Refining Selections

Now that we know how to make selections, let's learn how to fine tune them.

Select and Mask Workspace

• The Select and Mask workspace offers a dedicated environment for refining selections, providing tools for precise adjustments;
• Familiar Photoshop shortcuts are available within the Select and Mask workspace;
• Different viewing options help identify areas for improvement in initial selections, such as the overlay view highlighting discrepancies. On the right side of the workspace, go to the View menu and choose a view option like Overlay for a clearer view of your selection. In Overlay view, the selected area is clear while the non-selected area appears as a translucent red by default. You can always change the opacity as you prefer it;
• In the Tools panel, the Brush tool allows for detailed editing of selections by adding or subtracting specific areas with ease. To subtract from the selection, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) while painting over the areas to remove;
• Experimenting with controls like smoothing and feathering can enhance the overall quality and accuracy of selections;
• Remember, on the right side of the workspace, scroll down to Output Settings > Output to menu, and select Selection as the output type to get the marching ants view;
• Closing the Select and Mask workspace transfers the refined selection back to the main interface, ready for targeted editing.