Selection Tools
Selection Tools & Selections
Gallery
![]()
|
Students will learn to use:
![]()
|
Steps
To make a round selection you just click and drag the cursor over the area that you want to select.
Try it.
Try it!!! Now zoom in the area with the blueberry. Select it. |

The next step is to move the blueberry over the carrot slice.
Move tool is for moving!
Select the Move tool
Move tool is for moving!
Select the Move tool

Place it inside your selection. Do you see the cursor changed to scissors? By using this tool right now you are cutting the blueberry out of the background in order to reposition it.
Drag the selection over the carrot slice.
While your blueberry is still selected, you can adjust its position (with a mouse or using the arrow keys on the keyboard)
Once you deselect it - it it permanently embedded into the image.
Deselect:
Select > Deselect on the menu bar
or Command D (Ctrl D)
Drag the selection over the carrot slice.
While your blueberry is still selected, you can adjust its position (with a mouse or using the arrow keys on the keyboard)
Once you deselect it - it it permanently embedded into the image.
Deselect:
Select > Deselect on the menu bar
or Command D (Ctrl D)

Use the same Marquee tool to select the carrot slice.
Let's add the second eye.
It is important that your carrot is still selected. There is a way in Photoshop to duplicate selections and move them at the same time. Choose the Move tool. Place the cursor inside the selection (carrot). Hold Option (Alt) key. See a small plus sign? Keep holding it down. Now drag you carrot selection to create another eye. Position the second slice. Now you can deselect. |
Zoom in the area with the kiwi.
You are going to select it. One way to select is to use the Elliptical Marquee Tool. You are going to use Quick Selection Tool. This tool is a cross between Magic Wand and a Brush Tool. It selects as you move it around. You can change the size of it in the Option bar. I chose size 8. Now place it over the kiwi and click, hold the mouse and move the cursor over the green area. Don't hold it too long - it will select too much. If it did not work right - deselect and start over. |
Zoom in the area with the mushroom.
To select mushroom draw the selection around it. Try to stay close to the shape. But if you don't - not a big deal. We'll fix it. Remember - drawing your own selection - you need to return to your start point. Selection is a closed shape. So you need to end at your start point. |

Zoom in the area with the grapefruit.
You are going to use Magnetic Lasso Tool. It is similar to Lasso Tool. It also allows you to "draw" the selection, but.....
Magnetic Lasso will snap to the edges of the objects that you draw. Actually, it snaps to the biggest contrast between the colors (values). Usually, the biggest contrast is the edge of an object vs. the background.
You are going to use Magnetic Lasso Tool. It is similar to Lasso Tool. It also allows you to "draw" the selection, but.....
Magnetic Lasso will snap to the edges of the objects that you draw. Actually, it snaps to the biggest contrast between the colors (values). Usually, the biggest contrast is the edge of an object vs. the background.

Move the selection towards the melon. You are going to make an ear out of it.
Next - rotate the ear ( and resize it)
To do this go to Edit > Transform > Free Transform
or Command T (Ctrl T)
You will see a bounding box around the selection.
Next - rotate the ear ( and resize it)
To do this go to Edit > Transform > Free Transform
or Command T (Ctrl T)
You will see a bounding box around the selection.

Inside the bounding box is a Rotation point. Think about it as a pin that holds the shape. If you rotate the shape the pin would stay where it is now. You can move the Rotation point within the shape or outside the shape.
Place the cursor next to a corner of the bounding box. The cursor should become a double-headed arrow.
Rotate.
To resize the shape drag a corner of the box.
To resize without distorting and stretching the selection - hold SHIFT while resizing
Place the cursor next to a corner of the bounding box. The cursor should become a double-headed arrow.
Rotate.
To resize the shape drag a corner of the box.
To resize without distorting and stretching the selection - hold SHIFT while resizing
It is really important to follow the steps exactly as they are described:
1. Start at the upper left corner. Click and drag the selection line following the shape of the bow tie. Stop at the upper right corner.
2. Do not release the mouse yet!!!
With the mouse down, hold Option (Alt) key.
3. Now release the mouse (still holding the Option (Alt) key down). The cursor changed to Polygonal Lasso Tool.
4. Start clicking to follow the pasta's zigzag shape.
5. Stop at the bottom right corner.
6. With the mouse down, release the Option (Alt) key. The cursor changes back to Lasso Tool.
7. Follow the shape of the pasta and stop at the bottom left corner.
8. Holding the mouse down, hold Option (Alt) key. Draw the left zigzag side.
9. Finish your selection at the start point.
1. Start at the upper left corner. Click and drag the selection line following the shape of the bow tie. Stop at the upper right corner.
2. Do not release the mouse yet!!!
With the mouse down, hold Option (Alt) key.
3. Now release the mouse (still holding the Option (Alt) key down). The cursor changed to Polygonal Lasso Tool.
4. Start clicking to follow the pasta's zigzag shape.
5. Stop at the bottom right corner.
6. With the mouse down, release the Option (Alt) key. The cursor changes back to Lasso Tool.
7. Follow the shape of the pasta and stop at the bottom left corner.
8. Holding the mouse down, hold Option (Alt) key. Draw the left zigzag side.
9. Finish your selection at the start point.
The next selection is the intricate shape of a bunch of green onions.
We are lucky we need to select this complex shape from a solid color background (white). There will be 2 steps in selecting it: 1. Use Rectangular Marquee Tool and draw a rectangular selection around the shape. Make sure you just get the white background into your selection. |