1.

To start, open Photoshop CS, and click File from the menu bar, followed by New from the resulting file menu.

2.

In the new dialog box, make the width 500 pixels, and the height 500 pixels. Also, make sure that the colour mode is RGB.

When you have made these settings, click OK to create a blank canvas.

3.

Next, select the free form pen from the tool box.

In the options bar, click the paths button.

4.

Next, use the pen tool (and your creativity) to draw an interesting shape on your blank canvas.

Notice that there is a work path for the shape in your paths palette. If you want to redo your vector drawing, you can delete the path from the paths palette and start over.

5.

When you are finished making your shape, click Edit in the menu bar and then click Define Custom Shape from the edit menu.

When the shape name box appears, enter a recognizable name for your shape, and click the OK button. Your shape will now appear appended to the end of the custom shape list.

6.

Delete your drawing from the canvas by selecting it in the paths palette, and then clicking the trash can icon. (The paths palette is grouped with the layers and channels palettes.)

Next, click on the custom shape tool in the toolbox to select it.

7.

 In the options bar, click the shape layers button.

This will create a layer over the underlying image that your shape will be placed on. You will then be able to select a style to impose on this layer, and the vector mask that is created along with the layer will confine the style to the specific shape you draw.

8.

Place your mouse pointer over the canvas, and right click. You will see the custom shapes preview list appear.

Select the shape you just created from the list by clicking on the thumbnail.

9.

Hold the left mouse button and drag your mouse pointer over the canvas to draw the shape as large as you want.

Initially, your shape will be filled with the foreground colour. (if no style is selected).

To apply a layer style to the shape, expose the Style list by clicking the small arrow next to the style preview thumbnail in the option bar.

You can apply a style to your shape by clicking its thumbnail in the style preview list.

Try some different styles until you find one that you like.

10.

Here is the shape with the chiselled sky style applied to it.

When you decide on a style, right click on the shape layer in the layers palette, and choose Rasterize Layer from the pop up menu.

11.

Now that the layer has been rasterized, it can be treated as a bitmap image if you wish (it is now fully editable as a bitmap, but you can no longer edit it as a vector graphic).

Click File from the menu bar, and click Save As from the resulting file menu.

In the save as dialog, save the image as a PSD file in your practice folder under the name Practice11. Click the Save button when you are ready.

12.

Close (X) Photoshop CS.