Subtract Front Shape after drawing the shapes?

[luckynorth]

Hi,

i can't figure out how to subtract the front shape from two already drawn shapes. I can draw a shape, choose "Subtract Front Shape" from the menu and then draw the second shape. But what if the two shapes are already there and i wanna subtract the front shape from the other. Please don't tell me, thats it's not possible ...

Mario

[sudarshan.t]

You definitely can - as long as the 2 other shapes are still as a shape and that you haven't flattened/ rasterized them.

Draw your new shape above both the existing shapes. Select the Shape tool - (U key). Choose 'Subtract Front Shape', then draw your 3rd shape.

[luckynorth]

Thanks for your reply!

When i choose 'Subtract Front Shape' before drawing the next shape it's working. But what, when the shapes are already there? I draw a circle and after that i draw another circle. And then i wanna subtract one from the other or intersect. How can i do that?

Mario

[sudarshan.t]

Pathfinder in Illustrator can do exactly what you're looking at. In Photoshop, the only available way I'd see is a Vector Mask.

[luckynorth]

Fireworks (and any other simple drawing application) is also able to do that. Why not Photoshop? It's the same like rounded rectangles. There's no possibility to change the radius (or to subtract shapes in this case) after drawing. Every time i try to use Photoshop as a replacement for Fireworks in webdesign i discover a new problem like this. Very disappointing.

Mario

[conroy]

When you want vector shapes to interact, they must be inside one Shape Layer. Target multiple Shape Layers then press Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge into one Shape Layer whose components can have their combining mode changed by the Path Select Tool.

[luckynorth]

Many thanks conroy! Thats what i was searching for!

Mario

[simpleanilcha]

Thanks Controy!!

[Jeff Arola]

Maybe it would help us if you said which version of photoshop and are you talking about shapes on the same shape layer or separate shape layers?

And operating system?

[charlesf14179035]

I had a similar issue I think, which stumped me for hours until I solved it. I selected around a complicated object that had spaces within it I did not want, first with normal selection tools, then creating a vector mask which I was able to adjust accurately to the image. When I finished, the background around the object dropped out, but not the negative spaces within the main object, although they also were defined by vector masks. Subtract Front Shape was no help, ditto all other options in the same drop down. Seems counter-intuitive, but it was Bring Shape To Front that solved the issue. With the neglected area(s) selected (one at a time), choosing this option dropped it out. 

[Nancy OShea]

Why are we resurrecting old posts from 2012??