)
Photoshop is a great tool for creating all sorts of graphic art such as logos, t-shirt designs, and more. One of the basic and most popular aspects of the program is the ability to create custom shapes with various fill and border colors. But what if you want to create a shape with no fill at all?
Transparent rectangles can be drawn in Photoshop with the use of the Rectangle tool. Simply select the tool and draw the shape onto the canvas. Fill and border colors of the shape can be adjusted from the options toolbar to create a no-fill or transparent look.
While color can be fun to play with, sometimes, we need elements in a design that have no color at all. Keep reading for a quick guide on drawing rectangles in Photoshop without fill.
Drawing a Rectangle In Photoshop
The Rectangle tool is the easiest way to draw a rectangle in Photoshop. This is a type of shape tool that allows you to quickly draw and edit vector shapes on your canvas. Once drawn, the rectangle can also be converted into a raster shape.
To get started:
- Grab the Rectangle tool from the toolbar. This is the icon that looks like a gray rectangle with a white outline
- Click on your canvas and drag your mouse to create a shape
- Once you have it at the size you want, release the click. You should see a new layer appear in your Layers panel named Rectangle
If you would like to make the shape proportional, make sure to hold the shift key as you draw the shape. You can also move the shape around after it is drawn by using the Move tool.
Drawing a Shape Without Fill
Generally, the Fill and Stroke options will be set at what they were when they were last used. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check your Fill settings before creating your shape.
If you would like to create a rectangle without fill:
- Select the Rectangle tool
- Navigate to the shape tool options bar at the top of the screen
- Click on the box that says “Fill.” A new dialogue box should pop up with a selection of colors
If your Fill box is white with a red line stretched across it diagonally, then your shape is already set to have no fill. However, if your Fill box is colored, that means that any shape you draw will be filled with that color. To make sure your rectangle has no fill, select the white box with the red line and click Apply.
Removing Fill From Your Shape
If you have already drawn your rectangle and would like it to have no fill, there is no reason to delete the layer and start again. Fill and Stroke can be adjusted at any time from the shape tool options bar.
To change the fill:
- Click on the layer with the shape you want to change
- Select the Shape Tool
- The shape tool options bar should appear
- Just as you would when drawing a new shape, click on the Fill box and select the white box with the red line.
Now, let’s check how to change the border color of a rectangle in PhotoShop.
Changing the Border Color Of a Rectangle
If you have a rectangle without fill, you’re going to need to make sure that you have a noticeable border, or else your shape is going to disappear on your canvas.
To change the border color:
- Click on the layer with the shape
- Select the Shape Tool
- In the tool options toolbar, click on the Stroke box
- Just like with choosing your fill, a new dialogue box should appear with a selection of colors
You may also need to change the size of your stroke for it to stand out more. This is done from the dropdown box next to the stroke color.
How to Draw Other Shapes Without Fill
Now that you know how to draw a simple rectangle, you may want to try your hand at one of the other shape options. Luckily, the steps are pretty much the same.
To draw a shape, right-click or hover over the Shape tool until the dropdown menu appears. Some of the shapes that can be drawn with this tool include:
- Ellipse (ovals and circles)
- Triangle
- Polygon
- Custom shapes
Once you’ve chosen your shape, simply draw it onto your canvas as you would a rectangle.
Final Thoughts
Using the Rectangle tool in Photoshop is a quick and easy way to draw text boxes or outline elements in a design. Hopefully, this guide helped you learn how to draw a rectangle without fill so you can keep on creating.
