Photoshop selection tools

GOOD MORNING!

PLEASE HAVE AT LEAST TWO PHOTOS READY ON YOUR DESKTOP.

Today we're going to learn how to use Photoshop selection tools.  We will use:

• rectangular marquee (+ shift = square) 
• elliptical marquee (+ shift = circle)
• magnetic lasso

Before we jump into the tools, let's practice zooming in and out with a shortcut.

• Zoom in and out with the COMMAND and + and - keys

Rectangular marquee

• We can use this tool to select rectangle or square parts of our photo.  Effects that you choose while the section is selected will only apply to the selected area.

Elliptical marquee

• We can use this tool to select elliptical or circular parts of our photo.  Effects that you choose while the selection is selected will only apply to the selected area.
• We can use this tool to create a classic vignette effect.

• Create a new layer with a solid white fill (new layer --> edit --> fill --> white)
• Hide the white layer
• Use the elliptical marquee to draw an oval over the part of the photo that you want to "keep"
• Feather the elliptical cut (select --> modify --> feather --> 30 or more)
• Turn the white layer back on
• Delete the oval/circle!

Magnetic lasso tool

• Turn CAPS LOCK on to get a better icon
• Use the [ and ] keys to change the size of the target
• Hold the space bar to temporarily switch to the hand tool to reposition your image
• Click your mouse to manually drop a point

TOUCH UP TRICK:

Hit Q

Select the brush tool and adjust the brush size to fit your needs

Select black if you want to deselect something from your magnetic lasso selection

Select white if you want to add something to your magnetic lasso selection

Hit Q again

• When you have what you want selected, you can cut it out by choosing LAYER --> NEW --> LAYER VIA CUT.  You can then use the MOVE tool to drag the cutout onto a new background. If you'd like to download a background, you may do so, but choose quickly.  Today's lesson is designed to get your comfortable with these tools, not to make something groundbreaking and eternal.  Try this link - click on the type you'd like to see the choices - and then click download when you find one you like.  Variety of Photoshop backgrounds  You can also add text if you like.