Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
NOTE
If you used Decontaminate Colors, you can't choose Selection or Layer Mask from the
Output To menu—you have to choose one of the New Layer or New Document options
instead. That's because Decontaminate Colors changes the color of pixels in your image,
so it does more than just change the edges of a selection. Adobe imposes this restriction to
help preserve your original image.
There aren't any particular Refine Edge settings that apply to every selection. Most of the
time you'll need to play around with several of its sliders to get the best result. But if you
want the Refine Edge dialog box to always open with the same settings (you always want
Smart Radius turned on, say), turn on the Remember Settings checkbox at the bottom of the
dialog box. After that, the next time you launch Refine Edge, all the settings should be just
the way you left them.
The Selection Brush
The Selection Brush is great for creating complex selections when you want to be totally in
charge (without the help you get from the Quick Selection tool), and for cleaning up selec-
tions made with other tools, especially if you're trying to fix holes within such a selection.
You can use it on its own or as a complement to the Quick Selection tool.
The Quick Selection tool doesn't always put the edges of your selection exactly where you
want them. In contrast, the Selection Brush gives you total control because it selects only the
area you drag your cursor over. You can even let go of the mouse button, and each time you
drag again, Elements automatically adds to your selection; you don't need to change modes
in the Tool Options area or to hold down the Shift key, as you do with other Selection tools.
The Selection Brush also has a Mask mode, where Elements highlights what
isn't
part of
your selection, which is great for finding tiny spots you've missed and for checking the ac-
curacy of your selection's outline. In Mask mode, anything you paint over gets
masked
out;
in other words, it's protected from being selected. Masking is a little confusing at first, but
you'll soon see how useful it is.
Figure 5-9
shows the same selection made with and without
Mask mode.
The Selection Brush is pretty simple to use:
1.
Click the Selection Brush's icon in the Tools panel or press A
.
