5 Replies Latest reply: Nov 11, 2010 12:53 PM by geo_coy RSS

    Drawing Arrows

    geo_coy Community Member

      I have always wanted to use Adobe Photo Shop Elements do do some of my simple drawing and editing when I need to illustrate something.  But I have never figured out the very basic things like drawing simple line with an arrow head.  I drew one arrow (it was correct) but I tried to edit the line weight to make it heavier and I selected something wrong and now I get these rediculas arrows that I can not fix.  I can't tell you how many times this same this has happened and as a result I give up and use paint.  Can anyone tell me how to fix this crap.  the help files says select line then go to the drop down box and select start for arrow head.  Evidently I need MORE help.

      ArrowsInAdobe.JPG

        • 1. Re: Drawing Arrows
          Barbara B. CommunityMVP

          First go to the far left of the options bar and click the icon or tiny triangle there and choose Reset Tool to get rid of your current settings.

           

          When using the line tool, here are your options for arrows:

           

          • Start/End. Do you want the arrowhead at the start or the end of the line you draw? Tell Elements your preference by turning on the appropriate checkbox.

           

          Width and Length. These settings determine how wide and long the arrowhead is. The unit of measurement here is the percentage of the line’s width, so if you enter a number lower than 100, your arrowhead will be narrower than the line it’s attached to. You can pick values between 10 and 5,000 percent. If your length setting is too low, you’ll get a shape that looks more like a T than an arrow.

           

          Concavity. Use this setting if you want Elements to indent the side of the arrow- head where it meets the line. The number determines the amount of curvature on the widest part of the arrowhead. You can pick a setting between –50 percent and +50 percent.

           

          Set the line weight first.

          • 2. Re: Drawing Arrows
            Barbara B. CommunityMVP

            In your case you just set the line width too high, and let go too soon. If you had dragged away from the head after drawing the arrow, you would have gotten the normal looking shaft part, just a really big arrow.

            • 3. Re: Drawing Arrows
              geo_coy Community Member

              Thanks VERY MUCH that fixed the problem.  I have been trying to get that working for a long time.

              I hate to sound unappreciative but not all of Adode menus are intuitive, it kind of reminds me of the first versions of Word Perfect.  Folks bragged that Word Perfect would do enything, but you had to have the manual (and it was a huge manual) open all the time to find out how to do something.

               

              That reset tool button you showed me has no label on it, it is almost invisible, I would have never found it.

              Is there some way to make simple edits in Adobe Elements without  using all of the layers.  Layers are no important on simple illustrations I need to do on a repetitive basis

              Thanks again for your help

              George

              • 4. Re: Drawing Arrows
                Barbara B. CommunityMVP

                Is there some way to make simple edits in Adobe Elements without  using all of the layers.  Layers are no important on simple illustrations I need to do on a repetitive basis

                Well, if you stay in the Quick Fix, only the special tools (blue skies, whiten teeth, convert to black and white) create layers, and the rest of what you do there doesn't. However, layers are very handy to have and don't do any harm, so I wouldn't be so quick to shun them. For example, you can just delete the arrow layer from your file in the screenshot you sent me, even if you accidentally saved and closed the file that way. If the shape tool didn't make layers, you'd be stuck (unless you also had a version set).

                • 5. Re: Drawing Arrows
                  geo_coy Community Member

                  Now that I made the editing changes I needed I remember the other issue I had with this application.  Look at the text on this simple illustration.  The text looks very blotchy, is that some choice I am making or is this normal.  I don't think you can see the problem clearly on the snapshot shown here, but if you can download the attachment and open it, it really is blotchy text.

                  Let me know how to fix this if there is a way to fix it.106_DoorsandWalls.jpg