I am creating a shape that is going to fit into an 18 count prize wheel. I finally got the shape made but when I go to print it the shape disappears, everything else is there just not the shape. Can you please help me with this? I am fairly new to Photoshop so everything is mind boggling!
Thank you!
have you tried drawing the shape as a shape layer? i cant see anything in your layers that differentiate that shape.
i see you have the shape tool selected...... but i dont see the layer displaying.
Draw a custom shape
You can draw custom shapes by using shapes from the Custom Shape pop-up panel, or save a shape or path to use as a custom shape.
Select a shape from the Custom Shape pop-up panel in the options bar.
If you don’t find a shape you want in the panel, click the arrow in the upper right corner of the panel, and choose a different category of shapes. When asked to replace current shapes, click either Replace to view only the shapes in the new category or Append to add to the shapes already displayed.
Drag in your image to draw the shape.
you can then save the shape and keep using it. this way hopefully it can print.
I agree with Noel it looks line you used your custom shape tool to create a Path (note the Path option in you screen capture on the tool option bar) which shows on your image but that is it its like the matching ants its an outline. You need to lay down some pixels. The custom shape tool can create a shape layer, a path which is what I think you have done or it can fill in pixels. What I think you want to do is to now is to target the Background layer and then stroke the Path with a brush. With CS6 the are many more options for stroking a Path.
I'll assume your document is US Letter size with 300 PPI .
You will make a triangle, intersect the outer circle with it, and subtract the inner circle.
1/18th of a circle means the triangle apex must be 20 deg, therefore the ratio of height to width of the triangle is 2.8356.
Create the triangle with the Polygon Tool. In the options bar, set it to Shape mode and New Layer mode. Draw an initial downward pointing equilateral triangle (use shift key to constrain rotation) then enter W 2000 px and H 5671px in the options bar.
Create the outer circle with Ellipse Tool in Shape mode and Intersect Shape Areas mode so that the circle is part of the Shape Layer containing the triangle. Make it whatever size is required.
Create the inner circle with Ellipse Tool in Shape mode and Subtract Front Shape mode so that it is also part of the current Shape Layer.
Centre the circles on the apex of the triangle.
The Shape Layer's Gradient Fill can be set in the options bar when the layer is targeted and any of the Shape/Path tools are active.. I used a radial fill with its Align With Layer option disabled, and dragged its centre to the centre of the circles. It remains editable in case you want to adjust it.
When you save the document, disabling the Maximum Compatibility option will avoid a large amount of storage being consumed in the case of a vector design with algorithmic fill instead of pixels. The doc should be a few KB instead of MB.
I must be the biggest idiot alive because when I use the polygon tool like you did it comes out huge and mine looks absolutely nothing like yours. Is there an easier way to make the shape stay? I have made a custom shape that I need but even when I do that it still disappears on the print preview page. This seems so simple but it is defeating me, im super bummed out.
Don't beat yourself up. Photoshop is far from being the most efficient tool for creating precisely sized and positioned geometrical shapes.
Some things to check:
1. The document is US Letter size at 300 ppi. Otherwise you will have to appropriately scale the dimensions used for creating the triangle.
2. The initial equilateral triangle is drawn with the Polygon Tool not by clicking the mouse, but by depressing the button then dragging downward while pressing the shift key so that the top edge is constrained to perfect horizontal. Release the button then the shift key and then immediately enter the required width and height in the options bar. Now move the triangle so that its top edge is on the top edge of the document.
3. Paths do not print. The "shape" disappearing from print preview is most likely because you are drawing a Path and not a Shape. Ensure the Path/Shape tool is set to Shape mode, not Path mode, in the options bar before drawing the shape. Otherwise you would have to make a Shape from the Path in order to have something printable.
Tip: Use the View menu to enable snapping to Smart Guides and visibility of Guides. Magenta guides will show as you drag objects into alignment. For example when centering a circle on the apex of the triangle, an inverted T will show when the circle snaps into place.
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