4. Mastering the Art of Selection

Mastering Adobe Photoshop requires skill in many diverse areas. While modifying an image’s color, enhancing an old photograph, removing dust and scratches, may require different skills, they have one common thread-selection. Without selection, Photoshop gives you total access to the active document. If you choose to paint a black stroke, select the Paint Brush tool, the color black, and begin painting. Photoshop will let you apply black paint to any portion of the image. Selection is your way to instruct Photoshop what portions of the active document you want to change.

The Marquee tools are considered Photoshop’s “good old” selection tools. In fact they’ve been a part of Photoshop since the early days. Where the marquee tools let you select areas of an image in a structured way (squares, circles, lines), the lasso tools add a bit of freeform selection to the mix. Lasso tools require a certain amount of hand/eye coordination. For example, you can use the lasso tool to create a customized selection area around just about any object in a document, be it an animal, vegetable, or mineral. It just requires a good eye, a steady hand, and a really big mouse pad (I hate it when I run out of mouse pad).

Selection lets you influence a specific area of the image, for example, changing the color of a car from red to blue. This is where selection really shows its strength. When you select an area of a Photoshop document, the selection becomes the work area-filters, adjustments, and brushes will only work within the selection boundary. Since selection is such an important aspect of controlling what happens in a document, Photoshop gives you many ways to create your desired selection. Mastering the art of selection gives you control over not just what you do, but where you do it.

Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool

PS 4.1

The Rectangular Marquee tool lets you create rectangular and square selection marquees. the Rectangular Marquee tool is excellent for a quick crop, or selecting and moving blocks of image information. Select the Rectangular Marquee tool on the toolbox from the available Marquee options, and then drag the tool using the mouse (or drawing tablet) to control your movements. To further control a selection, hold down the Shift key to produce a perfect square, and hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key to create a selection marquee from center out. Releasing the mouse instructs the Rectangular Marquee tool to create the selection.

Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool

Select the Rectangular Marquee tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract, or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a numerical value (0 to 250) in the Feather box to create a feathered selection edge.

Click the Style list arrow, and then select from the available styles:

Normal. Lets you create freeform rectangular, or square marquee selections.
Fixed Aspect Ratio. Lets you create selections using a specific ratio, such as a 2 to 1 ratio. Enter the Fixed Aspect Ratio values in the Width and Height boxes.
Fixed Size. Lets you create selections based on an absolute size such as 30 pixels by 90 pixels. Enter the Fixed Size values in the Width and Height boxes.

Drag the selection area you want.

For Your Information: Selecting Areas for a Standard Monitor

If you are selecting areas of an image and plan to display them on a standard monitor (not DVD), then click the Fixed Aspect Ratio option on the Options bar, and then enter a width value of 4, and a height value of 3. Since a normal computer monitor (regardless of resolution) has a 4 by 3 ratio, then selection you make will fit a computer monitor perfectly.

Using the Elliptical Marquee Tool

PS 4.1

The Elliptical Marquee tool lets you create oval or circular selection marquees. When used with the Layer Mask option, and a couple of creative filters, you can create some awesome vignettes. Select the Elliptical Marquee tool on the toolbox from the available Marquee options, move into the document, and drag the tool using the mouse to control your movements. To further control a selection, hold down the Shift key to produce a perfect circle, and hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key to create a selection marquee from center out. Releasing the mouse instructs the Elliptical Marquee tool to create the selection.

Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool

Select the Elliptical Marquee tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract, or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a numerical value (0 to 250) in the Feather option to create a feathered selection edge.

Select the Anti-alias check box to create a softer selection.

Click the Style list arrow, and then select from the available styles:

Normal. Lets you create freeform elliptical, or circular marquee selections.
Fixed Aspect Ratio. Lets you create selections using a specific ratio, such as a 1 to 1 ratio (perfect circle). Enter the Fixed Aspect Ratio values in the Width and Height boxes.
Fixed Size. Lets you create selections based on an absolute size, such as 100 pixels by 200 pixels (oval). Enter the Fixed Size values in the Width and Height boxes.

Drag the selection area you want.

Using the Single Row and Single Column Marquee Tools

PS 4.1

The Single Row/Column Marquee tools lets you create a 1-pixel wide horizontal or vertical selection. Select the Single Row or Single Column Marquee tool on the toolbox from the available Marquee options, and then click the tool within the active document to create a single-pixel vertical or horizontal selection. To move the selection, place your cursor on the selection; when you see the cursor change to an arrow, then click and drag. Release the mouse when you have the selection correctly positioned. For precise positioning, press the arrow keys to move the selection 1-pixel at a time.

Use the Single Row and Column Marquee Tool

Select the Single Row Marquee or Single Column Marquee tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract, or intersect an existing selection.

Drag the selection area you want.

Did You Know?

The Column Marquee tools doesn’t have an Anti-Alias option. The reason is that a monitor displays digital information using pixels. Since the pixels fit together just like bricks in a wall, and the Column Marquee tools can only draw horizontal, or vertical lines, there is no need to make them look smoother because they’re following the horizontal and vertical lines of the pixels.

For Your Information: Creating Customized Guides

Have you ever needed a 45 degree angled guideline? Create a new layer, select the single row (or column) marquee tool, and then click to create a selection in the active document. Now, select black (or any other color) and press Alt+Backspace (Win) or Option+Delete (Mac) to fill the 1-pixel selection with the default color. Click the Edit menu, point to Transform, and then click Rotate. Enter a value of 45 in the Angle option on the Options bar, and then you’ll have an instant 45-degree guide. Since the guide is in a separate layer, you can use the Move tool to reposition it anywhere it’s needed.

Using the Lasso Marquee Tool

PS 4.1

The Lasso Marquee is a freeform tool that requires a bit of hand-to-eye coordination. Select the Lasso tool on the toolbox from the available Lasso options, move into the active document, and then drag the tool, using the mouse (or drawing tablet) to control your movements. Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key, and then drag to draw straight-line segments. Releasing the mouse instructs the Lasso tool to close the selection shape. That’s all there is to it. I did mention that it requires good hand-to-eye coordination, didn’t I? When you use this tool, don’t drink too much coffee, and have a really big mouse pad.

Use the Lasso Marquee Tool

Select the Lasso tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a numerical value (0 to 250) in the Feather box to create a feathered selection edge.

Select the Anti-alias check box to create a softer selection (useful with intensely rounded or curved selections.

Drag the selection area you want.

Did You Know?

You can temporarily convert the Lasso tool into a straight-line drawing tool (called the Polygonal Lasso tool). Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key, then release the mouse, move to a different area of the document window and click to draw a straight line between the two points.

Using the Magnetic Lasso Tool

PS 4.1

The Magnetic Lasso creates a selection by following along the edge of a visible object. For example, it will follow around the edge of a building that contrasts against a bright blue sky. In reality there are no edges in a photographic document, so the tool follows along the shifts of brightness created when one image interacts with another. Select the Magnetic Lasso tool on the toolbox from the available Lasso options. Click on the visible edge of an image (like the edge between building and the sky), and then move (don’t’ drag) abound the object. The Magnetic Lasso will follow the visible edge of the object; occasionally adding anchor points to the line as you move. Double-clicking the mouse instructs the Magnetic Lasso tool to close the selection shape.

Use the Magnetic Lasso Tool

Select the Magnetic Lasso tool on the toolbox.

Click the Preset Tool list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a numerical value (0 to 250) in the Feather box to create a feathered selection edge.

Select the Anti-alias check box to create a softer selection (useful with intensely rounded or curved selections.

Enter a Width value (0 to 256) to instruct the Magnetic Lasso tool how many pixels to consider for the edge.

Enter an Edge Contrast value (0 to 100) to instruct the Magnetic Lasso how much of a shift in the brightness values to use in determining the edge.

Enter a Frequency value (0 to 100) to instruct the Magnetic Lasso where points are added to the selection line.

Click once to create an anchor point, and then move the pointer along the edge you want to trace.

If the border doesn’t snap to the desired edge, click once to add a anchor point manually. Continue to trace the edge, and add anchor points as needed.

Double-click or click the starting point to complete the selection.

Did You Know?

You can remove anchor points. When you’re using the Magnetic Lasso and you want to reverse the selection, simply back track the mouse all the way back to the last anchor point. To move even farther backwards, press the Backspace (Win) or Delete (Mac) key to remove the last anchor.

You can temporally use the Magnetic Lasso tool as a freeform Lasso tool. Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key, and then drag to draw. Release the mouse to return to the Magnetic Lasso tool.

Using the Polygonal Lasso Tool

PS 4.1

The Polygonal Lasso creates straight-line selections. Perfect for creating a selection around a windowpane, or the roofline of a house. Select the Polygonal Lasso tool on the toolbox from the available Lasso options, and click to create a point; then move and click to create straight lines between the two points. Keep clicking and moving your mouse until the desired selection shape appears. Double-clicking the mouse instructs the Polygonal Lasso tool to close the selection shape.

Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool

Select the Polygonal Lasso tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a numerical value (0 to 250) in the Feather box to create a feathered selection edge.

Select the Anti-alias check box to create a softer selection (useful with intensely rounded or curved selections.

Click to create anchor points, and then double-click or click the starting point to complete the selection.

Did You Know?

You can temporally use the Polygonal Lasso tool as a freeform Lasso tool. Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key, and then drag to draw. Release the mouse to return to the Polygonal Lasso tool.

Using the Quick Selection Tool

PS 4.1

The Quick Selection (New!) tool makes it easier to select the areas of an image you want. Simply paint a loose selection using an adjustable round brush tip to select the area you want. As you paint with the Quick Selection tool, the selection expands outward and automatically finds and follows defined edges in the image. You can also enable the Auto-Enhance option to reduce roughness and blockiness in the selection edge.

Use the Quick Selection Tool

Select the Quick Selection tool on the toolbox.

Click the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add or subtract an existing selection.

Click the Brush list arrow, and then select the brush options you want: Diameter, Hardness, Spacing, and Size.

Select the Sample All Layers check box to create a selection based on all layers, not just the currently selected one.

Select the Auto-Enhance check box to reduce roughness and blockiness in the selection edge.

Paint the selection you want.

Timesaver

Press the right bracket (]) or left bracket ([) to increase or decrease the Quick Selection tool brush tip.

Using the Magic Wand Tool

PS 4.1

The Magic Wand tool (so named since it appears like a magic wand) is unique in the fact that you do not drag and select with this tool, you simply click. The Magic Wand tool creates a selection based on the shift in brightness range within an image. If there is a definable shift in the brightness of the pixels, it can be a very powerful tool for the selection of odd shaped areas. For example, a bright colored sunflower contrasted with a bright blue sky would be a snap for the Magic Wand tool. To use the Magic Wand, click on the Magic Wand Tool button on the toolbox. Sometimes it’s easier to select what you don’t want. In this example, the blue sky was selected and removed. However, you might have wanted to select the sunflower, and move it into another image. If that’s the case, it was still easier to select the sky using the Magic Wand, clicking the Select menu, and then clicking Inverse to reverse the selection.

Use the Magic Wand Tool

Select the Magic Wand tool on the toolbox.

Use the Preset Tool list arrow, and then select from the available tool presets.

Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract or intersect an existing selection.

Enter a Tolerance value (0 to 255). The higher the value the more information the Magic Wand tool selects.

Select the Anti-alias check box to create a softer selection (useful with intensely rounded or curved selections).

Select the Contiguous check box to select adjacent pixels within the active document.

Select the Sample All Layers check box to sample image information from all layers.

Click an area to make a selection.

Selecting by Color Range

PS 4.1

Photoshop makes selection easy by giving you ways to draw selection borders in any shape, size, or form. However, selection is more than dragging your mouse across the screen to create a selection. In addition to standard drawing tools, Photoshop lets you select image information based on channel color information. Maybe it’s that bright red car in your background, or the white stucco finish adorning an adobe house, it doesn’t matter because Photoshop lets you choose the color and select the maximum range to select. When you work with the Color Range option, the image displayed in the dialog box becomes a mix of black and white. The white areas represent the selected portions of the image, while the black areas represent the masked portions of the image.

Selection by Color Range

Click the Select menu, click Color Range, and then select an option:

Select. Lets you choose Sampled Colors, a specific color, or Out-of-Gamut colors.

If you select Sampled Colors, choose the select color eyedropper, and then click in the visible image to select a color range.

Selection or Image. Lets you view the Selection Mask or the Image.
Selection Preview. Changes the view of the image in the document window. You can select None, Grayscale, Black Matte, White Matte, or Quick Mask.

Click the eyedroppers to add or subtract colors from the selection, and then click within the image.

Click the Fuzziness slider to increase or decrease the color values selected (0 to 200).

Select the Invert check box to reverse the Selection Mask.

Click OK to transfer the color range mask to the selection.

Refining a Selection Edge

PS 4.3

After you make the initial selection, you can use the Refine Edge tool (New!) to fine-tune the selection to your exact specifications. The Refine Edge tools allows you to adjust the selection using the following options: Radius, Contrast, Smooth, Feather, and Contract/Expand. You can also change the view mode to preview the selection against different backgrounds.

Use the Refine Edge Tool

Use one of the selection tools to make a selection.

Click Redefine Edge on the Options bar, or click the Select menu, and then click Refine Edge.

Select the Preview check box to preview changes.

Drag the sliders to adjust the selection.

Radius. Specifies the size of the selection. Increase to create a more exact selection.
Contrast. Sharpens the selection edges and removes fuzziness.
Smooth. Smooths out the rough edges of the selection (from 0 to 100).
Feather. Creates a soft edge around the selection boundary (from 0 to 250 pixels).
Contract/Expand. Decreases or increases the selection edge.

To change the view modes, click a Selection View icon.

A description appears below the view mode. Click the Description button, if necessary.

Double-click the Quick Mask view to change the color mask.

Use the Zoom or Hand tools to change the view size or position.

Click OK.

Modifying an Existing Selection

PS 4.1

Selections can be as simple as dragging a circle or square with one of the marquee tools to a more complicated freeform selection. Whatever the case, Photoshop allows you to enhance any selection with its useful modification tools. After creating a selection, you can modify it with the various options that Photoshop offers in order to make complex selections easier to use. With selection being an important part of Photoshop process, practice is the key to success.

Modify an Existing Selection

With a selection, click the Select menu, and then select an option:

All. Selects all pixels within the active document.
Deselect or Reselect. Removes any pixels from the active document.
Reselect or Inverse. Lets you select or reverse the previous selection.
All Layers. Lets you select all the layers in the Layers palette (excluding the Background).
Deselect Layers. Deselects all layers in the Layers palette.
Similar Layers. Selects similar layers such as: all type layers, or all shape layers.
Color Range. Creates a selection based on a color or colors within the active document.
Feather. Creates a visually softer selection edge.
Modify. Lets you Modify the border, Expand, Contract, or Smooth the selection in the active document.
Grow. Lets you increase a selection by adding pixels.
Similar. Lets you increase a selection by adding non-contiguous pixels.
Transform Selection. Creates a bounding box around the active selection which you can modify.
Load and Save Selection. Lets you load or save a previously saved channel mask selection.

Adding, Subtracting, and Cropping a Selection

PS 4.3

To say that Photoshop will help you make selections easy would be an understatement. Not only can you modify selections in any number of ways, Photoshop gives you the option to change your mind by adding and subtracting to an existing selection or even using the selection tools to crop the image. Since most selections are not perfect the first time around, knowing how to modify a selection marquee gives you the control you need to make perfect selections. Adding and subtracting to an image is accomplished by simple keyboard shortcuts, or items on the Options bar. Either way you can create complex selections with ease.

Add to an Existing Selection

Create a selection using any of Photoshop’s selection tools.

Add to the selection by holding down the Shift key, and then use a selection tool to add to the existing selection (the selected areas do not need to be contiguous).

Release the mouse and the Shift key to complete the addition.

Subtract from an Existing Selection

Create a selection using any of Photoshop’s selection tools.

Subtract from the selection by holding down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key.

Create a selection that intersects with the existing selection.

Release the mouse and the Shift key to complete the subtraction.

Crop an Image

Create a selection using any of Photoshop’s selection tools.

The selection area does not have to be a rectangle.

Click the Image menu, and then click Crop to crop the image.

Did You Know?

Once a selection is made, it’s possible to modify the selection using standard transform tools. To transform a selection, click the Selection menu, and then click Transform Selection. You will now be able to expand, contract, and even rotate the selection marquee. To exit Transform Selection, simply double-click in the middle of the selection marquee, or press the Enter (Win) or Return (Mac) key.

Cropping an image brings focus. Cropping a document brings focus to the information contained within the image. For example, if you take a photograph of someone standing in front of a building. Is the focus the building or the person? If the focus is the person, then crop out the building. Cropping eliminates distractions, which would otherwise take away from the message of the image. A picture may be worth a thousand words; however, sometimes a picture can say too much.

For Your Information: Cropping an Image with a User-Defined Shape

You can crop an image using a user-defined shape, such as a heart. Open the image you want to crop. Select the Custom Shape tool from the toolbox. Choose the desired raster shape on the Options Bar. Create a new layer directly above the image layer, and use the Custom Shape tool to draw the cropping shape. Select the Move tool and place the shape directly over the area of the image you want to crop. In the Layers palette, drag the shape layer directly under the image layer. The shape disappears, but that’s fine. Move your cursor into the Layers palette (cursor changes to a hand with an extended finger) until the tip of the finger is touching the line separating the image layer from the shape layer. Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key (cursor changes to a double-circle), and then click. You created a clipping group, and your image is cropped into the shape. If you don’t like the position of the crop, select the shape layer, and use the Move tool. To make the crop permanent, hide all layers except the shape and image layers, click the Options button on the Layers palette, and then click Merge Visible or Merge Clipping Group.

Using Channels to Create and Store Selections

PS 4.4

Photoshop’s primary method of creating selections is through the use of tools on the toolbox, such as the Marquee, Lasso, and Magic Wand, and while they create impressive and complex selections, Photoshop has other ways to capture that tricky selection using the Channels palette. The Channels palette primarily holds color information, but that’s not all it can hold. You can use the Channels palette to create and store complex selections. Photoshop holds selection information using black (mask), white (selection), and shades of gray (percentages of selection). In addition, channels are saved with the image file.

Create Selections with Channels

Select the Channels palette.

Click the individual color channels.

Look for a channel that represents a brightness difference between what you want to select and what you want to mask.

Make a copy of the channel by dragging it down over the New Channel button on the Channels palette.

Select the new channel.

Click the Image menu, point to Adjustments, and then click Threshold.

Drag the Threshold slider left or right until the visible image represents a black and white mask of your selection.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

Selection masks created from color channels will not always be perfect. For example, you may see unwanted spots of white or black. When that happens, do the best you can using the Threshold command, and then use you Paintbrush with white or black to clean up the mask.

Apply Selection Masks to an Image

Click the Select menu, and then click Load Selection.

Click the Channel list arrow, and then select the newly created channel.

Click OK.

Using Free Transform and Transform

Once a selection is made, the next step is to get to work. Selections are not just to control color correction, or image enhancement. It’s possible you may need to use some of Photoshop’s transform commands. The transform commands let you move, modify, or resize the area enclosed within the selection area. Unlike the Free Transform command, Transform gives you several options, such as Scale, Distort, Perspective, and Warp, which you can use to modify an existing selection. The selection area is visually defined by a bounding box with nodes, or anchor points, in the four corners and the center of each axis.

Use the Free Transform Command

Select an area of an image using any of Photoshop’s selection tools.

Click the Edit menu, and then click Free Transform.

Move to any of the four corners, and then drag to expand or contract the size of the selection.

Move outside the bounding box selection until you cursor resembles a bent arrow, and then drag to rotate the selection.

Move to the horizontal or vertical center nodes to expand the image.

Press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac), or double click inside the bounding box to apply the transformation.

Did You Know?

You can create proportional transform boundaries. Hold down the Shift key while dragging a corner handle maintains the proportions of the original image.

You can use the Free Transform command to create distorted images. Hold down the Ctrl (Win) or (Mac) key, while dragging a corner handle to create a distorted selection.

Use the Transform Command

Select an area of an image using any of Photoshop’s selection tools.

Click the Edit menu, point to Transform, and then select an option:

Again. Lets you repeat the previous Transform command.
Scale. Lets you increase or decrease the size of the selected area.
Rotate. Lets you rotate the selection area 0 to 360 degrees.
Skew. Lets you select a node and drag it in vertical or horizontal direction without affecting the other nodes.
Distort. Lets you select a node and drag it in any direction desired without affecting the other nodes.
Perspective. Lets you change the perspective of a selection.
Warp. Lets you wrap an image around any shape using a modifiable grid. To warp an image using a specific shape, click the Warp Style list arrow on the Option bar, and then select a shape, such as Twist, Flag, Fisheye, or Inflate.

Timesaver

To show or hide the warp grid and anchor points, click the View menu, and then click Extras.

Select any settings you want on the Options bar and modify the transformed image as desired using the anchor points, a segment of the bounding box or grid, or an area within the grid.

Using Smart Guides

Photoshop gives you the ability to use Smart Guides to help align shapes, slices, and selections as you draw. They appear automatically as you draw a shape, or create a selection or slide, and then disappear after the shape is drawn. They give you ability to visually align one object to another object with a minimum of effort. The default for Smart Guides is on.

Use Smart Guides

Open or create a multi-layered document.

Select a layer that contains an object.

Select the Move tool, and drag the object.

As you move the object, smart guides appear to help you align the objects.

Release the mouse and the guides disappear.

Did You Know?

You can turn smart guides on and off. Click the View menu, point to Show, and then click Smart Guides.

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