Drawing a line, changing its width & color

[joelh33703351]

I am using the latest version of Photoshop (I don't know where to find that info but I just did an update) and am on a Dell laptop, so windows. I have had such difficulty with Photoshop mainly because I only work with is a few times a year so often forget what I knew. 

Here is what I want to do. I have opened a DNG background to edit in Photoshop. If I am wrong about any step please advise. I have unlocked this background. Using then Pen tool I have created a straight line. 

Now I wish to change the width of the line. What do I do? 

Then I want to change the color of the line? Same question.

Sorry this is so rudimentary but I am going to keep these notes. Thanks

[davescm]

The pen tool in Photoshop draws a path (not a line - which may sound pedantic but it becomes important at the next step). A path shows up in the on screen preview but is invisible in the actual image.

A path can be used for various purposes e.g. making a selection by drawing a path around an object then using that path to make a selection.

It can be used to create a mask - which remains adjustable by moving the path points.

Thirdly, and most important to your question, it can be given a stroke (and /or a fill if the path encloses a shape). A stroke does appear in your image. This can be done two ways. The pen tool can be set in the options bar at the top of the screen to draw a shape and that shape can be given a stroke and/or a fill. The stroke can be adjusted in both width and colour and the fill in colour, both from the options bar.

The other way to add a stroke, if you already have a path, is to go to the paths panel and from the icons at the bottom of the panel, stroke the path with the currently set brush. This allows you to use any brush along a predrawn line made by the pen tool.

I hope that makes sense

Dave

[D Fosse]

Just a small addition to Dave's excellent explanation:

When you stroke a path in Photoshop, that stroke is pixels, and those pixels are "burned" into the layer. You can't change that stroke live and keep changing width or color.

You can change it through the normal pixel adjustments, but you can't alter the stroke itself once it's put down.

This is different from a true vector application like e.g. Illustrator, where the stroke is a property of the path itself. In Photoshop, the stroke is separate from the path - the path has just been used as a guide for where to put the pixels.

[joelh33703351]

Thank you Dave & D. Fosse

            I am trying what Dave suggested but wonder have I started down the wrong road by using the pen when all I wanted to do was draw a line. Is there a simpler way? I thought of the brush but then would the edges be straight?

            Here is what I have done. Along the top I have changed Path to Shape. The stroke window is lit with a black line against a yellow background and I see the pixel window has a slider (it is currently at 25.74) . But visually I just have a very thin blue line going from the top of my screen to the bottom and changed the pixels does nothing?

             Again, I fear I sent us marching off in the wrong direction and despite your generous explanation, don't see how to add the graphic. Third suggestion would be to use the rectangle tool and just keep three sides out of sight, but again, even that sounds complicated. Thanks

[joelh33703351]

Dave & D. Fosse

              My bad. I went and used the brush tool. I have it set on 100% hardness (which I presume gives me the sharp edges and 100% opacity. Nice line and I can control the width. I have it set on 177 pixels. Now how do I change the color?

[Rob_Cullen]

To use a Brush to draw a straight line pf pixels-

Set a simple circle Brush size very small (to the width of the required line)

1) Click the Brush on the image once at the start location for the line.

2) Move the mouse cursor to the end location for the line.

3) Hold down the [Shift] key and Click the Brush cursor once again.

Change colour after drawing- No.  Set brush colour before drawing.

[D Fosse]

Yes, Rob is absolutely right. For drawing a simple line, that's how and there's no reason to fiddle with the Pen tool.

But since you started with a path, it was a good opportunity to explain how paths work.

[Trevor.Dennis]

It was Bert Monroy who I first saw using stroked complex paths when free hand was not smooth and accurate enough.  I am not great at making lines go exactly where I want them to go, even when I was using a 13" Ciintiq, so it's something I do, almost, on a daily basis.   What I really like is that we can tweak the path and stroke it again, plus we can use Simulate Pressure, and Fade to do smooth, clean, and accurate line work even if you are crap at drawing.