SELECTION TOOLS General

1. SELECTION TOOLS General List o f Selection Tools & variants: * Magic Wand, * Lasso (Simple, Magnetic, Polygonal), * Marquee (Elliptical, Rectangular) * Selection Brush (Regular, Quick) Remember to consider feathering, hardness degree, and possible inverse Hardness is a kind of feathering: 0% creates a very soft transition, 100 % creates hard edges and separation. (Appendix 7). Folder: Kelly, OvalBlur/Hibisc It is very important to note that the selection process allows for the edit, removal, and replacement of any selected portion of an image. Selection of an area: Restricts Changes to that Area By selecting the area first using one of the many selection tools, applying the change is isolated to the selected area only, which minimizes editing outside the lines problem, and avoids applying the change to unwanted areas. For example you can reduce the redness in a face without affecting the rest of the colors by selecting the face first. (Demo this by reducing saturation of a red face Folder: Color Correct Shift = Add To the selection, Option/ALT = subtract from the selection Note: the selection can be modified, Select/Modify to expand, contract, smooth In vsn 7+: “Refine Edge” property allows Smooth, Feather, Contract/Expand after the selection CTL+J: put selection in a dedicated layer (same as Edit/Copy, Edit Paste) Selections may be saved and recalled: Menu: Select/Save Selection (provide ID), then Selection can be recalled: Menu: Select/Load Selection (provide ID). Don’t forget: Select/Deselect-to remove selection and Select/Reselect - to re-select when selection was dropped

2. SELECTION TOOLS • Marquee Tools for Basic Selection and Isolation • Elliptical versus Rectangular: creates oval/elliptical or rectangular selection • Which can be feathered to soften the distinction boundary. • Practice blurring an Oval Frame of Selection (See App 2A and 7A) • Lasso tools (Folder: Select, End to End, Olivia, Christine) • Basic lasso: hold down the left mouse button and complete selection in one sweep • Polygonal: click at starting point, then drag mouse and click at anchor points • (along straight edge and at turn points) throughout the selection • Magnetic Lasso: software automatically senses the contrast in pixel density to • simplify selection. Problem occurs when contrast is low at the boundary • you are trying to create. See App 2B. Selection boundary errors may be corrected using the Selection Brush in either the “Selection” mode or the “Mask” mode. The “Selection” mode pushes the selection boundary (ants) out. The “Mask” mode pushes the selection boundary (ants) inward. Remember to return to the “Selection” mode when you are satisfied with the selection When satisfied, you may set the “feathering” and “inverse” if desired. After the selection process, fine-tuning may be required using the Eraser or Airbrush To remove or add in the background layer or color Practice a portrait selection (Folder: End-to-End) – outside and inside the boundary

3. SELECTION TOOLS 2 • Magic Wand • Magic Wand: makes selection based upon similarly colored pixels. • Threshold is critical setting defining the tolerance level of similarity. i.e., a large threshold might select similar colors all over the image • (VERY IMPORTANT: “ADD TO” OR “SUBTRACT FROM”) • The magic wand can be used to select when there is a reasonable consistency or • Sameness within the desired area to be selected. The sameness is interpreted by the • “threshold” value. Folder: Red-eye-face, House, Car, Drag Layer, Christine • On the first Click, if too much is selected, undo, then lower the threshold value. If too • little is selected, increase the threshold. • If the area of selection is close (more or less), set the “subtract from” or “add to”, then • click on the area to be removed or added from/to the selection respectively. • The threshold value may need to be adjusted for the “subtract from” or “add to”steps. • I use the magic wand often in the selection of the facial area or sky for selective color enhancement or replacement: (See Appendix 11). Folder: Faces, House, Car Demo the restriction of changes by selecting an area first then applying the change Reduce facial rednes by reducing saturation. Folder: RedFace

4. SELECTION AND MASKING • Selection Brush – Regular and Quick (Selection versus masking) • Can be used as main selection tool or fine tuning a selection • Selection brush (Regular): set to mask or selection, and level of hardness. • The selection brush is basically a circle brush used to cover a large area in the selection or • masking process rather then outlining the boundary with the other selection tools • (NOTE: Can be used to refine the imperfections resulting from use of the other selection tools) • Exercises: Folder: Car, Olivia, End-to-End, Red-eye-face, Christine • Selection brush (Quick): intelligently looks for edge of the object you have defined by painting over it • Selection edges defined by feathering or percent hardness • Feathering: lower numbers = hard division, higher numbers = soft division • Percent hardness: 0% = very soft, 100% = sharp division • Changes can be restricted to the selected areas only • Example of selecting and darkening a sky. Practice this as a prerequisite • to changing out a background completely: Appendix 8A and 8B • Folder: Sky. Folder: Car, Christine, Olivia Example: Background selection for color change or replacement. Appendix 4 and 5 for selective color change, Appendix 8A and 8B for complete background replacement • Deselect: right-click for menu option or use Select menu: Select/deselect • Hide selection option: Control-H, after selection and before adjustment.. Smart Brush: Combination of Quick Select Brush and Adjustment Layer offering options from which to choose – B/W, Color and Lighting & Special Effects, Sky Enhance, Facial Enhance, etc.