Creating Paths

[Bish01]

Hi all,

I am trying to follow a video on YouTube called ''How to Create Phone Case Mockups in Photoshop'' Here's the link > https://youtu.be/FCQ9sUKxzxA

I am struggling right at the beginning where you have to create the paths around the phone, the camera, and the flash etc. Now, the trouble comes when I go to select them all, as per the video, by holding "Ctrl" and hitting "Enter", but when I do it, only the outer path one selects and I loose the inner ones around the camera and flash.

I have spent the past 2hrs trying to figure out why this is, but to no avail. Is there anybody who could help?

Thank you!

[jane-e]

Hi

Ctrl+Enter is the Windows shortcut to convert a Path into a Selection. Did you draw all of the subpaths onto one path or multiple paths? Please show your paths panel so we can see what you are working with and better advise.

~ Jane

[Bish01]

Hi Jane,

Thank you for your Message. All of the paths are drawn onto one path as shown in the image and as per the video instructed. You can also see the areas in the image I have pathed. When using Ctrl+Enter all that happens is either all the blue lines disappear, or I get a message box saying that there are no pixals selected.

I have also screen shot the video so you can what should happen.

Paul

These are the sections I have drawn out on one path per the video.What should happen per the video.

[Bish01]

Appoligies, within the paths pannel..

[jane-e]

Hi Bish,

I keep examining your images, and it looks to me like it's working — so tell me what I am missing!

Starting with your Paths panel, you only have one path. A work path can disappear, so go ahead and rename it by double-clicking the words (in case you want to use it again.) 

The upper left looks like a blob here, but it looks okay in your screen shot of your path. You can right-click and choose to make the paths display larger so you can see the image better here if you want to.

You have the subpaths around the phone and controls. (Definitions: The path is the workpath, now renamed. There are three subpaths on the path.) This looks just like in the video tutorial.

Ctrl+Enter converted the path to a selection, which is what you have here. The path is no longer showing, but it is still in the Paths panel. The selection is the phone case minus the two controls.

There are other ways you can make selections, but the Pen tool is a favorite for accuracy.

What isn't working?

~ Jane

[Bish01]

Hi Jane,

What seems to not be working is after I have created the paths, I go to use Ctrl+Enter, but I am not getting what the video is telling me I should have, which is the bottom picture of the path now being selected with the black/white dashed lines. The blue path lines either completely disappear, or I get an warning message notifying me that I have no pixels selected. 

Paul

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, are you on the correct layer?

[jane-e]

Are those screen shots yours or are they from the video? We need to see your screen shots.

When you draw the path with the Pen tool, look for a small circle on the mouse pointer to show you are closing the path. When you convert the path to a selection, the path outline (blue) disappears as it should. You now see the selection marquee.

Select the path again if you really want to see the blue path outline. Deselect it to hide it.

~ Jane

[Bish01]

The pictures that I first sent, as discribed below them, the first one is mine once I have finished the paths (blue lines) and have closed the path.

The second is a screen shot of the video once the tuttor has used Ctrl+Enter.

The seletion marquee is the issue here, I dont get the selection marquee when I use Crtl+Enter.

Instead what is happening is as I have mentioned before, is the blue path lines either:

* Disappears completely

* Only seclects the outer path I have created and not the other 2

* Or I get the warning message up telling me I haven't selected any pixels

[PECourtejoie]

HEllo, my question still stands, can you show us your screen with the layers and the path panel showing?

[jane-e]

Hi Bish

First draw the paths with the Pen tool, confirming the mode is Paths in the options bar.

• Show a screen shot of your own screen with the paths you drew. We don't need the ones from the video.
• Make the paths larger by right clicking in the area at the bottom or use the panel menu. We need to see the detail in the upper left. Your screen shot does not show it.
• Just to test: deselect the path by clicking underneath it. The blue path outlines disappear. Click on the path to select it. They come back. When a path is not selected, you will not see the path outlines. This is how it is supposed to work.
• Name the path by double-clicking it and type a name.
• If it doesn't look like this, then the next step will not work.
• Show a screen shot laid out like this with your own work.

To convert the path to a selection:

• Ctrl+Enter or click the third button at the bottom of the Paths panel (Load path as a selection)
• The path will convert to a selection. The path will be deselected in the Paths panel and you will not see the blue path outlines unless you select the path again (you don't need to, but this is worrying you.)
  

To best help you, please give us the information we keep asking for.

~ Jane