Paths and selections

[sonjah33400172]

Hi! I have used PS for years and I know a lot. But one thing that I dont understand are paths because I never used those for anything.

My question: Since you can turn a selection into a path, why would anyone use the pen tool to make a path, when you have so many great Selection-tools, that can do the same job(?) in seconds and then just turn it into a path.
Please, could someone explain me. Why use the pen tool?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Edited: I had read sloppily and missed the actual point … 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

My question: Since you can turn a selection into a path, why would anyone use the pen tool to make a path, 

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I apologize, I had read sloppily and missed your actual point. 

Paths created by converting a Selection to a Path are usually simply not good. 

Unitented Corners, unnecessarily large number of points, … 

Edit: Tolerance 1 – unnecessary points and corners, Tolerance 3 – bad fit, …

[jane-e]

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@sonjah33400172 wrote:

Please, could someone explain me. Why use the pen tool?

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When you use the Path tool to make a selection, you can tweak the anchor points and direction lines until it's perfect, then convert it to a selection.

"Why use the Pen tool?" Use it when precision matters.

Jane

[sonjah33400172]

ok thanks!

[Trevor.Dennis]

Check out this video and give it a try.  I am sure you will quickly realise how powerful workpaths are

Another war way to think about it is the difference between Photoshop and Illustrator.  The former is based on pixels and the latter on vectors.  That is to say perfectly straight, or beautifully curved with clean outlines.  The Pen tool is vector and masks are raster/pixel based.  The Pen tool would not be the best tool to select fly-away hair.  The selection tools are not the best tools for selection something like a motor vehicle.

Try the Pen tool and you'll be a convert.