Arch shapes for Photoshop, PSP, Elements etc

 

 

Additional paths can be added to the artworks included in the set - you can even add some sunlight to the image

 

 

A selection of the vector graphics included in the pack #74 CSH format

 

Editing / Accessing the Arch PDF vector shapes in Adobe PS

 

This appears when you select any of the PDF Vector arches - you can set the size to 10000 x 10000 pixels or perhaps set in cm or inches. You can also set the color for the object as well as the resolution. It is then cast in stone size-wise.

 

A better option is to use the open as smart object option found in the file menu - you can then re-size the image via the image menu image size command 100s of times without causing any issues to the sharpness of the work - as a smart object, the item remains in the original format as a vector PDF and can be edited and resized with ease.

 

The smart object can also be re-colored in seconds as well as have Photoshop filters applied such as blurs and poster edge and filter gallery etc. The smart filters are much better than the older plugins. Any smart filter added can be removed and can be modified in seconds via the layers palette.

 

You can also use the place command to import the work, the path can then be re-sized and modified (#ia Illustrator) and re-colored by adding adjustments etc. The placed object is on a single layer, you can delete that layer as well as move the path up and down the layers in the palette.

 

With recent versions of CC, more and more options can be applied to smart objects - such as the arch PDF Vector graphics - and with a CS6 update of the Adobe Creative Cloud, you can now use the blur gallery with the PDFs. The blur gallery can also be combined with many other effects and the arch remains editable at any point in the creative process.

 

 

Use the graphics in any color and add to any of the backgrounds

 

You can fill the vectors with all kinds of colors such as any of the gradients. You can find 32,000 or so gradients via this site

 

You can add transformations to the artwork so you can rotate them, warp them, distort them, scale and shear and more

 

Combine two of the artworks (up and down via the transform tools) and then define as a pattern and the above was created using the fill content command in the layer menu

 

Rounded art with shadow added via the PS layer effects

 

Many different arch shapes are included such as a more complex structure

 

You can duplicate the layers and use alignment / distribute the items to create more complex structures

 

You can use the new guide layout feature to build all kinds of layouts with the vectors

 

You can add type to any of the paths in numerous ways such as on the path itself

 

Text can be added onto any of the paths

 

You can add them in any color such as white or black etc

 

You can fill them with all kinds of colors to create a psuedo stained glass effect

 

You can add multiple paths and build a psuedo 3D look

 

Effects can be added in numerous ways - such as cutout effect via the PS gallery effects

How to convert the shapes as PNG TIFF etc files / export

The arch custom shapes are in CSH. You can't use the CSH in other applications so what can you do if you want to use the arch shapes in other applications.

 

If you want to use them in Illustrator then simply select the CSH preset and paste into Illustrator. You can also copy the preset into the library (if you are using the latest release of PS) and the same vector can be accessed via the library in AI. You can also save the preset via the file menu export command. Any AI file saved that way can be loaded into applications such as Inkscape as well as CorelDRAW.

 

They can also be saved as a vector via the PDF file format and also PSD format file.

 

If you want to save them as a raster format file then simply apply them as a fill pixel (#ia the top menu bar) and then save that to PNG via the save command (you can also save them as a TIFF etc file as well).

 

If you apply the shape to a layer and then delete the background and then save the work as a PNG image, you can save the shape transparency for loading in other applications (useful for Painter as well as PSP and other applications). There are probably many additional ways to export them - great for all kinds of applications

 

 

Video tutorials

 

 

Perspective warp and custom shapes and PDF

They can be distorted using the perspective warp.

 

If you create a layer using the selected CSH path and then go to the edit menu and try and select the perspective warp, it is disabled. You can get around this by going to the layer menu and converting them into a smart object and then go back to the edit menu and use the perspective warp, it works. You can then add pins to the object in the layout option.

 

You can create basic layouts and you can create grids and vertical cutting imagery as well as broken warp layouts (not sure there are any limits to the number of pins you can add - though I suspect there is one). Once you have finished adding pins, click the warp option and distort the path (still a vector and still editable) in numerous ways by moving the pins to the right and left and up and down etc. Click OK to apply the warp.

 

As the item is a smart object and the smart filter perspective warp is still active, you can still modify the underlying decorative graphic (or replace the contents).

 

You can also re-apply the smart object and create a smart object made up of the path and perspective warp and then warp that as well (and repeat if you wish). Layer styles etc can also be applied. The PDFs can also be warped in the same way (if placed they are smart objects already)

 

 

They can be any color such as red etc or yellow or pink etc

Cookie cutter in PSE

The arch custom shapes can be used as standard shapes in Elements but they can also be used as cookie cutters as well. Select the cookie cutter tool and then you will see the various options on the top options bar such as the path as well as feathering and also crop (which will crop the entire document to the size of the vector graphic). If the crop is not set to ON then the artwork is just placed in the original location (feathered or not feathered) with the full document and all the image outside of the cookie cutter removed. Using the cookie cutter in PSE, you can constrain the proportions as well as rotate and scale and shear.

 

Once you have your cookie cutter, you can always add another cookie cutter to cut even more away from the image / artwork. You can use the result as a wonderful source for strokes as well as patterns.

 

If you want to have the original image as well as cookie cutter shape then before using the tool, simply duplicate the layer as many times as you wish and use the arch cookie cutter on those (in different locations if you wish) and you can then also combine those multiple cut layers using blending modes such as difference / darken / overlay to create some truly stunning art.

 

There are many videos on my youtube channel giving some ways to use the tool.

 

 

They can be combined with text in 1000s of ways

Editing arch PDFs in Adobe AI / Inkscape etc

I have been talking about editing them in Adobe PS but a key thing about the PDF, you can use them in many different applications - it is a pretty universal format on both platforms (and beyond - I assume you can also edit the PDF documents on Linux and in GIMP and Inkscape). The PDFs can be edited in Adobe AI as well as Xara and others.

 

The paths can be broken apart in Adobe AI and each element can be edited individually such as re-coloring the path, re-sizing, rotating, adding other elements and much more.

 

You can shift them, warp them, distort, re-color, add additional paths or remove paths and much more. In Illustrator, you can manipulate the vector path in countless ways and it will still be as sharp and hi-impact in Adobe PS or PSP. You can edit the individual paths by using the isolation mode (double click) so the paths can be scaled etc as below.

 

They can be used as is but you should definitely see them as just a starting point for millions of different and unique graphics

Re-color individual paths in Adobe AI