How to Draw Curved Lines in Photoshop

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This wikiHow teaches you how to create a curved line in Photoshop on your Windows or Mac computer. The most basic way to do this is by using the default Pen Tool option, but you can also use a simplified version of the Pen Tool to draw curved lines simply by clicking different points on the canvas.

Drawing Curved Lines in Photoshop

To draw curved lines in Photoshop, simply choose the pen icon from the tool bar on the left-hand side of the screen. Then, choose the Curvature Pen Tool from the pop-up menu. This tool allows you to draw a curve simply by clicking on a series of consecutive points.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using the Pen Tool

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  1. If you haven't already done so, double-click the project in which you want to create a curved line to open the project.
  2. Select the Pen icon, which resembles a fountain pen nib, in the left-hand toolbar, then click Pen Tool in the resulting pop-out menu. [1]
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  3. Before you begin drawing, place your cursor over the point at which you want to begin your drawing.
  4. Click and drag your cursor in the direction toward which you want your line to arc, then release the mouse once you reach the top of the curve. [2]
    • The point at which you release the cursor is the point where the apex of your curved line will reach.
  5. Click and hold the point where you want the line to connect from the initial starting point, then drag your mouse in the direction opposite of the direction you dragged it when setting the slope. [3]
    • To create an "S"-shaped curve, you would drag your mouse cursor in the same direction as when you set the slope.
  6. You can add curves to your existing line by clicking and holding the next point of the line and then dragging your mouse to set the curve of the segment.
  7. Once you've created a line to your liking, you can prevent the Pen tool from creating additional curves by hovering your cursor over the hollow initial line point and then clicking it once you see the small circle appear next to the cursor.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using the Curvature Pen Tool

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  1. If you haven't already done so, double-click the project in which you want to create a curved line to open the project.
  2. Select the Pen icon, which resembles a fountain pen nib, in the left-hand toolbar, then click Curvature Pen Tool in the resulting pop-out menu. [4]
    • The Curvature Pen tool allows you to draw a curve simply by clicking different points in succession.
  3. Click the point at which you want your curved line to start. [5]
  4. This will create a line between your first point and your second one. [6]
  5. Doing so creates a third connection for the line, thus resulting in a curve that uses the second point as its apex. [7]
  6. You can continue adding points by clicking the places on the canvas on which you want to illustrate your line. The line will automatically curve to fit the points.
  7. If you want to bend in or out a part of the curve, click and drag the point inward or outward to do so.
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  • Question
    Is 6 a curved-line number?
    Community Answer
    Yes, because it doesn't have any straight lines.
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  • Question
    Is "0" considered a curved-line number?
    Community Answer
    Yes, because it consists of a closed loop with curved segments. Other examples of curved-line numbers include "3," "6," "8," and "9," which also contain curved segments.
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  • Question
    Where do I find the Pen Tool in Photoshop 2007?
    Community Answer
    In Photoshop CS3 (released in 2007) you can find the Pen Tool in the toolbar on the left side of the screen. It looks like a pen tip and might be hidden under the Path Selection Tool or Shape Tool. To select it, look for the pen tip icon, check for a small arrow at the bottom-right corner of the Shape Tool icon, and click and hold to access a dropdown menu where you can select the Pen Tool. You can also use the shortcut "P" to select it quickly.
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      Video

      Tips

      • You can also use the Freeform Pen option to draw curved lines as though you were drawing on paper. Curved lines drawn with the Freeform Pen will be less precise than those drawn with the Pen tool. [8]
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      Warnings

      • You may need to revert a point if it causes the line to curve unexpectedly. You can do this by pressing either Ctrl + Z (Windows) or ⌘ Command + Z (Mac).
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      References

      1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/drawing-pen-tools.html
      2. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/drawing-pen-tools.html
      3. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/drawing-pen-tools.html
      4. ↑ https://www.adobe.com/learn/photoshop/web/draw-edit-curves-curvature-tool
      5. ↑ https://www.adobe.com/learn/photoshop/web/draw-edit-curves-curvature-tool
      6. ↑ https://www.adobe.com/learn/photoshop/web/draw-edit-curves-curvature-tool
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/OAlbJDQ7Bfc?t=45
      8. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/drawing-pen-tools.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Click the Pen tool.
      2. Click and hold the starting point.
      3. Drag the cursor to set the curve.
      4. Release the mouse cursor.
      5. Click and the second point.
      6. Drag to adjust the curve of the line. 7. Repeat for additional curves in the line.

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