Step 1: Create a Five-Sided Polygon
Create a new document in Photoshop (Ctrl+N on Windows, Cmd+N on the Mac). Then with any color selected, choose the shape tool (U). Its default shape is a rectangle; if you hold down your mouse button on the tools palette, you’ll get more choices. Choose the Polygonal shape tool (the icon looks like a stop sign).

Once that’s selected, look at the top of your screen and you’ll see a text-entry area along with the word “Sides.” Go ahead and type “5” in that area. You’ll also see a little black drop-down icon that opens the “Polygon Options” dialog (Figure 1, below).

Step 2: Create a Sharp-Pointed Star
Click the Polygon Options area, select “Star,” and enter “50%” in the box adjacent to “Indent Sides By.” You’ll now be able to draw out a perfect five-pointed star shape, which you can then rotate and stamp in place.

The star is actually a Photoshop shape at this point. If you’re so inclined, you could alter the nodes on each end with the Direct Selection Tool (A) (Figure 2, below).

Step 3: Try Different Star Shapes
Of course, you might not need a sharply pointed star. One of the cool things about the Star setting is that if you go back and click the little black arrow drop down (circled in red in Figure 1), you’ll then have more Polygon options (Figure 3, below). Feel free to change the numbers to anything you like other than 5—try 16. What you’ll see is Radius/Smooth Corners/Star. If you deselect Star, you’ll then be able to create all sorts of shapes such as Octagons, Nonagons, Decagons … well, you get the point!

Again, Photoshop doesn’t have to be complex at every stage. I hope my articles continue to show you how really cool stuff can happen in just a few clicks! As always, email me at lance at
pixelpops.com if you have further questions or comments. I love hearing your comments—keep ’em coming!

Lance Gray (lance at pixelpops.com) is the chief creative pixelmonkey at PixelPops Design, LLC. For questions, thoughts, or ideas simply email him.