How to Draw Curved Lines in Photoshop

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: December 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This wikiHow teaches you how to create a curved line in Photoshop on your Windows or Mac computer. The most basic way to do this is by using the default Pen Tool option, but you can also use a simplified version of the Pen Tool to draw curved lines simply by clicking different points on the canvas.

Drawing Curved Lines in Photoshop

To draw curved lines in Photoshop, simply choose the pen icon from the tool bar on the left-hand side of the screen. Then, choose the Curvature Pen Tool from the pop-up menu. This tool allows you to draw a curve simply by clicking on a series of consecutive points.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using the Pen Tool

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If you haven't already done so, double-click the project in which you want to create a curved line to open the project.
Select the Pen icon, which resembles a fountain pen nib, in the left-hand toolbar, then click Pen Tool in the resulting pop-out menu.^{[1]
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Before you begin drawing, place your cursor over the point at which you want to begin your drawing.
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Set the starting point and slope of the curved line. Click and drag your cursor in the direction toward which you want your line to arc, then release the mouse once you reach the top of the curve.^{[2]
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- The point at which you release the cursor is the point where the apex of your curved line will reach.
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Create the curved line's second point. Click and hold the point where you want the line to connect from the initial starting point, then drag your mouse in the direction opposite of the direction you dragged it when setting the slope.^{[3]
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- To create an "S"-shaped curve, you would drag your mouse cursor in the same direction as when you set the slope.
You can add curves to your existing line by clicking and holding the next point of the line and then dragging your mouse to set the curve of the segment.
Once you've created a line to your liking, you can prevent the Pen tool from creating additional curves by hovering your cursor over the hollow initial line point and then clicking it once you see the small circle appear next to the cursor.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using the Curvature Pen Tool

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If you haven't already done so, double-click the project in which you want to create a curved line to open the project.
2
Select the Curvature Pen tool. Select the Pen icon, which resembles a fountain pen nib, in the left-hand toolbar, then click Curvature Pen Tool in the resulting pop-out menu.^{[4]
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- The Curvature Pen tool allows you to draw a curve simply by clicking different points in succession.
Click the point at which you want your curved line to start.^{[5]
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This will create a line between your first point and your second one.^{[6]
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Doing so creates a third connection for the line, thus resulting in a curve that uses the second point as its apex.^{[7]
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You can continue adding points by clicking the places on the canvas on which you want to illustrate your line. The line will automatically curve to fit the points.
If you want to bend in or out a part of the curve, click and drag the point inward or outward to do so.

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Question

Is 6 a curved-line number?

Community Answer

Yes, because it doesn't have any straight lines.

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Question

Is 8 a curved-line number?

Belle K.

Top Answerer

Yes, because the number 8 doesn't have any straight lines so therefore it is a curved line number.

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Question

When I draw a curved line using the curvature pen tool, it automatically draws a straight line between the first and last point of the curves, how do I prevent that?

Christopher Friess

Community Answer

You have to hold your mouse down when you click to set the second point. Then a 'Bezier' curve will emerge, and you can adjust the way the line bends.

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Tips

You can also use the Freeform Pen option to draw curved lines as though you were drawing on paper. Curved lines drawn with the Freeform Pen will be less precise than those drawn with the Pen tool.^{[8]
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Warnings

You may need to revert a point if it causes the line to curve unexpectedly. You can do this by pressing either Ctrl+Z (Windows) or ⌘ Command+Z (Mac).

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