Page 53 - CC2018_PS_Look_Inside

Stage 3 Creating Complex Selections

In an earlier lesson you learned how to use the Rectangular Marquee and Lasso tools to draw basic
selections. Photoshop includes a number of other options for making selections based on the color
content of an image. The method you use will vary depending on the actual content of your image, as
well as what you hope to accomplish.
The Magic Wand tool is an easy way to select large areas of solid color.
• The first four options in the Options bar
are the same as those for the Marquee
tools (New Selection, Add to Selection,
Subtract from Selection, and Intersect
with Selection).

• Tolerance is the degree of variation
between the color you click and the
colors Photoshop will select; higher
tolerance values select a larger range
based on the color you click.

• The Anti-alias check box allows edges
to blend more smoothly into the
background, preventing a jagged, stair-
stepped appearance. (Anti-aliasing is the Clicking with the Magic Wand tool creates a selection of
process of blending shades of pixels to pixels within the tolerance of the pixel where you click.
create the illusion of sharp lines.)
• When Contiguous is selected, the tool only selects adjacent areas of the color; unchecking this
option allows you to select all pixels within the color tolerance, even if some pixels are non-
contiguous (for example, inside the shape of the letter Q).

• By default, selections relate to the active layer only. You can check Sample All Layers to make
a selection of all layers in the file.
• The Select and Mask button opens a special interface where you can use a number of tools to
fine-tune the selection edge.

The Quick Selection tool essentially allows you to “paint” a selection. As you drag, the selection
expands and automatically finds the edges in the image.
• In the Options panel, you can Add to Selection Subtract from Selection
use the options to create a new
selection, add to, or subtract from New Selection Click to open brush options.
the current selection.
• Open the Brush Options to
change the brush size, so that your
selection includes a smaller or
wider range of color.
• Auto-Enhance allows the software
to refine the edges of the selection
based on internal algorithms.
(Although many “auto” features
in the software are very useful
starting points, never rely entirely
on this type of automatic result.)

Project 1: Music CD Artwork 63