Tips for selecting stuff

matt_shaw

Just another .ca?
Joined
May 15, 2005
Messages
1,399
Location
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
I've just started trying this photoshop stuff so I can join you guys in all the fun :D


I've been having alot of trouble selecting the different body parts that I want. With all of the shadows and other stuff it's very hard. The lasso tool has also been giving me alot of trouble, I seem to be very shaky when using it and never getting a smooth line.


HELP!!!!!
 
Try quickmask. Youll see two little icons at the bottom of your tool palette (hover yoour mouse over till you see "edit in quick mask mode) click on quick mask mode then use your brush tool to paint selection areas. The brush will probably paint a semitranparent pink (default) and everything not pink will become selected when you click back on "edit in normal mode". Esp useful for doing shadow areas cos you can use airbrush and all brush options.

Also use a combination, elipse tool to lasso or polygon lasso etc, just hold down shift to add or option (alt?) to subtract.

Some people are really good at the pen tool. Im not, but they say its the most effective for tracing around shapes.
 
I think your main problem is that you are using the lasso tool instead of the polygonal Lasso tool. Click and drag on the lasso button to get the others.
 
Yeah polygonal lasso tool FTW. It takes longer, but the results are a lot better. Once you get the basic outline that you want, go into quick mask mode and use eraser or brush to fill in or take out the portions that are tricky.
 
I use the pen tool, really useful once you know how to use it. Either that or a layer mask, depending on the shape I'm trying to get.
 
i try to get as much as i can with the magic wand. if you play around with the tolerance settings you'll get it to select a nice portion of the part you want to select. if your selection is multicolour, just use the shift key to get them all. Then i zoom in really close and go over the finer points with the lassoo and the polygonal lassoo depending on which one i feel like.

Quick note: Hold shift key to add to a selection, alt key to remove from a selection.

Usually get a perfect cut every time.
 
Thanks for the help guys! A lot of knowledge on this board :)


edit: WOOHOO!!! IT WORKS!!! Compared to my last try this one is 5 fold better.

http://img173.imageshack.**/img173/301/ferrari360modenaredfront1152x8.jpg
 
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