlight the overall outline. Close it by clicking the mouse one last time on the first point. You can now more accurately define the boundaries of a path using the Refine Edge tool. Considering that working with this tool is quite complicated, read about it in specialized articles.

And, holding Shift, I’ll build a regular circle:

Vector figure in the form of a regular circle

Photoshop places each new vector shape we draw on its own layer, called a shape layer. And if we now look at the layers panel, we will see a new layer with a shape called “Ellipse 1” (in English - Ellipse 1), located above the background layer. The fact that this is a vector shape layer is indicated by the icon located at the bottom right of the layer thumbnail:

Each new vector shape gets its own layer, the vector layer icon is outlined in light green

Each new vector shape gets its own layer in the Layers panel.
In the document, one shape is ready, I will draw a second same shape next to the first so that the second shape slightly overlaps the first. Photoshop automatically places this second vector shape on its own layer (the layer is automatically named "Ellipse 1") and the layer thumbnail also has an icon:

Two overlapping vector shapes. The second vector shape currently overlaps the first. You can see two separate shape layers in the Layers panel.

Currently both of my shapes are red, but we can easily change the color of either shape by simply double-clicking the layer thumbnail in the Layers panel. I double clicked on the second shape's thumbnail, this action opens a Color Picker window where I can select a new color. Moreover, when choosing a color, the color of the figure and miniature changes in real time:

Changing the color of a shape after double-clicking on the layer thumbnail in the Layers panel. Please note that when you change a color in the Color Picker, the preview color of the shape in the document and the layer thumbnail also changes. If you click the "Cancel" button instead of "OK", the color picker will close, but the color of the shape will not change (in my case, it will remain red)

I'll click OK to close the Color Picker and accept the changes. Now my figure has turned blue.

You can select a vector shape in your document using the Path Selection Tool:

But you can only select shapes on the active layer, so in order for me to select the red circle, I must first click on the layer with this shape in the layers panel, and then on the shape itself in the document:

Selecting the red circle: first select the layer, then click on the shape.

I can change layers in the Layers panel stack. For example, if I drag the red circle layer up, it will cover the blue one:

Move the layer with the red circle up.

But we can do much more interesting things with vector shapes. For example, we can combine two or more shapes together to create various complex shapes!

Up to this point, Photoshop has placed each new vector shape on its own layer, but something very interesting can happen if we combine two or more shapes on a single shape layer. I'll talk about combining shapes in more detail in another article, but here I'll show you how to quickly stack Photoshop shapes using hotkeys.

So, let's add two vector shapes. In the layers panel, select the blue shape and press Ctrl+C. Then delete the layer by dragging it to the trash bin:

Deleting a layer after copying

Now all we have left in the layers panel is the red shape layer and the background layer. Click on the shape layer to select it and then press Ctrl+V on your keyboard to paste the copied shape into the layer. in this case the figures will be combined into one:

A combined figure of two circles on one layer.

Since in this moment Both shapes are on the same layer, I can change how the shapes interact with each other by choosing different options in the Options Bar using the Path Operations button:

Button for switching modes of interaction of contours ("Operations with contour")

By clicking on this button, a list with four various modes interactions are: Add to Shape Area, Subtract from Shape Area, Intersect Shape Areas, and Exclude Overlapping Shape Areas:

Path operations

The “Add to Shape Area” operation was initiated at the moment when we pasted the copied shape into the shape layer. Let's look at other operations.

Subtract front figure(Subtract from Shape Area) - the second (pasted) shape is no longer visible in the document. Instead, Photoshop uses it to remove part of the original shape, the part where the two shapes intersect:

The pasted figure is subtracted from the first one. In this option, the front one is the second figure that appears in the document; it is located, as it were, on top, in front of us.

Intersect Shape Areas- This time, only the area where the two shapes overlap each other remains visible:

The visible area remains only in the area where the shapes intersect

Exclude Overlapping Shape Areas- the result is the opposite of the previous one. Both forms are visible only in areas where they are Not overlap:

Only those areas of the shapes where they do not overlap each other remain visible

Combining Shape Components Completely

And there is one more command left in the list - “Merge Shape Components”. It’s not for nothing that the team stands apart from others, because it leads to irreversible actions - the unification of the forming contours. If previously we simply switched between commands, then after using this command, it will no longer be possible to switch.

If we click on this line, a warning message will appear "This operation will turn the figure into a regular outline. Continue?" (This operation will turn a living shape into a regular path. Continue?), after clicking OK, the paths will be merged, all the inner lines of the intersecting paths will be deleted, and two or more vector shapes will be converted into one path, this is shown in the figure, merging shape components when:
1. Combine shapes (Add to Shape Area)
2. Subtract from Shape Area
3. Intersect Shape Areas

Combining shape components under different states of path operations

Drawing outlines

So far we have been using vector tools in shape mode. Let's switch the mode in the Options Bar to Path. Please note that after switching, some options disappeared from the options panel, for example, color fill, stroke, etc.:

Options bar for vector tools mode "Path"

Let's create new document Photoshop, which has only one background layer, take the Ellipse Tool, in the options bar, select, as I said above, the Outline tool mode, and draw a path on the document. The vsib cursor will take the form of a cross with a plus sign:

A path created by the Ellipse tool in Path mode.

Please note that nothing has changed in the layers panel - just as there was one background layer before drawing the outline, so it remained alone after drawing.

The reason for this is that pure paths are independent of layers. And, although at the moment we can see the outline in the document, but when saving the document in JPG, PNG, etc. format, as well as when printing, the outline will not be displayed.

A contour is just a tool for some actions - transforming a contour into a selected area, outlining a contour, filling it with color, creating a 3D extrusion from a contour, etc., but the contour is not a full-fledged element of the drawing.

And since paths are independent of layers, they have their own panel - the Paths panel - which, by default, is grouped with the Layers and Channels panels. In the image below, I'll switch to the Paths panel, where we can see the path I just drew, it's automatically named by Photoshop as a "Work Path":

Path in the document and in the Paths panel

The name "Work Path" means that at the moment this path is temporary, but we can save it as part of the document, to do this we just need to rename it. To rename it, double-click its name in the Paths panel, and Photoshop will open the Save Path dialog box, prompting you for a new name. You can simply accept the new default name or enter your own. I'll call mine "outline-ellipse":

Path to save outline

Although, to be honest, the outline is saved when saving the PSD document and without renaming, perhaps it was not saved in earlier versions, I don’t remember.

The "Path Selection" tool selects the entire path with all nodes, the "Node Selection" selects one (or how many, if you hold down Ctrl) of the contour's reference nodes, the "Angle" tool changes the properties of the reference nodes.

Modifying a path using the Node Selection tool

Operations with paths

There are seven buttons at the bottom of the Paths panel. These buttons allow you to do some operations with contours:

Buttons for operations with contours.

I list, from left to right:

Fill the outline with the main color(Fill path with foreground color) - the outline on the active layer in the layers panel will be filled with the main color of the color palette. If the document only has a background layer, then the background layer will be filled.

Stroke the outline with a brush(Stroke path with brush) - the path on the active layer will be outlined with a brush using the main color of the color palette. The thickness and rigidity of the stroke line depends on the settings of the Brush Tool. For example, if the “Brush” is preset - round, 50% hardness, and the main color in the palette is red - this will be the stroke line, red, soft, 3 pixels thick.

Load outline as selection(Load Path as a selection) - the path will be converted into a selected area.

Make a work path from the selected area(Make work path from selection) - in in this case, for obvious reasons, is not active.

Add a mask(Add a mask) - a layer mask will be added to the layer along the outline of the contour, the transparent area of ​​the mask will be inside the contour, it works only after converting the contour into a selected area.

Create a new outline(Create new Path) - not used in this case.

Basket(Delete current Path) - I’m thinking here. clear, needed to remove the outline

In addition, the options bar has three buttons for working with paths:

Path operations buttons in the options bar

The Selection... button converts the outline into a selected area. Unlike the similar button at the bottom of the paths panel, clicking on this button does not instantly convert the path into a selection, but opens a dialog box with some parameters and allows you to set, for example, the feather radius:

Options dialog box for converting a path to a selection

Mask - adds a vector mask to the layer. If there is only a background layer in the layers panel, it is converted to a normal one and a vector mask is also added to it:

Vector mask from the background layer

I'll talk about the third button below.

Convert paths to vector shapes

To convert contours into vector shapes, there is a special button on the taskbar, active in the “Outline” mode, this is the third button of those that I started talking about above, it is called “Shape”:

A button on the options bar to convert a path to a vector shape.

Clicking the button instantly transforms the outline into a vector shape:

Vector figure from outline. The fill color of the shape is taken from the base color of the color palette.

In this case, the figure is filled with a solid color. This color corresponds to the main color of the color palette.

But the fact is that this button appeared only in the latest Photoshop versions. Meanwhile, this operation (vector shape from a path) is also available for more earlier versions Photoshop, up to and including CS3, requires a little focus though.

So I have a document with a background layer and simple outline:

A path to create a vector shape.

To create a shape, we just need to add a “Color” adjustment layer (Solid Color). A layer dialog box will open, where you can select a fill color for the future shape and click OK. That's it, the figure is ready, it is created on a new layer. The result is essentially the same as using the "Shape" button:

A vector shape from a path using a Solid Color adjustment layer.

Fill Pixels

The third shape drawing mode in Photoshop is Fill Pixels, which allows us to create pixelated shapes. I'll select the "Pixels" option in the Options Bar:

Pixel fill mode in the options bar

The Fill Pixel Fill mode is the least interesting and useful of the three shape drawing modes because... in that Photoshop mode it simply draws geometric shapes by filling them with colored pixels, and pixels are not as easily editable and/or scalable as vector shapes.

Unlike vector shapes, which get their own layer automatically every time a new shape is added, a pixel shape appears directly on the active layer; if the background layer is currently active, the shape will be drawn on it.

So to create new pixel shapes you should use new empty layers.

At the moment I have a document with one single background layer. I'll add a new layer by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N, set the color in the color palette, say, green #5ab345, ​​take the "Ellipse" tool, the mode in the options bar, as mentioned earlier, is set to "Pixels", click the mouse cursor inside document and drag the cursor to create a shape:

Creating a pixel fill.

After I release the mouse button, the shape is instantly filled with the foreground color from the color palette:

Pixel fill created using the Ellipse tool.

You can create shapes in the same way using other drawing tools.

Actually, pixel fills have no other interesting properties. The only thing is that before creating a fill, you can change the blending mode, but this can be done later by changing the blending mode of the layer with the fill.