Turning a path into a selection

Once you have part of a path selected using the Direct Selection tool, you can turn it into a selection by going to the Paths palette and choosing Make Selection from the paletteÕs pop-down menu. The advantage of using this method is that you can add feathering (among other options) in the Make Selection dialog box. The disadvantage is that if you donÕt want feathering or some of the other options, you waste time in a dialog box you donÕt need.

Another method (if you donÕt want feathering) is to click on the Load Path as a Selection icon at the bottom of the Paths palette. ItÕs the third icon from the left that looks like a circle of dots.

Quick Access To The Direct Selection Tool

When you’re using the Pen tool, you adjust points and path segments using the Direct Selection tool (which looks like a white, hollow arrow). You can temporarily switch to this tool any time you’re working with the Pen tool by holding the Command key. When you’re done, release the Command key, and you’ll jump back to the last Pen tool you were using.

Naming your layers as you duplicate them

Although the fastest way to duplicate your current layer is to press Command-J, it doesn’t give you the option to name the layer–it just duplicates it. If you want to bring up the Duplicate Layer dialog, just Control-click on the layer and choose Duplicate Layer from the pop-up menu. This will bring up the Duplicate Layer dialog box where you can name your layer before it’s created.

The Rasterized Type Insurance Policy

My buddy Dave Cross taught me this valuable tip: If you rasterize a Type layer and you need to recreate that type at a later time, you probably won’t remember the exact point size, leading, and tracking you used. In fact, you might not even remember the font name. That’s why Dave always renames a rasterized layer with the stats of the rasterized type. For example, he might name it "Minion, 14 pt. Auto leading, -50 tracking." That way, if he ever has to update or recreate the type, he knows precisely how to format it for an exact match. Those Canadians–they know all the cool tips.

Can’t Remember Selection Shortcuts? Look at the Cursor

If you’ve made a selection and want to add that selection, just hold the Shift key and you can add more area to it. Of course, we just told you it was the shift key, but what if you couldn’t remember which key it was? Just press a modifier key (such as Shift, Option, Command, etc.) then look at your cursor. When you hold the shift key, a little plus sign appears at the bottom right hand corner of the cursor to tell you that you can now add to the selection. Hold Option and a minus sign appears to tell you that you can now subtract from the selection. Hold Command and a pair of scissors appears, telling you that if you click and drag the selection, it will cut out the image inside of the selection and move it right along with the cursor.