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Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths

  1. Photoshop User Guide
  2. Introduction to Photoshop
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    2. What's new in Photoshop
    3. Edit your first photo
    4. Create documents
    5. Photoshop | Common Questions
    6. Photoshop system requirements
    7. Get to know Photoshop
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    1. Work with Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
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    4. Use the Capture in-app extension in Photoshop
  4. Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
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    2. Get to know the workspace
    3. System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
    4. Create, open, and export documents
    5. Add photos
    6. Work with layers
    7. Draw and paint with brushes
    8. Make selections and add masks
    9. Retouch your composites
    10. Work with adjustment layers
    11. Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
    12. Apply transform operations
    13. Crop and rotate your composites
    14. Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
    15. Work with Type layers
    16. Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
    17. Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
    18. Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
    19. Manage app settings
    20. Touch shortcuts and gestures
    21. Keyboard shortcuts
    22. Edit your image size
    23. Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
    24. Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
    25. Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
    26. Work with Camera Raw files
    27. Create and work with Smart Objects
    28. Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
    29. Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
    30. Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
    31. Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
    32. Content aware fill for iPad
  5. Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
    1. Common questions
    2. System requirements
    3. Keyboard shortcuts
    4. Supported file types
    5. Introduction to the workspace
    6. Open and work with cloud documents
    7. Generative AI features
    8. Basic concepts of editing
    9. Quick Actions
    10. Work with layers
    11. Retouch images and remove imperfections
    12. Make quick selections
    13. Image improvements with Adjustment Layers
    14. Add a fill layer
    15. Move, transform, and crop images
    16. Draw and paint
    17. Draw and edit Shapes
    18. Work with Type layers
    19. Work with anyone on the web
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    21. Generate Image
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    23. Reference Image
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    1. Get started with Creative Cloud Beta apps
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    3. Generate background with descriptive text prompts
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    1. Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
    2. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
    3. Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
    4. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
    5. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
    6. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
    7. Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
  8. Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
    1. Content credentials in Photoshop
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    3. Connect accounts for creative attribution
  9. Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
    1. Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
    3. Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
    4. Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
    5. Unable to create or save a cloud document
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  10. Workspace
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    26. Position with the Ruler tool
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    22. Align and distribute layers
    23. Copy CSS from layers
    24. Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
    25. Knockout to reveal content from other layers
  14. Selections
    1. Get started with selections
    2. Make selections in your composite
    3. Select and Mask workspace
    4. Select with the marquee tools
    5. Select with the lasso tools
    6. Adjust pixel selections
    7. Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
    8. Create a temporary quick mask
    9. Select a color range in an image
    10. Convert between paths and selection borders
    11. Channel basics
    12. Save selections and alpha channel masks
    13. Select the image areas in focus
    14. Duplicate, split, and merge channels
    15. Channel calculations
  15. Image adjustments
    1. Replace object colors
    2. Perspective warp
    3. Reduce camera shake blurring
    4. Healing brush examples
    5. Export color lookup tables
    6. Adjust image sharpness and blur
    7. Understand color adjustments
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    13. Adjust color saturation in image areas
    14. Make quick tonal adjustments
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    17. High dynamic range images
    18. View histograms and pixel values
    19. Match colors in your image
    20. Crop and straighten photos
    21. Convert a color image to black and white
    22. Adjustment and fill layers
    23. Curves adjustment
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    25. Target images for press
    26. Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
    27. Adjust HDR exposure and toning
    28. Dodge or burn image areas
    29. Make selective color adjustments
  16. Adobe Camera Raw
    1. Camera Raw system requirements
    2. What's new in Camera Raw
    3. Introduction to Camera Raw
    4. Create panoramas
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    8. Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
    9. Radial Filter in Camera Raw
    10. Manage Camera Raw settings
    11. Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
    12. Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
    13. Rotate, crop, and adjust images
    14. Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
    15. Process versions in Camera Raw
    16. Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
  17. Image repair and restoration
    1. Remove objects from your photos with Content-Aware Fill
    2. Content-Aware Patch and Move
    3. Retouch and repair photos
    4. Correct image distortion and noise
    5. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix most issues
  18. Image enhancement and transformation
    1. Replace sky in your images
    2. Transform objects
    3. Adjust crop, rotation, and canvas size
    4. How to crop and straighten photos
    5. Create and edit panoramic images
    6. Warp images, shapes, and paths
    7. Vanishing Point
    8. Content-aware scaling
    9. Transform images, shapes, and paths
  19. Drawing and painting
    1. Paint symmetrical patterns
    2. Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
    3. About drawing
    4. Draw and edit shapes
    5. Painting tools
    6. Create and modify brushes
    7. Blending modes
    8. Add color to paths
    9. Edit paths
    10. Paint with the Mixer Brush
    11. Brush presets
    12. Gradients
    13. Gradient interpolation
    14. Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
    15. Draw with the Pen tools
    16. Create patterns
    17. Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
    18. Manage paths
    19. Manage pattern libraries and presets
    20. Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
    21. Create textured brushes
    22. Add dynamic elements to brushes
    23. Gradient
    24. Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
    25. Paint with a pattern
    26. Sync presets on multiple devices
    27. Migrate presets, actions, and settings
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    2. Unified Text Engine
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    4. Format characters
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    6. How to create type effects
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    9. Arabic and Hebrew type
    10. Fonts
    11. Troubleshoot fonts
    12. Asian type
    13. Create type
  21. Filters and effects
    1. Use the Blur Gallery
    2. Filter basics
    3. Filter effects reference
    4. Add Lighting Effects
    5. Use the Adaptive Wide Angle filter
    6. Use the Oil Paint filter
    7. Use the Liquify filter
    8. Layer effects and styles
    9. Apply specific filters
    10. Smudge image areas
  22. Saving and exporting
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    3. Supported file formats
    4. Save files in graphics formats
    5. Move designs between Photoshop and Illustrator
    6. Save and export video and animations
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    8. Digimarc copyright protection
  23. Color Management
    1. Understanding color management
    2. Keeping colors consistent
    3. Color settings
    4. Duotones
    5. Work with color profiles
    6. Color-managing documents for online viewing
    7. Color-managing documents when printing
    8. Color-managing imported images
    9. Proofing colors
  24. Web, screen, and app design
    1. Photoshop for design
    2. Artboards
    3. Device Preview
    4. Copy CSS from layers
    5. Slice web pages
    6. HTML options for slices
    7. Modify slice layout
    8. Work with web graphics
    9. Create web photo galleries
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    2. Edit video and animation layers
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    9. Troubleshoot printing problems | Photoshop
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    6. Add conditional actions
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    8. Record tools in actions
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    10. Photoshop UI toolkit for plug-ins and scripts
  28. Troubleshooting
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    10. Photoshop 3D | Common questions around discontinued features

You can fill the inside of a selection, path, or layer with a color or pattern. You can also add color to the outline of a selection or path, called stroking.

Fill with the Paint Bucket tool

The Paint Bucket tool fills adjacent pixels that are similar in color value to the pixels you click.

Note:

The Paint Bucket tool cannot be used with images in Bitmap mode.

  1. Choose a foreground color. (See Choose colors in the toolbox.)
  2. Select the Paint Bucket tool  .
    Note:

    The Paint Bucket tool is grouped with the Gradient tool in the toolbar. If you can’t find the Paint Bucket tool, click and hold the Gradient tool to access it.

  3. Specify whether to fill the selection with the foreground color or with a pattern.
  4. Specify a blending mode and opacity for the paint. (See Blending modes.)

  5. Enter the tolerance for the fill.

    The tolerance defines how similar in color a pixel must be (to the pixel you click) to be filled. Values can range from 0 to 255. A low tolerance fills pixels within a range of color values very similar to the pixel you click. A high tolerance fills pixels within a broader range.

  6. To smooth the edges of the filled selection, select Anti-aliased.
  7. To fill only pixels contiguous to the one you click, select Contiguous; leave Contiguous unselected to fill all similar pixels in the image.
  8. To fill pixels based on the merged color data from all visible layers, select All Layers.
  9. Click the part of the image you want to fill. All specified pixels within the specified tolerance are filled with the foreground color or pattern.

    If you’re working on a layer and don’t want to fill transparent areas, make sure that the layer’s transparency is locked in the Layers panel. (See Lock layers.)

Fill a selection or layer with color

  1. Choose a foreground or background color. (See Choose colors in the toolbox.)
  2. Select the area you want to fill. To fill an entire layer, select the layer in the Layers panel.
  3. Choose Edit > Fill to fill the selection or layer. Or to fill a path, select the path, and choose Fill Path from the Paths panel menu.
  4. In the Fill dialog box, choose one of the following options for Use, or select a custom pattern:

    Foreground Color, Background Color, Black, 50% Gray, or White

    Fills the selection with the specified color.

    Note:

    If you fill a CMYK image using the Black option, Photoshop fills all the channels with 100% black. This may result in more ink than is allowable by the printer. For best results when filling a CMYK image, use the Foreground option with the foreground color set to an appropriate black.

    Color

    Fills with a color you select from the Color Picker.

  5. Specify the blending mode and opacity for the paint. (See Blending modes.)

  6. If you’re working in a layer and want to fill only areas containing pixels, choose Preserve Transparency.
  7. Click the OK button to apply the fill.
    Note:

    To apply a foreground color fill only to the areas that contain pixels, press Alt+Shift+Backspace (Windows) or Option+Shift+Delete (Mac OS). This preserves the transparency of the layer. To apply a background color fill only to the areas that contain pixels, press Ctrl+Shift+Backspace (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac OS).

Use Content-aware, pattern, or history fills

For information about the Edit > Content-Aware Fill option introduced in Photoshop CC 20.0 (October 2018 release), see Content-Aware Fill.

  1. Select the part of the image you want to fill.
  2. Choose Edit > Fill.
    Note:

    On the Background layer, press Delete or Backspace to quickly access the Fill dialog box.

  3. From the Use menu, select one of the following:

    Content-Aware

    Seamlessly fills the selection with similar image content nearby. For the best results, create a selection that extends slightly into the area you want to replicate. (A quick lasso or marquee selection is often sufficient.)

    Note:

    Content-aware fills randomly synthesize similar image content. If you don’t like your original results, choose Edit > Undo, and apply another content-aware fill.

    Color Adaptation

    (Enabled by default) Algorithmically blends the color of the fill with the surrounding color

    Photoshop Content aware fill with Color Adaptation
    Content-aware fill with Color Adaptation

    Pattern

    Click the inverted arrow next to the pattern sample, and select a pattern from the pop‑up panel. You can load additional patterns using the pop‑up panel menu. Select the name of a library of patterns, or choose Load Patterns and navigate to the folder containing the patterns you want to use.

    You can also apply any one of the included Scripted Patterns to easily create a variety of geometic fill patterns. Select Scripted Patterns at the bottom of the fill dialog box, and then choose a fill pattern from the Script pop-up menu.

    Note:

    If Pattern is dimmed, you need to load a pattern library prior to making a selection. (See Manage pattern libraries and presets.)

    History

    Restores the selected area to the source state or snapshot set in the History panel.

Photoshop Content aware fill
Content-aware fill

A. Create selection that extends slightly into area you want to replicate. B. Seamlessly replace selection with Content-aware fill. 

Fill the work canvas

The work canvas surrounds the image area. You can fill the canvas with a different color that contrasts better with a given image.

  1. Right-click the work canvas, and choose Gray, Black, or Custom. (To specify the custom color, choose Select Custom Color.)

Stroke a selection or layer with color

You can use the Stroke command to paint a colored border around a selection, path, or layer. When you create a border this way, it becomes a rasterized part of the current layer.

Note:

To create shape or layer borders that can be turned on or off like overlays and are anti-aliased to create softer-edged corners and edges, use the Stroke layer effect instead of the Stroke command. See Layer effects and styles.

  1. Choose a foreground color.
  2. Select the area or layer you want to stroke.
  3. Choose Edit > Stroke.
  4. In the Stroke dialog box, specify the width of the hard-edged border.
  5. For Location, specify whether to place the border inside, outside, or centered over the selection or layer boundaries.
    Note:

    If the layer contents fill the entire image, a stroke applied outside the layer will not be visible.

  6. Specify an opacity and a blending mode. (See Blending modes.)

  7. If you’re working in a layer and want to stroke only areas containing pixels, select the Preserve Transparency option. (See Lock layers.)

Draw a circle or square

You can draw a circle or square using the elliptical or rectangular marquee tools, and then add a line (called a stroke) to the selection marquee. Stroking a selection is a quick way to add a border or frame around an object. You can stroke any selection you create with the selection tools.

  1. In the Layers panel, click the New Layer button  to create a new layer for the circle or square. Isolating the circle or square on its own layer makes it easier to work with.
  2. Select the Elliptical Marquee tool  or the Rectangular Marquee tool  in the toolbox.
  3. Drag in the document window to create the shape. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the shape to a circle or square.
  4. Choose Edit > Stroke.
  5. In the Stroke dialog box, type a value for Width, and then click the color swatch to display the Adobe Color Picker.
  6. In the Adobe Color Picker, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar, and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch. The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.
  7. Set the location for the stroke in relationship to the marquee by choosing Inside, Center, or Outside. Adjust the other settings as desired, and click OK. Photoshop strokes the line using the color and stroke settings you set.

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