Apply Swatch Colors to Shapes

[mellissat2727]

Is there a way to make a custom shape (using pen tool?), set a fill color, and be able to change that color by clicking on my saved swatches?

I'm working on a project and trying to figure out how I can make it easier for myself in the long run...

Here's what I'm working on:

I'm an inteior designer and have a photo of the inside of a store. I would like to add custom shapes matching the shapes of the walls, and change the colors - to see what the space would look like with new paint color. I've done this in the past using a selection tool and simply painting the color over it on a new layer. This time, I'm creating mutliple options and would like to create SHAPES that I can change the color of (using my saved swatches), rather than having a mess of layers with different colored selections. I was able to figure out how to change the color of a regular rectagular shape, but a shape using the Pen tool will n

If anyone has any suggestions for other ways I could go about this, I would love suggestions!

[Kristian Gabriel · Accepted solution]

You can just create a custom path with your Pen Tool (closed path objects are easier). Then, in your OPTIONS PANEL/BAR at the top of your Photoshop, click on the button that is labeled 'SHAPE'. This will immediately convert a path object to a shape. You can also, create a close path or multiple paths, make sure they are selected and go to EDIT > DEFINE CUSTOM SHAPE. This will save your custom shape to the SHAPE PRESET LIBRARY. To access it the new shape, bring up your SHAPES PANEL by going to WINDOW > SHAPES. Now all you have to do is drag and drop! You can also activate the CUSTOM SHAPE TOOL and select your new shape from the SHAPE MENU in your OPTIONS PANEL/BAR.

[mellissat2727]

THANK YOU!!!

I was clicking out of the pen tool afterwards and never even saw the Shape button on the options bar. 

[Conrad C]

If you're using the latest version (Photoshop 2020), all of this should be easier because of the way shapes and presets have been redesigned into Swatches, Shapes, Gradients, and Patterns panels. The last three panels are new. If you don't see them, they're all listed under the Window menu where you can open them.

If you create your own custom shapes using the method Kristian_Gabriel described (select a shape layer and choose Edit > Define Custom Shape), they are added to the new Shapes panel, where you can organize them into groups. When you want to use one of your custom shapes in the document, just drag it out of the Shapes panel and drop it on the canvas.

When a shape is on the canvas and selected you can now simply click on a swatch in the Swatches, Gradients, or Patterns panel to change its fill. If the shape is not selected you can still apply those swatches by dragging a swatch from any of those three panels, and dropping the swatch on the shape on the canvas.

If you're not able to apply a fill or stroke to a path you drew with the Pen tool, make sure it is actually a shape layer (appears in the Layers panel) and not just a path in the Paths panel.