The Magnetic Lasso - Part I (Photoshop)

Sunday, November 4, 2012
Daylight Saving Time Starts

Taking the Pain Out of Learning Photoshop

(The Magnetic Lasso - Part I)

    First of all, I want to thank the few of you who have visited this blog or who have continued to drop by. I was frustrated at the few viewers who have visited. However, if I want to have more viewers, I will have to keep working to make the blog better, with more posts, and keep on working!

 So, I've come back to this blog, and I will try and add loads of posts from now on.

   I've always had trouble with some of the Photoshop menus. I bought lots of books, tried to find blogs on Photoshop, went to Adobe-Photoshop for help and tutorials, and I was never satisfied. I felt that the writer went too fast, or missed small detail, or wrote poorly. When I taught, I wrote books, and for the few who did read the books, I'm sure they were very appreciative and learned a lot.

My previous posts were written with that in mind, and I will continue to do so.

   For those who do read this blog, please feel free to send me suggestions, corrections, or topics  for future posts. I'm not an expert on Photoshop, by all means, but I'll try and learn what you'll ask.

   The magnetic lasso is found on the left side of the main Photoshop window. Of course, you can rearrange the window, but I've always left that menu there. 

   The magnetic lasso allows you to "capture" a part or a whole item in a photo. When you "capture" something, you can then use it somewhere else. Maybe the background is distracting, and you want to use the car against a simpler background with 1 solid colour.

A Toy Photo (J.Chein) That I will be Working With

The Magnetic Lasso

There are 3 tools that share the plave where the magnetic lasso is.

(I'm only going to talk about the magnetic lasso today)

The Adjustments for the Magnetic Lasso are Found at the Top Horizontal Menu

They Appear when you  Avtivate the Magnetic Lasso.

Notice that I've set the "width" to 10 px (pixels)

Setting a lower number will make the small  magnetic points or squares farther apart.

Notice that I've set the "width" to 50 px (pixels)

Setting a higher number will make the small  magnetic points or squares closer together.

"Frequency"  means how many of those tiny squares will be laid down as you move the mouse.

For finer detail I use a higher frequency number.

For finer detail (Smaller part of a photo), you can enlarge the magnification.

You stop the work with the magnetic lasso, and then enlarge the image.

(Control + on a Mac).

When you are finished, you can shrink the size to what you were working with before.

 Nothing works 100% in Photoshop.

You always have to make adjustments or refine the tool.

#1: I couldn't see in the shadow, so I purposely placed the magnetic points farther away.

#2 &  #3:  The magnetic lasso doesn't always place the small squares where you want them.

Inthe cases of #2 & # 3, the capture was either inside or outside where I wanted it.

Below, I've enlarged the 2 points that I am talking about.

As with most of Photoshop, there are always alternatives.

I could simply have went backwards as I was placing down the magnetic points. 

I'll explain that later (after supper).

2 points that did not magnetize properly!

Correcting an Error

I mentioned already that Photoshop never works 100%.

In the image above, the magnetic lasso "wandered" off from its' settings, and started to lay down squares in the wrong place.

To correct this, simply press delete on your keyboard (Mac)

Refine Edge

The  Refine Edge menu allows you to adjust the "capture". When you finally come back to your first magnetic square, and then press on it, the "capture" will be complete. At that point, the line of squares will change to marching moving ants of black and white small lines.

However, Photoshop will allow you to modify the capture.  The above menu, can be found at the end of the settings for the magnetic lasso, at the top horizontal menu.

The Refine Edge menu can be opened by cllicking on the Refine Edge rectangle to the right above.

The 2 arrows are pointing to  errors in the magnetic lasso.

The Refine Edge Window after clicking on the refine edge rectangle

at the top horizontal menu

When the menu appears, it will also show you how the magnetic lasso has isolated the "capture" from teh background. Notice how part of the wooden wheel is missing (top arrow).

By adjusting the "Smart Radius" value, the "capture" is moved away.

Notice how the capture border has moved away from the missing part of the wooden wheel.

The bottom front portion of the car is still a problem , although there has been an improvement.

I'm gpoing to continue with the magnetic lasso in the next post. I'm working with CS5, although CS4 and CS6 will work in the same manner. Try following the instructions that I have left here. When I continue with the next post, you will be able to remember what I said, and easily follow the next post.

To Be Continued......

Thanks for dropping by, 

and have a great morning, afternoon, or evening

wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman