Quick Selection Tool.

canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
edited August 4, 2013 in Technique
On occasions after using the Quick Selection Tool I have found artifacts on the edge I was selecting. I was wondering if anyone could explain the procedure to use in order to get rid of them.
Cheers
Bob

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited July 29, 2013
    Specific to the Quick Selection Tool, and depending upon the specific item to be selected, I often use a process similar to this tutorial:

    http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/selections/quick-selection-tool/
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2013
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    Specific to the Quick Selection Tool, and depending upon the specific item to be selected, I often use a process similar to this tutorial:

    http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/selections/quick-selection-tool/

    Thanks again Ziggy so much appreciated.
    Cheers
    Bob
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited July 29, 2013
    That is a helpful link, Ziggy, concerning the use of the Selection tool. One tip about the Selection tool I have not seen anywhere is that is can be painted with to select large areas, or when it is smaller, rather than painting, it can be clicked on while it is stationary to be far more selective in what it gathers, like along a selection border.. If it gathers too much across a selection border, clicking outside in the area not desired, while holding down the ALt key will remove areas from the selection that are not desired.

    But Bob, you are not done once you have your selection with the Quick Select Tool. You have just started....

    Your next step is to click on the Refine Edge command in the Select Menu. In the Refine Edge dialogue box, click on the image icon in the View mode box, and then click on the Overlay box, now click back to the Refine Edge dialogue box, and you will see the pink mask chosen outlined on your image. You can use this mask to help you refine the edges, with the Smooth, Feather, Shift Edge commands, until you are satisfied with your selection. By using the cmd+ and cmd- keyboard commands, you can enlarge your image to see the edges at a high degree of magnification. Once you think your mask is looking pretty good, click back on the the View menu via the Image icon, and examine your mask against a white background, a black background, and if the edges show no haloes, then click on the marching ants for your final selection and save it. Your image will now display your selection in marching ants, and you need to click on Selection -> Save Selection -> as a New Channel, Save. Sometimes I go into the Refine Edge command and find I have left out ares or included areas that I did not want, and have to go back with the selection tool to correct these areas, and then return a second or third time to the Refine Edge command.

    Now you will have a new channel with your mask saved, your mask can then be further refined or altered as needed.

    These steps seem involved the first few times, but with practice, most selections can be made and refined and saved with only 5 or 10 minutes effort. This depends, of course, on how complex the details being selected are. Skies and backgrounds can frequently be done in less than 120 seconds.

    Once you have your mask, you can control the degree of the Blend mode by the sliders in the Layers palette, for even further control over the edges of your selected are in your image.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    That is a helpful link, Ziggy, concerning the use of the Selection tool. One tip about the Selection tool I have not seen anywhere is that is can be painted with to select large areas, or when it is smaller, rather than painting, it can be clicked on while it is stationary to be far more selective in what it gathers, like along a selection border.. If it gathers too much across a selection border, clicking outside in the area not desired, while holding down the ALt key will remove areas from the selection that are not desired.

    But Bob, you are not done once you have your selection with the Quick Select Tool. You have just started....

    Your next step is to click on the Refine Edge command in the Select Menu. In the Refine Edge dialogue box, click on the image icon in the View mode box, and then click on the Overlay box, now click back to the Refine Edge dialogue box, and you will see the pink mask chosen outlined on your image. You can use this mask to help you refine the edges, with the Smooth, Feather, Shift Edge commands, until you are satisfied with your selection. By using the cmd+ and cmd- keyboard commands, you can enlarge your image to see the edges at a high degree of magnification. Once you think your mask is looking pretty good, click back on the the View menu via the Image icon, and examine your mask against a white background, a black background, and if the edges show no haloes, then click on the marching ants for your final selection and save it. Your image will now display your selection in marching ants, and you need to click on Selection -> Save Selection -> as a New Channel, Save. Sometimes I go into the Refine Edge command and find I have left out ares or included areas that I did not want, and have to go back with the selection tool to correct these areas, and then return a second or third time to the Refine Edge command.

    Now you will have a new channel with your mask saved, your mask can then be further refined or altered as needed.

    These steps seem involved the first few times, but with practice, most selections can be made and refined and saved with only 5 or 10 minutes effort. This depends, of course, on how complex the details being selected are. Skies and backgrounds can frequently be done in less than 120 seconds.

    Once you have your mask, you can control the degree of the Blend mode by the sliders in the Layers palette, for even further control over the edges of your selected are in your image.

    Thanks ever so much for this Pathfinder. I know Ziggy didn't go into the Refine Edge dialogue and I had an idea that I needed to use the Refine Edge to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion. I really do appreciate what you have described and I am sure I can follow each step without any problem.
    Thanks ever so much again.
    Bob
  • bfluegiebfluegie Registered Users Posts: 736 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2013
    Thanks Pathfinder. That probably explains why I have always been unhappy with my results with the selection tools. Time to try, try again.
    ~~Barbara
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited August 2, 2013
    I should also mention that while the Quick Selection tool is my goto tool now, there are still occasions when another tool can be used to more advantage, whether the Magic Wand, the Magnetic Lasso, or the straight Lasso, or even the Color Select Tool or the Pen tool

    All of these can be used in combination with the Quick Selection tool. OR you can hit the Q key, drop into the Quick Mask mode and begin to paint on the mask itself with the Brush tool with black ink to add or white ink to subtract from the mask. Once you have your selection, you can still take a second pas through the Refine Edge dialogue again, too.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited August 3, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    I should also mention that while the Quick Selection tool is my goto tool now, there are still occasions when another tool can be used to more advantage, whether the Magic Wand, the Magnetic Lasso, or the straight Lasso, or even the Color Select Tool or the Pen tool

    All of these can be used in combination with the Quick Selection tool. OR you can hit the Q key, drop into the Quick Mask mode and begin to paint on the mask itself with the Brush tool with black ink to add or white ink to subtract from the mask. Once you have your selection, you can still take a second pas through the Refine Edge dialogue again, too.

    Here I am again Pathfinder. I have been using the image I posted in Landscape of St Mary's lighthouse which initially started me to query the quick selection tool. I have followed your instructions and examined the mask against a white background. I cannot find where to click to start the marching ants. I also cannot see selection - save selection as a new channel - Save.
    Cheers
    Bob
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited August 3, 2013
    If you are in the Refine Edge command, and you want to see your mask, click on the View mode icon at the top of the Refine Edge dialogue box, and you get a series of choices to view - Marching Ants, Overlay, On Black, On White, etc Just click on the Marching Ants box, and the drop down menu closes, and the image reappears with the Marching Ants selection outline displayed on your image. Hit OK and then your selection is visible on your image once again. The go to Select -> Save Selection -> yadda yadda yadda.


    To see your mask on your image itself, Bob, you need to close your Refine Edges dialogue box, then hit the "Q" key. This opens the Quick Mask mode; now with your Brush Tool set to Normal Blend ( Important point ) , with the amount set to 100%, with black ink, you are able to literally paint a mask directly onto a layer of your image with your brush tool. It should appear a pink to reddish blob as you paint your area of selection. If you paint areas "red" that are not desired, change your brush to white and paint away that unwanted part of your mask. When you have the mask looking like you want it, hit the "Q" key again, the Quick Mask mode closes, and your selection with the marching ants reappears. You can now go to Select -> Save Selection -> save as a new channel -> Save

    You do not have to start from scratch with the Quick Mask mode, you can use it to manually alter, refine a previously made mask, say you want to feather one side of a sharp selection. I usually do not use the Quick Mask mode until after I have already started a selection, but if you are only going to use a selected area at a low blend amount, you can use the Quick Mask mode with a large very soft brush to quite quickly select skies or other large areas that do not require precise borders for blending, in your layers palette.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    If you are in the Refine Edge command, and you want to see your mask, click on the View mode icon at the top of the Refine Edge dialogue box, and you get a series of choices to view - Marching Ants, Overlay, On Black, On White, etc Just click on the Marching Ants box, and the drop down menu closes, and the image reappears with the Marching Ants selection outline displayed on your image. Hit OK and then your selection is visible on your image once again. The go to Select -> Save Selection -> yadda yadda yadda.


    To see your mask on your image itself, Bob, you need to close your Refine Edges dialogue box, then hit the "Q" key. This opens the Quick Mask mode; now with your Brush Tool set to Normal Blend ( Important point ), black ink color, and with the amount set to 100%, you are able to literally paint a mask directly onto a layer of your image with your brush tool. It should appear a pink to reddish blob as you paint your area of selection. If you paint areas "red" that are not desired, change your brush to white and paint away that unwanted part of your mask. When you have the mask looking like you want it, hit the "Q" key again, the Quick Mask mode closes, and your selection with the marching ants reappears. You can now go to Select -> Save Selection -> save as a new channel -> Save

    You do not have to start from scratch with the Quick Mask mode, you can use it to manually alter, refine a previously made mask, say you want to feather one side of a sharp selection. I usually do not use the Quick Mask mode until after I have already started a selection, but if you are only going to use a selected area at a low blend amount, you can use the Quick Mask mode with a large very soft brush to quite quickly select skies or other large areas that do not require precise borders for blending, in your layers palette.
    You really are a gem Pathfinder for taking up your time which I sincerely appreciate. I have definately got it this time.
    Cheers
    Bob
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited August 4, 2013
    Learning masks can be difficult, it certainly seemed that way to me when I learned. But masks are where the real power of Photoshop resides, and well worth learning to utilize. If I can be of further help, Bob, please let me know.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited August 5, 2013
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Learning masks can be difficult, it certainly seemed that way to me when I learned. But masks are where the real power of Photoshop resides, and well worth learning to utilize. If I can be of further help, Bob, please let me know.

    So reassuring and very much appreciated Pathfinder. Thanks again.
    Bob
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