Lesson #8 - Selection Tools

This is lesson #8 named "Selection Tools". Selection Tools work differently with Raster and Vector layers. Remember in a previous lesson we discussed what Raster and Vector layers are? Raster Layers are made through pixels where as Vector are done from shapes, when making a selection from a raster layer PSP handles it differently than from a Raster layer, so I need to explain these difference before we begin.

The image at the left shows a raster selection boundary and then a vector selection boundary. The raster selection will restrict whatever operation you wish to perform to within the selection boundary (marching ants). The vector selection signifies an object, which is why you see transformation handles instead of the dashed line you see in the raster selection.

You can reduce or enlarge this object at will, change the shape, etc. You can also change the color or the stroke, but you cannot apply any of the special effects that are so abundant in PSP. You must convert your vector layer to a raster layer to add the photo effects. Once a vector layer is converted to a raster layer, it is exactly the same as any raster layer. You cannot convert a raster layer to a vector layer.

So for most of our purposes we will be using raster layers. Open a new Image, 300 x 300 raster with white background. PSP offers three main tools for raster selections: Selection tool, Freehand Selection tool and Magic Wand. The Selection tool, shown at the top of the image below, will create a fixed shape selection. You choose the selection type from the Tool Options menu, with the various shapes in the drop down menu shown below.

To create a selection activate your selection tool and choose a shape from the drop down menu, Rectangle is the default. Holding the left mouse button down drag your shape across the image as below:

Here I used a triangle, and drew it left to right from upper to lower edge. Once you let go of the mouse button you will have your shape surrounded by "marching ants" showing the selection.

If you are using straight lines as with squares and rectangles you do not need to have the "Anti-Alias" box clicked but with shapes like this or circles or curves having the anti-alias box checked will feather your selection slightly and soften the selection. Once you have your selection try to flood fill it with color, making sure that your flood fill tool is placed inside the selection you will see that only the selected area is filled.

Next we have the Freehand Selection Tool which allows you to create, Surprise, freehand selections! We are given different options for using the freehand selection tool as below:

Choosing the Freehand Selection type you can click and drag around an area you like, when you release the mouse button the ending point will join the start point in a straight line. To give a more accurate selection around a object simply end your release near the start point.

These are examples of freehand selection. If you require straight edged selections, as opposed to the curves so easily created by the Freehand option, it is best to select the Point to Point method to create your selection.

To create a selection with this option, activate the Freehand Selection tool, and choose the Point to Point option from the Selection Type drop-down menu in the Tool Menu. Click and release at the point you would like to start your selection. Move your mouse to the next place you would like to place a corner and click. Continue clicking new lines until you have the selection you desire. Double-click to set the selection. The end point will be joined to the beginning and the straight lines will change to the "marching ants" selection boundary. Now choose a color and flood fill this image. We will use this image in the next section.

The Smart Edge Selection Tool is designed to automatically select along the edge of an irregular object. Activate the Freehand Selection tool and choose Smart Edge from the drop-down menu in the Options window. Click and release exactly on the edge you would like to select. Move to the first change in direction on the object edge and click and release again. A faint blue line is placed along the edge as soon as you click on the object. Double click to end your selection.

Next is Edge Seeker, this tool was optimally supposed to be able to get edges across layer boundaries, but I haven't found it to be any different than the Smart Edge Feature. In fact it is less precise and more flawed than Smart Edge. Give it a try and see what you find.

My favorite tool of all is the Magic Wand

it probably saves more time than any other tool PSP has. The concept is simple: One click and all similar colors in that area will be selected. Activate the Magic Wand tool and click on the filled area of your image. A selection border will appear around the whole thing, just as if you used the Smart Edge tool. I have provided a sample image here, right click and save this image in your PSP folder and reopen in your program. Using the Magic Wand tool click on one of the colors in our circle. Like this

The Magic Wand only selected the colors in the range of the pixel that you chose. This time try raising the "Tolerance" level and do the selection again, tolerance is one of the settings in the Tool Menu. What do you get?

You get a wider range of color selected. The higher the tolerance the more range of color you will have selected. There is also a selection for match mode in the Tools Menu for the Magic Wand tool. RGB Value selects color by the RGB numbers
Hue selects area by position in the color wheel
Brightness selects area based on the amount of white in the color
All Opaque selects areas that contain no transparent pixels
Opacity selects areas that are of similar opacity

In PSP XI, the Hue select is now Color, also you will find Perceptual selects pixels that match the perceptual shading variation and lightness of the pixel you click and Traditional selects pixels that match red, green, and blue values, with a bias toward lightness variations, play with these a little with this image and see what kind of selections you get.

We will discuss these more in length at a later time for right now we will be using RGB selection when talking about the Magic Wand Tool.

The best advice I can give you is to experiment. If you do not get the results that you are seeking, adjust the tolerance, or the Match Mode. It only takes a minute to check another setting, and the savings are significant over using the Freehand Selection tool to accomplish a selection.

Once you have the Magic Wand tool conquered you have a powerful tool at your disposal that as time goes on you will find more and more uses for. We will be discussing this tool again in future lessons.