Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
The Quick Selection tool was introduced several versions ago and is probably one of the best ways to
start a selection. By using the Quick Selection tool as a brush, you can make selections of areas that are
similar in color. In this next section, you will make a selection using the Quick Selection tool, and then
refine it using Refine Edge. The Refine Edge feature is powerful, and you will explore this feature more
throughout this topic; for now, you will use this feature in its simplest form.
1
Choose File > Browse in Bridge and open the file named
advps0303.psd
. A portrait of a woman ap-
pears.
2
Choose File > Save As. In the Save As dialog box, type
advps0303_work.psd
in the File Name text
field. Make sure it is in the Photoshop (PSD) format and that you are saving the file into the advps03-
lessons folder. Click Save.
3
Select the Quick Selection tool ( ) and start painting the woman; notice that you are painting the se-
lection. You do not have controls to change the range of colors that are being selected, but you can
change the width of the brush to select smaller or larger areas.
4
Press the Right Bracket (]) key; notice that the brush size for the Quick Selection tool becomes larger.
Press the Left Bracket ([) key; notice that the brush size becomes smaller.
Don't worry about getting a great selection of the hair on the woman; do the best you can to get up to
the edge of her hair without selecting a large span of the background.
Paint the woman using the Quick Selection tool to make a selection.
5
If you paint too far and select too much, press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Mac
OS) and paint over that region again.
6
Choose File > Save; keep your selection active for the next part of the lesson.
Refining your selection
In this next section, you use the Refine Edge feature to improve your selection.
