Photoshop Pen Tool Portrait Instructions

This is a VERY detailed instruction sheet for how to create a “Pen Tool Portrait” in Photoshop CC. This tutorial also works for CS6 and most versions of Photoshop. It was designed for a high-school level beginning photography or digital arts class, and walks students through the entire process, from taking the photograph to a finished result. It also includes an example of a finished portrait. I typically give students a demonstration on how to use the pen tool, and then provide them with this resource as they work. I require quite detailed portraits, so this assignment usually takes a solid 3-4 days with 1.5 hour class periods. This is a fantastic activity for a short absence, as students can work independently using this resource and typically do not have too many questions.