Adobe Photoshop - Selection Tools

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the concept of selections in Photoshop.
• Learn to use various selection tools effectively.
• Master the art of refining selections.
• Apply selection techniques to real-world image editing tasks.

Materials Required:

• Adobe Photoshop software
• Practice images
• Digital pen and tablet (optional)

Introduction to Selections:

• What is a selection?
  • A selection is a specific area of an image that you isolate for editing.
  • It's like outlining a region on a canvas.
• Why are selections important?
  • Selections allow you to perform specific actions on a selected area, such as:
    • Cropping
    • Copying and pasting
    • Adding effects
    • Masking
    • Color correction

Selection Tools:

1. Marquee Tools:
   • Rectangular Marquee Tool: Creates rectangular selections.
   • Elliptical Marquee Tool: Creates elliptical or circular selections.
   • Single Row Marquee Tool: Selects a single row of pixels.
   • Single Column Marquee Tool: Selects a single column of pixels.
2. Lasso Tool:
   • Polygonal Lasso Tool: Creates straight-edged selections.
   • Magnetic Lasso Tool: Snaps to edges of objects in the image.
   • Freeform Lasso Tool: Creates freehand selections.
3. Magic Wand Tool:
   • Selects pixels based on similar color ranges.
4. Quick Selection Tool:
   • Quickly selects areas by brushing over them.

Refining Selections:

• Refine Edge: Adjust the edge of a selection to refine its accuracy.
• Feather: Softens the edges of a selection.
• Expand: Expands the selection outward.
• Contract: Contracts the selection inward.

Practical Exercises:

1. Basic Selections:
   • Select a rectangular area of an image using the Rectangular Marquee Tool.
   • Select a circular area using the Elliptical Marquee Tool.
   • Select a specific object using the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
2. Complex Selections:
   • Use the Magnetic Lasso Tool to select a person's hair.
   • Use the Quick Selection Tool to select a complex object like a tree.
3. Refining Selections:
   • Refine the edge of a selection to remove unwanted areas.
   • Feather the edges of a selection to create a soft transition.
   • Expand or contract a selection to adjust its size.