Pen Tool -Basic Line (n00b question)

I've been trying for about an hour, and I've searched through detailed internet tutorials but I can't figure out the most basic thing, which is to make a simple line with the pen tool and have it fill in. When I make three points it connects the first and last to form a triangle, but I'm not trying to make a triangle, I want to make an "L" shape. How can I make it fill just two (or three) points to make a straight line?

Hi Irun,
Here is a flash movie on the Pen tool:
http://simplephotoshop.com/photoshop_tools/pen_toolf.htm

Okay, thanks. I was just coming back to say I figured out how to do it with the brush tool, but I could stand to learn more anyways.

My guess is that you're confusing the fill for the shape the pen is making. If you use the pen tool with a fill color selected, the shape will fill in as you go. So for the first point there's no fill, nor for the second because at this point you have no area to fill in, but the third point you make now you have enough area to fill in, and that shape will of course be a triangle. But this does not mean that your path has automatically connected itself into a triangle - it hasn't - trust me! Just go ahead and add another point. It will readjust the fill to the new point, and will keep doing so until you're done drawing (which is when you finally return to where you started and your pen tool shows a little "o" under it).

Here's a trick to avoid any confusion. Go to your fill box on the tool bar and select the same color for your fill as your background. Start drawing with your pen tool. Now you shouldn't see any triangle fill at all. Draw the shape you want. When your done, just double click on the colored square on your pen shape layer. The color chooser will pop up, and you can pick whatever color you want for your shape. Click ok, and you're done!

Edit: :p Guess I shoulda just posted instead of multi-tasking. Damn tabbed browsing!!