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#1 2006-05-07 1:57 pm
Overlapping Path in Photoshop
When you have a path that overlaps itself, the area being overlapped is not shaded. Is there a preference or something that would allow overlapping paths to be shaded? Confused? See the handy illustration below:
Thanks.
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#2 2006-05-08 4:38 am
- unresort
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- From: lawrence, kansas
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
dude, the path should not overlap. you are tracing the outline of the shape, not the shape. there's two clean paths available in yer example.
look @ #2 and do the outside, then do the inside.
Last edited by unresort (2006-05-08 4:41 am)
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#3 2006-05-08 5:14 am
- Light Speed
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Is this a path that you made in PS or brought in from a vector app?
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#4 2006-05-08 2:36 pm
Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Made in PS.
unresort wrote:
dude, the path should not overlap. you are tracing the outline of the shape, not the shape. there's two clean paths available in yer example.
look @ #2 and do the outside, then do the inside.
Yes, I realize, but I was wondering if there was a way to do what I'd like to do.
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#5 2006-05-08 3:48 pm
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Basseq wrote:
Made in PS.
Try exporting the path and edit it in a vector program. You will have more tools there to modify your path the way you wish. Then when happy just cut and paste the path back into PS.
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#6 2006-05-08 5:15 pm
- AAPL Shareholder
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
unresort wrote:
dude, the path should not overlap. you are tracing the outline of the shape, not the shape. there's two clean paths available in yer example.
look @ #2 and do the outside, then do the inside.
Do what unresort said. He's right. This can be done in photoshop easily.
Draw the brown part, then draw the hole using the "exclude overlapping shape areas" option. That option is located on the upper toolbar when you have the pen tool selected.
-or-
Draw the brown part, then draw the hole separately on another layer.
"Hi, Tracy." I declared warmly. "It's me. Tek Jansen."
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#7 2006-05-08 10:34 pm
Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Hm, I could have sworn there was a way to combine an object like this, but I can't find a way to combine an object that overlaps itself... its all geared towards combining two different objects.
If you have access to Illustrator you can try this: copy and paste your path into illustrator. Next use the knife tool to cut the bottom of the loop so the loop is now two objects. Next you can use the pathfinder tool to combine the objects and then expand them into a single compound path. Paste back into photoshop and you're off to the races.
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#8 2006-05-08 11:31 pm
- AAPL Shareholder
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Gipetto:
Paths in photoshop are different then paths in illustrator. They're geared toward masking, not vector illustration.
To do this in Photoshop you need to trace the outside of the shape and knockout the tear drop using the "exclude overlapping shape areas" option. It will automatically create a compound path for you.
Note: dumping illustrator art in Photoshop will automatically rastarize the art unless you're linking a file between AI CS2 and PS CS2.
"Hi, Tracy." I declared warmly. "It's me. Tek Jansen."
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#9 2006-05-09 12:13 am
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
AAPL Shareholder wrote:
Note: dumping illustrator art in Photoshop will automatically rastarize the art unless you're linking a file between AI CS2 and PS CS2.
You can bring vector art into PS and keep it vector by making it a path or by making it a shape layer. Both of those options are available when using copy from AI/paste to PS.
AAPL Shareholder wrote:
Draw the brown part, then draw the hole using the "exclude overlapping shape areas" option. That option is located on the upper toolbar when you have the pen tool selected.
I wanted to say thanks for posting this. I use PS daily and totally forgot about that. I just don't do that much vector work in PS.
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#10 2006-05-09 1:04 am
Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
AAPL Shareholder wrote:
Gipetto:
Paths in photoshop are different then paths in illustrator. They're geared toward masking, not vector illustration.
To do this in Photoshop you need to trace the outside of the shape and knockout the tear drop using the "exclude overlapping shape areas" option. It will automatically create a compound path for you.
Note: dumping illustrator art in Photoshop will automatically rastarize the art unless you're linking a file between AI CS2 and PS CS2.
Photoshop and Illustrator have been able to swap paths since at least PS7 and AI10.
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#11 2006-05-09 9:07 pm
Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Yeah, I mean, I'm aware of all the shape/path options, it would just be nice if there was a quick way to do this, and from what I've read, there really isn't. Ah well. Thanks for the help.
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#12 2006-05-11 4:08 am
- Ralph the Dog
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
In older versions of Illustrator, this was done with the Unite Filter. That’s gone now.
In Illustrator CS, try:
Effect / Pathfinder / Add (*)
then
Object / Expand Appearance.
(*) Why you need ADD is beyond me, It makes no noticible change and flashes a warning that it won’t do you any good ... BUT ... You can’t use Expand Appearance untill after you’ve used ADD.
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#13 2006-05-11 7:30 am
Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Ralph the Dog wrote:
In older versions of Illustrator, this was done with the Unite Filter. That’s gone now.
In Illustrator CS, try:
Effect / Pathfinder / Add (*)
then
Object / Expand Appearance.
(*) Why you need ADD is beyond me, It makes no noticible change and flashes a warning that it won’t do you any good ... BUT ... You can’t use Expand Appearance untill after you’ve used ADD.
I tried that and the pathfinder options only work for individual paths. A path overlapping itself doesn't get effected by the Add or Exclude tools in the pathfinder palette (those options on the first line). Some of the crop and segment options of the pathfinder palette do work but defeat the purpose here.
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#14 2006-05-11 8:32 am
- Jonski
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Am I missing something here? What is it you/we/they are trying to achieve? I thought it had been established that the paths in P/Shop don't work the same as in Illustrator.
The way an overlapping path works in Illustrator is determined in the Appearance palette (in CS2, it was more obvious in earlier versions). It all depends if you have either the Non-Winding Zero Fill Rule or the Even-Odd Fill Rule option checked (the little boxes to the right).
Sorry if I'm completely off target here, just confused, is all! 
Last edited by Jonski (2006-05-11 8:33 am)
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#15 2006-05-11 6:18 pm
- Ralph the Dog
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Re: Overlapping Path in Photoshop
Gipetto wrote:
Ralph the Dog wrote:
In older versions of Illustrator, this was done with the Unite Filter. That’s gone now.
In Illustrator CS, try:
Effect / Pathfinder / Add (*)
then
Object / Expand Appearance.
(*) Why you need ADD is beyond me, It makes no noticible change and flashes a warning that it won’t do you any good ... BUT ... You can’t use Expand Appearance untill after you’ve used ADD.I tried that and the pathfinder options only work for individual paths. A path overlapping itself doesn't get effected by the Add or Exclude tools in the pathfinder palette (those options on the first line). Some of the crop and segment options of the pathfinder palette do work but defeat the purpose here.
Actually, I didn't use the Pathfinder Palette. I used the Menu Bar and the drop down Menus.
Using the Pathfinder Palette, I was able to complete the task with Trim, Merge, or Minus Back. Interestingly, none of these work when accessesd through the Menu Bar which is why I never tried the Palette. I figured the functions didn't work and it was clutter for nothing.
You just saved me a step. Thanx muchly.
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