Making Selections in Photoshop
Rectangular Marquee Tool
I created this selection by using the rectangular marquee tool in Photoshop. When on Photoshop, I selected the rectangular marquee tool which is the second tool on the left side of Photoshop. When the tool is selected, I first clicked on a corner of the red rectangle and then dragged the mouse to the corner diagonal to the corner first selected. With the rectangle selected, I clicked on the "Image" menu at the top of the screen. I chose "Adjustments" then "Hue/Saturation" and adjusted the numbers for the Hue and Saturation. I repeated this for all the rectangular shaped objects. This tool is good for rectangular objects and it creates smooth, strait selection lines. A disadvantage for this tool is that it can only be used for rectangular objects not circular or triangular objects.
Elliptical Marque Tool
I created this selection by using the elliptical marquee tool in Photoshop. First a found a image of a bride and groom online. In order to select the elliptical marquee tool, I right clicked on the rectangular marquee tool and selected the elliptical marquee tool. I proceeded to select an oval around the bride and groom. Then I created a new layer by clicking on the icon that looks like a folded page an the bottom right side of Photoshop. Making sure the new layer is selected, I clicked "Edit" on the menu at the top and then clicked "Fill" and filled the layer with a white background. I then clicked the eye next to the new layer so it is not visible. When on the background layer (picture of the bride and groom), I clicked on the "Select" menu at the top of the screen, chose "Modify" and then clicked on "Feather". I changed the Feather Radius to 30 pixels. After that, I clicked on the eye of layer 1 which caused the background to be white.
For the moon picture, I opened the photo in Photoshop and changed the elliptical marquee tool's fixed ratio to have a width of 1 and a height of 1. I then clicked on the outside of the moon and dragged the mouse tell the entire moon is selected. I opened up a new background on a new tab. Back on the moon picture, I selected the move icon and clicked the on the moon and moved the moon to the new background. I moved the sun the the corner and changed the size of the moon. This tool is good fro making perfect circles or an elliptical. It also makes smooth selections. A disadvantage is that this tool can not be used for any other shape.
For the moon picture, I opened the photo in Photoshop and changed the elliptical marquee tool's fixed ratio to have a width of 1 and a height of 1. I then clicked on the outside of the moon and dragged the mouse tell the entire moon is selected. I opened up a new background on a new tab. Back on the moon picture, I selected the move icon and clicked the on the moon and moved the moon to the new background. I moved the sun the the corner and changed the size of the moon. This tool is good fro making perfect circles or an elliptical. It also makes smooth selections. A disadvantage is that this tool can not be used for any other shape.
Magic Wand Tool
I created this selection by using the magic wand tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I right clicked on the fourth icon on the left that looks like a paintbrush. I then selected the magic wand tool that looks like a wand and set the tolerance to 32. Using this tool, I selected the blue sky by holding down the shift key and clicking on the sky. If the whole sky was not selected, click on those sections to select them. Then I clicked "Select" on the top and selected "Inverse". Lastly, I selected "Control J". I then created a new layer where I where I pasted my selection on.In order to make the background white,I made a new layer that I filled with white. I placed that layer in between layer 1 and the background. I then opened a picture of clouds, copied it, and pasted it to the original layer (background). An advantage for this tool is that it is easy to use and it completely selects the area you want selected. It works well in a single color range. A disadvantage is that the edges are not very smooth and the edges appear to be chunky.
Quick Selection Tool
I created this selection by using the quick selection tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I selected the fourth icon on the left that looks like a paintbrush. Using this tool, I clicked on the boys arm and moved my mouse around the boy and the wheelbarrow while holding down the mouse. After selecting the entire boy and wheelbarrow, I held down the "Alt" key in order to deselect the area in between the boys arm and the wheelbarrow's legs. With the main subject selected, I inverted the selection by pressing "Shift"+"Ctrl"+"I". I then clicked on the circle that is half white and half black on the bottom right side of Photoshop. Then, I clicked on "Hue/Saturation" and changed the values. This changed the color background. To make the background white, I made a new layer and filled it with white. I then placed that layer in between the other layers. An advantage to this tool is that is it easy to use. A disadvantage is that it created chunky, rough, not smooth edges and the selection looks out of focus.
Lasso Tool
I created this selection by using the lasso tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I selected the third icon on the left side that looks like a lasso. Using this tool, I held down the "Shift" key and moved my mouse around the hands to select the area I wanted selected. If I needed to add to the selection, I held down the "Shift" key and started to make a line inside the hands, extended to the areas I needed to select, then I let go with the line inside the hands. To subtract areas, I held down the "Alt" key and made a line that started outside the hands, extended to the areas that need to be selected and ended outside the hands. I then copied the image ("Ctrl" +"C") and pasted it ("Ctrl" + "V") onto another photo background in a new tab pf Photoshop. To make the background white, I made a new layer and filled it with white and hide the original background. I made the hands bigger and moved them in order for them to fit the screen. An advantage to this tool is that it is easy to use and creates smooth edges. A disadvantage is that it is hard to make a straight line, is time consuming and is very precise.
Polygonal Lasso Tool
I created this selection by using the polygonal lasso tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I right clicked on the third icon on the left side that looks like a lasso and then clicked on the "Polygonal lasso tool". Using this tool, I clicked the four corners of the billboard which caused the entire billboard to be selected. I then copied an image from another tab I opened in Photoshop. To add the image to the billboard, I switch to the photo of the billboard, then selected the "Edit" menu at the top and choose the "Paste Into" command. To make the school I used the polygonal lasso tool to make straight lines along the building and sky and switched to regular lasso tool by holding down the "Alt" key. When the sky was selected, I held down the "Alt" key and clicked on the "Layer Mask" icon on the bottom right. I copied and pasted a new background to the photo and created a new layer filled with white to make the background white. An advantage to this tool is that it is good for angles and edges, rectangular objects, is easy to use and makes clean edges. A disadvantage is that is is not good for other shapes like a circle.
Magnetic Lasso Tool
I created this selection by using the magnetic lasso tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I right clicked on the third icon on the left side that looks like a lasso and then clicked on the "Magnetic lasso tool". Using the tool, I clicked on the statues knee and moved my mouse around the statue as it selected the outline of the statue. If it did not select the right line, I would press the "Backspace" key to go back and click on the area that needs to be selected. To make a straight line, I held down the "Alt" key and clicked on the starting point and dragged my mouse to the end point (it switches to the polygonal lasso tool). To be able to draw a line, I held down the "Alt" key and moved my mouse while holding it down (it switches to the regular lasso tool). To subtract areas selected, I held down the "Alt" key and outlined what needed to be deselected. I then copied and pasted it to a different background and a layer that was filled with white. An advantage of this tool is that it makes clean lines, it does part of the work for you, and makes curve lines. A disadvantage is that is can be difficult at times and does not always select the right line.
Pen Tool
I created this selection by using the pen tool in Photoshop. In Photoshop, I selected the fifteenth tool of the left side, labeled "Pen tool". Using this tool, I placed three points that outlined part of the dolphins. I he held down the "Alt" key and and adjusted the lines until they outlined the area they need to. i continued making anchor points and adjusting them until the dolphins were fully selected. An advantage for this tool is that it uses math to make shapes, can make straight lines curve, and takes up no space to safe. A disadvantage for this tool is that it is complicated to use at first but becomes easier as you get the hang of it.