Photoshop

Fill paths with color

A path created with the Pen tool does not become an image element until you stroke or fill it. The Fill Path command fills a path with pixels using a specified color, a state of the image, a pattern, or a fill layer.

Path selected (left) and filled (right)

Important: When you fill a path, the color values appear on the active layer. Make sure that the layer you want is active before beginning. You cannot fill a path when a layer mask or text layer is active.

Fill a path using the current Fill Path settings

  1. Select the path in the Paths palette.
  2. Click the Fill Path button  at the bottom of the Paths palette.

Fill a path and specify options

  1. Select the path in the Paths palette.
  2. Fill the path:

    • Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Fill Path button at the bottom of the Paths palette.

    • Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the path to the Fill Path button.

    • Choose Fill Path from the Paths palette menu. If the selected path is a path component, this command changes to Fill Subpath.

  3. For Use, choose the contents for the fill. (See Fill a selection or layer with a color.)
  4. Specify an opacity for the fill. To make the fill more transparent, use a low percentage. A setting of 100% makes the fill opaque.
  5. Choose a blending mode for the fill. (See List of blending modes.)

    The Mode list includes a Clear mode that lets you erase to transparency. You must be working in a layer other than the background to use this option.

  6. Choose Preserve Transparency to limit the fill to layer areas that contain pixels. (See Lock layers.)
  7. Select a Rendering option:
    Feather Radius
    Defines how far inside and outside the selection border the feather edge extends. Enter a value in pixels.

    Anti-aliased
    Creates a finer transition between the pixels in the selection and the surrounding pixels by partially filling the edge pixels of the selection.

    For more information on these options, see Soften the edges of selections.

  8. Click OK.