Pen tool handle question: clear ONE handle only

ST
Posted By
S Taylor
Sep 23, 2008
Views
878
Replies
13
Status
Closed
I feel pretty comfortable with the Pen Tool; however there is one small question that I haven’t been able to solve.

If a point has 2 handles, how do I get rid of just ONE handle? I can kind of do it by dragging the handle to the anchor point, but it is still there, to drag out again.

I read that Opt-Clicking (I think) the handle will do it, but that does not work for me.

Thanks,

Sonny

How to Improve Photoshop Performance

Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!

JM
J_Maloney
Sep 23, 2008
Option click the node, not the handle, and it will kill off the second handle. An alternative would be option-click (on the node) and drag the second handle in the direction you want to direct the path.

J
ST
S Taylor
Sep 24, 2008
Does not work. The Node that you are referring to is the tiny square at the end of the handle, correct?

For completeness, here’s what I tried:

Opt-clicking the Handle Node with the Pen Tool (cursor changes to carrot), and then with the White Arrow Tool (the White Arrow adds a small "+" beside it).

In both cases, other than the cursor changing, nothing happens to the Handle Node.

Am I missing something?

Thanks again,

Sonny
JM
J_Maloney
Sep 24, 2008
The Node that you are referring to is the tiny square at the end of the handle, correct?

No. The node is the point from which two handles originate.

You can option-click the handle end-point and drag that in the direction you’d like the path to go, which will have a somewhat similar effect as killing off the handle altogether (which you do by option-clicking the node).

J
KN
Ken_Nielsen
Sep 24, 2008
You can also option click the point at the end of the handle you want to get rid of and, holding down option, drag it into the node. That’s the less elegant and requires that you trust yourself as having actually dragged the end point of the handle into the node. It works, but the way J Maloney has described it is the preferred way.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Sep 24, 2008
Sonny:

I don’t think that you quite understand what the handles are indicating:

No Handles = a Corner Point;

Two handles (that move in concert) = a Smooth Point

Two handle which can move independently) = a Cusp Point

——

Option Click on the end of a Smooth Point’s Handle to make the Point into a Cusp Point.

Option Click on the Node of a Smooth Point or a Cusp point to make the Point into a Corner Point.

Option Click on the Node of a Corner point to make the Point into a Smooth Point.

——

The Handles are there to help you — use them to shape your Paths.
CB
charles badland
Sep 24, 2008
Option clicking on the anchor point with the Convert Point Tool will bring in ONE directional handle. But I’ll be damned if I can figure out how it chooses which handle.

In AI just click on the directional handle node with the Convert Point Tool to draw that one handle bar in to its anchor point. Photoshop does not.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Sep 24, 2008
Option clicking on the anchor point with the Convert Point Tool will bring in ONE directional handle. But I’ll be damned if I can figure out how it chooses which handle.

It doesn’t do that for me: Option Clicking with the Pen tool (which is the same thing as using the Convert Point Tool which I never use) on a Curve or Cusp point just retracts/kills BOTH handles and turns it into a Corner Point.

Same as in Illustrator.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Sep 24, 2008
One thing I didn’t know when testing out various combinations: Opt+Clicking with white arrow on a corner handlebar point locks the angle with its paired directional bar as you edit. >

Cmd Option with the Pen Tool does the same thing!

There is no need to change from the Pen tool for any of these operations — just use it plus Cmd., Shift and Option (in various combinations) to get the the other Path tools automatically.
CB
charles badland
Sep 24, 2008
It doesn’t do that for me: Option Clicking with the Pen tool (which is the same thing as using the Convert Point Tool which I never use) on a Curve or Cusp point just retracts/kills BOTH handles and turns it into a Corner Point.

Try it on an already drawn out path with a smooth corner Ann. Option+Click with pen tool and Option+Click with Convert Point Tool on the anchor point do (does?) different things.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Sep 24, 2008
Interesting:

Option+Click with pen tool: Turns it into a Cusp point with the LEADING handle retracted

Option+Click with Convert Point Tool: Turns it into a Cusp point with the TRAILING handle retracted.

That was definitely a new one for me because, as I said previously, I always just do the Finger-Dance using only the Pen tool.
CB
charles badland
Sep 24, 2008
In Illustrator, clicking on either handle bar node (what the heck they are called?) with the CP Tool selected in the Toolbar will auto-retract them individually. But does not do that with CP Tool accessed by Pen Tool + Opt.

Odd.
JM
J_Maloney
Sep 25, 2008
According to the document info in Illy, they’re "points". "Anchor points" in PS help–the ends of the handles, "direction points". I think we’ve proven here that one word confuses, so "points" probably is not best.
MR
Mark_Reynolds
Sep 27, 2008
Sony obviously learned using some other peice of software where it was possible to have a cusp point with only one handle. Thats not possible in Photoshop, because there’s no point.

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections