Custom Shapes Manual

Installation Of Custom Shapes Collection

Installation depends on the method of receiving the custom shapes files and documentation.

Download

> > Extract the CSH files from the custom shapes zip file, and place the custom shapes files (*.CSH) in the shapes folder detailed below (or in a separate holding folder)

CD

> > Select or drag the custom shapes files from the CD and place the CSH (the file type for the custom shapes is CSH) files on the hard disk

You may wish to just place the shapes folder in a folder marked 'custom shapes' and then access the shapes as and when required, or place the shapes in the presets custom shapes folder. If you have too many custom shapes files in the presets custom shapes folder, the custom shapes dropdown might not display all the files.

In Elements, you might need to place the shapes only in the presets custom shapes folder.

fig. install the shapes in the presets custom shapes folder (or a separate folder)

To access the custom shapes palette, select the custom shapes tool and this will display the custom shapes palette.

fig. access the shapes via the dropdown of shapes sets

To load/replace the custom shapes files, use the replace (or load) command to load the CSH files into the custom shapes palette.

The custom shapes can also be loaded via the preset manager (in the edit menu)

Installation folder for the custom shapes in Photoshop

C:\program files\Adobe\Photoshop ...\presets\custom shapes (on the pc)

HD:Applications:Adobe Photoshop ...:presets:custom shapes (on the mac)

Again, you might prefer to load/replace them via a different folder or place the custom shapes files in the presets folder as required

fig. shapes in Photoshop ® Elements

The shapes are installed in the presets folder in Photoshop ® Elements 'custom shapes', exactly the same as in Photoshop ®

Deletion of shapes

To delete the shapes, just remove the CSH shapes files (supplied in the collection) from the presets custom shapes folder and then the shapes should not appear in the shapes menu on next startup of Photoshop.

The shapes will still appear in the displayed palette until you replace the shape / reset command

Saving your own shapes

You might prefer to only access a certain number of shapes or perhaps set up a set of shapes for a certain project, delete all the shapes in the current shapes palette, leaving the required shapes, and then use the save command (on the right of the palette/dropdown) to save the current set of shapes. The shapes will be saved in the format of your version of Photoshop, so if you are using 7, the shapes will be saved in 7 format, and the shapes will not be available to 6 (just a word of warning, and perhaps not necessary if you are only using one particular version of PS)

Opening of shapes

You can also load the shapes in CS by opening the shapes file via the normal open command in the file menu. The 'opened' shapes are loaded into the shapes palette. Once you hit the maximum number of shapes, that is it, Photoshop will display a message saying 'maximum number reached'. This limit varies from version to version of Photoshop ®

Number of shapes in a palette

The number of shapes allowed in a palette (in 6 anyway) is 500, this might vary from version to version. The more shapes you have in a palette, the more resources are used and the slower (perhaps) the startup of PS.

Version of Shapes

All the shapes were created in version Photoshop ® 6 and can be used in all versions upwards (and sideways... in terms of elements)

Serial Number/serial reference

Please keep the serial as a reference (if supplied). This is useful for upgrades and possibly replacement disks if required. If this is the demo, then no shapes reference or serial number is supplied.

Royalty-free

The shapes are royalty-free, however, the copyright is owned by Andrew Buckle. The shapes are non-exclusive, so be aware that others might use the same shape and designs in logos etc

Thumbnails of the custom shapes

Please check out the shapes thumbnails gallery (if this is the purchased version and the relative structure is the same as supplied)

Purchase of shapes

If you are using the shapes as part of a sampler or freebie set, then you might like to purchase the collection or some of the smaller sets or perhaps a bundle of the shapes/brushes, please check out the custom shapes pages on the graphicxtras.com site for details about the collection and plugins and styles etc

Installation Issues

If you have problems installing or using this product, please e-mail our support at support (at@) graphicxtras.com

or leave a comment in the guestbook section of the site

Comments

If you have any suggestions to how we can improve our products or manual, or if there is something that is hard to understand or badly stated, please contact us and we will try to correct any errors or misunderstandings in the next release of the manual. It is always great to hear your feedback.

System Requirements

Applications supported - Photoshop ® CS 6 7 Elements 1 2 3 - Windows 98, XP, 2000, and NT, ME, mac OSX / mac OS 9.1 9.2

As of writing this, it is unknown whether the shapes will work or not in PS CS2, hopefully they will. There appears to be no noted detail in the release that suggest that the shapes should not work (???) but they have not been tested in the new version [as of April 2005]

Minimum Requirements

At least 64MB of memory, though some operations might require a lot more.

Trademarks

The shapes were created by Andrew Buckle, and copyright 1999-2005 Andrew Buckle and Abneil Software

All products mentioned in this manual are trademarked or probably trademarked by their respective owners. Illustrator and Photoshop and Adobe and After Effects are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

We have no connection whatsoever with Adobe

Company Address

UK (+44) 1622 688 375

http://www.graphicxtras.com

support@graphicxtras.com

Use of the custom shapes

For use of custom shapes, please consult your Photoshop ® manual or various articles on the subject of custom shapes.

fig. use the shape layer option and then apply styles to the shape

You might also find information about shapes in magazines such as MacDesign and Computer Arts magazine (UK) and Digit (UK graphics magazine) or EFX (Swedish graphics magazine), or in books such as Photoshop CS/6/7elements wow! are potential sources of information; or NAPP site; or Scott Kelby books; or information at Photoshop World.

Also another great place to check out is the PhotoshopUser site (NAPP) and Photoshop elements user site.

fig. fill pixels option for painting

Hints and Tips

- The shapes from Abneil software ltd can be used in many different ways
- There are three modes for shapes: as fill designs or paths or layers shapes
- Shapes can be applied in multiple ways, either drag onto the document or placement in the centre etc
- For use as a shape layer, you can apply any of the styles available (Abneil software ltd also supply a number of volumes of styles and they work effectively with all shapes). The shape layers can be added to, intersected and more.
- If used as a path, the shape can be converted to a feathered select. You can then fill and apply various 3rd party effects.
- Or as a path, the path can be stroked with any of the brushes (even more creative effects can be achieved with the latest version, which includes an expanded range of brush options)
- A shape can be used quickly to create a tube or nozzle or a layer floater for export to another application. Just remember to save the alpha channel and the best format to use is probably TIFF
- As a web design, you can just use the shape as a fill, just apply the shape to the document. You can also create a new layer and apply the shape fill to that. Or you can apply the shape fill using different blending modes, such as applying the shapes repeatedly using the difference mode (shrinking the shape on each application).
- Shapes can be rasterized or tweaked by the point tools or distorted and transformed.
- Shapes can also work in conjunction with text.
- Shapes are great as frames, either use as a path / layer and combine/exclude or use the shape as a basic design.
- The shapes can be used as a selection / path, feather, and then apply a blur or gaussian blur to the selection to create a shape blur
- The shapes can be (it is hoped in CS2 and the shape blur command)

Legal Agreement / License Agreement

The shapes are (c) 2000-2005 Andrew Buckle and Abneil Software ltd

The manual is for information only and is in a constant state of update and additions and will have probably been updated since writing this! The manual should not be construed as any commitment to function or use of the custom shapes, and we can assume no responsibility for errors or any liability based on the comments made in the manual. Please let us know if you find any errors in this shapes guide and we will try our best to update the documentation.

- Shapes are non-exclusive
- Shapes are royalty-free
- Shapes can be used on any single computer and not as a network source.
- Shapes can be used to create incredible images
- Shapes should not be used to create images that break the law.
- Shapes can be used to create logos etc but all trademarks etc must be checked by you
- Shapes can be backed up (this is definitely recommended)
- Shapes should not be copied onto a CD / DVD / Website and sold as shapes collection
- Shapes should not be rented etc or sold as is.
- Shapes can be used to create new shapes with sufficient variation from the original
- Shapes can be modified for personal use
- Any copyright notices should not be removed
- Shapes may or may not work with some versions of applications (especially future releases..)
- We give a non-exclusive and non-transferable license to use one (1) copy of the product and related material
- If you don't agree with the license, you must promptly destroy / rip into shreds etc the product and docs

To the max amount allowed by relevant laws, under no condition shall Abneil Software ltd or our sellers/distributors/affiliates be liable for damages or costs (this includes, without any limits, damages and costs for any loss of profits to the business or businesses, disruption to the business or businesses, loss of info, or other) from the use of or inability to create using this custom shapes graphics product, even if we have been told of the likelihood of such possible claims. As some areas of this planet do not allow for the removal or limits on liability for damages, the above limits may not relate to you.