# PS7 newbie question - smooth edges using pencil tool ect? **URL:** \ **Category:** design\ **Created:** [November 13, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108 "2002-11-13T23:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Marc](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Marc)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108/1 "2002-11-13T23:28:23Z")
Hi, Just started using ps7 and I have never used an art program for real before. Apart from using FlashMX drawing capabilities. Anyway, I decided to use ps7 for website graphics and so on and I’m realising just how powerful it is. Wow! But I am stumped on a simple problem I keep coming accross. Creating smooth edges. I use the pencil and I get this jagged edge. I create a shape with the pen and again a jagged edge. I use the marquee tool a lot for creating buttons and interfaces - filling selcected areas then running through eye candy or blending options. With the marquee tool I set anti-alaised on and I get my smooth edges. Just now I decided that I was going to do some psychedelic art and creating some blades of grass in the corner of my pic. I used the pencil to create an outline then paint bucket to fill it and selected the whole thing with the magic wand and applyed some filters. After I got the result that I wanted I deselected. I was left with these jagged edges. What do I do to have smooth edges when using the pencil tool like in FlashMX? Or when I use the shape tools in PS7 how do I get smooth edges, same goes for the pen tool as well. Thanks for any help. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108/2 "2002-11-14T00:30:31Z")
The paintbrush tool will anti-alias your lines. Just right click on the pencil tool and you will be presented with the option for paint brush tool. Photoshop is not a vector program, so you have to realize that not everything gets anti-aliased. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108/3 "2002-11-14T00:38:01Z")
nice one - getting the effect I want now What’s the point of the pencil tool? I when for a google and came accross this site - excellent resource [http://www.phong.com/tutorials/](http://www.phong.com/tutorials/) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108/4 "2002-11-14T00:46:30Z")
Yes, Phong is a good tutorial site. The point of the pencil tool is for when you don’t want anti-aliasing. It comes in handy when doing detail work mostly. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 2:38am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/ps7-newbie-question-smooth-edges-using-pencil-tool-ect/8108/5 "2002-11-14T02:38:35Z")
yes the brush tool is better also because you can get the airbrush effect. i think i used the pencil one time, but i hate the square head on it, so i stopped useing it.