Pumpkin Cutouts (Learn the Pen Tool)

Learn how to use the Pen Tool in Adobe Photoshop to create some cool Pumpkin Cutouts! You could even trace these later on paper, and use them as free pumpkin cutouts for your own designs on Halloween! Have Fun!

1. Create a new document, and fill it with a black background:

2. Select your pen tool from the tool bar:

3. The pen tool is used to create vector shapes, or shapes that can be resized to any size without ever losing quality. At first, it can be difficult to use the pen tool, but with a bit of practice, you will have it down in no time. Click somewhere around here on your document with the pen tool:

4. As you can see, a dot was made where you clicked. Every time you click, you are adding a new point. By connecting points like dots, we can make an image. Make your next point here:

5. Continue to make points like this:

6. To end this shape, click the first point. However, once you click, hold down your mouse and drag it a little so it rounds itself out a little:

7. Grab your convert point tool from the tool bar:

8. This tool allows you to edit points and line segments that you have already made with your pen tool. The first thing we need to correct are some of our straight lines. We want to make them more curved. First, click the upper right most point, and drag outwards on it:

9. Two more points have appeared which allow you to edit the curve of the lines connected to this point. Move the point effecting the top line and the point connecting the bottom line like this:

10. Now lets change the color of this shape. Down in the layers palette, we can change this by double clicking the color, and changing it to whatever we want. I am going to change it to a medium orange:

11. Now, create a new layer, and using the skills you have learned so far, make a new shape like this:

12. Duplicate this layer (right click > Duplicate layer), and flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal). Use the move tool to move this to the other side of the image:

13. Go into the blending options for one of your shapes (Right click > Blending options). Add an outer glow with the following settings:

Now, add an inner glow like this:

14. Click ok, and now apply this layer effect to all your other shapes:

Good luck! Try making better designs with yours!