How to Create Non Jagged Shapes in Photoshop

Jagged lines in shapes you have drawn in Photoshop can be frustrating, especially when fine details are needed. For many beginning designers, the lasso tool can be extremely frustrating when the Anti-Alias option has not been selected. However the lasso tool is not the only cause of jagged shapes. Even basic shapes like rectangles and ellipses can become jagged after they have been stretched and rotated. You can make most jagged shapes smooth again by blurring them and resharpening them by adjusting the Levels.

Instructions

1. Using Anti-Alias

   • 1
     Launch Photoshop and press “Ctrl-N” to create a new document. Type “600” in the Height and Width fields and type “72” in the resolution field. Set the Color Mode as “RGB Color” and the Background Contents as “Transparent.” Click “OK.”
   • 2
     Press “D” on the keyboard to set the foreground color to its default black. Click the “Rectangle Tool” in the Toolbox and draw a large rectangle on the document by dragging the tool across the canvas.
   • 3
     Zoom into the image by double-clicking “Zoom” menu at the bottom of the window, type “400” and press “Enter.”
   • 4
     Select the “Lasso Tool” from the Toolbox. Click the “Anti-Alias” check box in the Options Bar located at the top of the screen. Draw a jigsaw-shaped outline in the box and press “Ctrl-X” to create a non-jagged shaped piece from the black rectangle.
   • 5
     Compare the Anti-Alias option to a shape without Anti-Alias. Deselect the check box in the options bar and draw another shape beside the one you just drew.

   Using Blur and Levels

   • 1
     Open any image file in Photoshop or create an object in a new file using steps one through five in the section above.
   • 2
     Select “Blur” from the Filter menu and click “Gaussian Blur.” Type “4” in the Radius field and click “OK.” The picture is blurred.
   • 3
     Select the “Adjustments” from the Image menu and click “Levels.” There are three text fields in the Input Levels section. Type “130” in the first box, “1” in the second box and “165” in the third box. Click “OK.” The edges are no longer blurred and the lines are smooth.