Vector Canvas

In Photoshop Elements 13+, the Pen tool creates a vector path that afterwards can be converted to a shape layer.

"Vector Canvas" script lets you start drawing on a shape layer immediately.

1. Open "Script Events Manager" dialog and make sure that "Enable Events To Run Scripts" option is enabled (fig. 1).

2. Choose "Tools" category (fig. 2/1) and select "Pen Tool" event (fig. 2/2).

3. In the scripts dropdown menu, choose "Vector Canvas" item (fig. 3).

4. Click "Add" button (fig. 4/1) and make sure the new "Event: Script" line is available in the upper list (fig. 4/2).

From now on, every activation of the Pen tool launches the "Vector Canvas" script.

In case the current layer already has a vector mask, the script activates it, so, you may proceed to editing it.

If no vector mask is available, the script creates a new (empty) vector layer, so, you can draw a new shape from scratch.

NB The Pen and other advanced vector tools are discussed here.