Marching Ants Selection to a Shape Layer

[Mike Witherell]

Suppose you selected a region of pixels. (I was quick selecting a region of a person wearing sunglasses. I selected the region of the sunglasses lens.

How do you turn that into a vector Shape Layer?

[Bojan Živković]

Create work path then shape layer using work path.

You have icon in the Paths panel to create work path from selection or you can right click with selection tool active and choose: Make Work Path. Once you have work path select it then go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color or activate some drawing tool to see button in the Options bar to create shape layer.

[JJMack]

i​f the sunglass image is large and you make a good selection the converts to a path well you can just add a Vector Layer  mask the the image layer to extract the sunglasses.   It will be like a Shape layer filled with a pattern It just will not be  depicted  as a shape layers in the layers palette with the little shape icon one the layer content .  You will see the vector mask in the layer palette But it is just like a shape layer.  And it will transform well within reason.  The sunglasses fill pattern is interpolated. The vector mask is done via vector graphic.

[Mike Witherell]

Thanks gentlemen.

The key here for me was your comment about "Layer > New Fill Layer > ...". I kept going past that in search of my expected "New Shape Layer" which wasn't in the menus.

Actually, I was involved in a bigger goal.

I was trying to go from Selection marching ants > to > Named Path in the Path panel > to > New Fill Layer > to > right click the new vector shape layer to promote it to a new FRAME, the newest feature in PS CC 2019, > to > Place Linked to complete the procedure.

The help file doesn't completely describe the steps whereas it assumes you merely want to create a rectangle or ellipse or typographic shapes. I was anticipating the Layers menu having the opportunity to choose New Shape Layer; not New Fill Layer. That was throwing me off!

Thanks again!

[JJMack]

Before you start using CC 2019 Frame feature you should give Adobe a chance to fix that feature.  Right now it creates a very strange odd type of layer.  Normal layer features don't work correctly with them layers styles are applied to the unmasked smart object  layer Photoshop scripting also see the layer's bounds as the Smart object unmask layer bounds.   Smart filter preview are empty however the filters will filter the smart object layer through the smart filter mask.   CC 2019 Frames feature is quite a mess.  Adobe stated Frame are like a mask  I seen nothing for the Frame Mask in the channels palette or the path palette when a  frame layer is targeted.  About all you seem to be able do wit the Mask is stroke the opening in  the properties panel and transform the frame mask with the transform tool or Properties panel. You also seem to be  able to make a frame layer from a mask layer.  The resulting  Frame layer will have an actual  Layer Mask and Layer style will work correctly I would also think  Scripts would get the mask layer bounds.   Smart filter Previews are still empty though and not shown in the image window while adjusting the filter.

[Mike Witherell]

JJ, it works great if you move over to InDesign!

[JJMack]

I have been doing my own Frame thing in Photoshop since CS2 via Photoshop Scripting. I did have to program around some Scripting bugs though.  One Adobe Product Photoshop is more than I can handle I leave AI and indesign to you.  I hope Adobe supports their other applications better than they do Photoshop.  

Photoshop Frames sort of works if you do you own masking then convert your normal framed image layers to Adobe  frame layer but why would you want to do that.   Smart filters on these can not be adjusted properly their  small previews are empty and the preview on the images do not render.

Normal masked Image framed layer  using normal layer mask or vector layer mask then converted to Adobe frame layers via Frame form layers. Sort of works.

First conversion using Normal Layer mask  Second Conversion usein Vector layer mask  which wind up hidden in frames