Photoshop CS3: Selecting an Area

Photoshop has multiple selection tools to accommodate the different types of selections. All of these tools are found in the Toolbox.

Selecting with the Marquee Tools Marquee tools make rectangular, elliptical, and single row or single column selections. The Marquee tools are found in the uppermost left corner of the Toolbox.

To recognize this tool, look for one of these buttons:

1. From the Toolbox, select and hold the Marquee Tool. The hidden Marquee tools appear.

2. Select one of the tools

3. To select an area, click and drag the the crosshair pointer to surround your desired selection HINTS: To obtain a perfect square or circle, press and hold [Shift] before clicking and dragging the mouse.

4. To finish the selection, release the mouse button

5. Complete the desired action (e.g., copy, add color) NOTE: The area remains selected.

6. To prevent inadvertent changes to the selected area, when complete, deselect the area 

Selecting with the Lasso Tools

Lasso tools make free hand selections of irregularly shaped areas, with or without straight edges. When working with these tools, the pointer takes the shape of the tool. To make the selection process more precise, you can convert it to a crosshair pointer by pressing [Caps Lock].

HINT: You can switch between the Lasso tools by pressing [Shift] + [L].

Making Free Hand Selections

Selecting with the Lasso Tool is similar to drawing a line around an area with a pen. NOTE: The method used is click and drag. When you release the mouse button, the selection is completed.

    

1. From the Toolbox, select Lasso Tool

    

2. Click and drag around the contours/border of the area you want to select

3. Release the mouse button. The point at which you release will be connected with the beginning point to enclose the area. NOTE: The selected area is now surrounded by animated dashes. HINT: If your selection is not quite right, press [Ctrl] + [D] and repeat steps 2-3.

4. Complete the desired action (e.g., copy, add color) The area remains selected.

5. To prevent inadvertent changes to the selected area, when complete, deselect the area

Making Straight‐Edged Selections

The Polygonal Lasso Tool allows you to select oddly shaped areas of an image. You can use this tool if you want to select a triangular or other polygonal area of an image.

1. From the Toolbox, select the Polygonal Lasso Tool. NOTE: The Polygonal Lasso Tool is a hidden lasso tool. Click and hold the Lasso Tool button on the Toolbox to select the Lasso tool of your choice, e.g., the Polygonal Lasso Tool.

2. Position the polygonal lasso pointer where you want to start selecting and click the mouse

3. Move to the next corner of the area you want to select and click HINT: To ensure a straight line selection, press [Shift] before clicking. A line and an anchor point appear.

4. Repeat step 3 until the desired area is selected

5. To finish the selection, double click on the last point

6. Complete the desired action (e.g., copy, add color)

The area remains selected.

7. To prevent inadvertent changes to the selected area, when complete, deselect the area