Quick Selection Tool, Lasso Tools, & Other Selection Tools

The Quick Selection Tool

• The Quick Selection Tool detects image edges based on color and tone for quick and easy selections;
• Once you make an initial selection, the tool switches to Add to Selection mode. Drag over other areas to expand the selection;
• To subtract from the selection, hold the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (macOS) while dragging over the areas you want to deselect;
• You can adjust the size and hardness of the Quick Selection Tool in the options bar, similar to what you do with the Brush Tool.

The Lasso Tool

• This tool is a great free-form tool for refining selections. It is useful for manual cleanup of selections and works well in conjunction with other tools;
• The Magnetic Lasso Tool acts like a magnet and can automatically be attracted to an object's border or edge;
• The Polygonal Lasso Tool creates selections in straight lines and can be very useful with geometric shapes. Just remember that they form invisible stops or pins with every mouse click;
• To add to a selection, hold Shift and drag around the area you want to include;
• To subtract from a selection, choose the Subtract from Selection option in the options bar, or hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) while dragging around the area to remove it;
• Press Ctrl+D (Windows) or CMD+D (macOS) to deselect.

Other Selection Tools Include

Magic Wand Tool

It was one of Photoshop's earliest features. It enables you to create a complex selection in an image with just a single click. Although it seems almost magical, it has certain limitations. Knowing how it works will help you decide when to use it and how to adjust the settings for better results. When you use the Magic Wand Tool, Photoshop examines the pixel you clicked on and selects areas based on the color and tone of that pixel. Areas of surrounding pixels that are similar in tone and color become part of the selection. Anything that is too dissimilar is ignored and left out of the selection.

Object Selection Tool

The Object Selection Tool is useful for automatically selecting objects or regions such as people, cars, pets, sky, water, buildings, plants, and mountains in an image. It's one of Photoshop's latest features. It allows you to define the subject by drawing a rough outline around it. After you create this initial selection, Photoshop automatically refines it to fit the edges of the subject. If the selection isn't perfect, you can easily adjust it by adding or subtracting areas simply by dragging around them with any other selection tool.

It also uses the Object Finder command. You can utilize it when you hover the mouse pointer over an object or region in your image you would like to select. Selectable objects and regions will be highlighted with an overlay color. The default overlay color for it is magenta.

In conclusion, choosing the right selection tool depends on the project's requirements. They allow for more flexibility while doing your selection. Using multiple selection tools together can enhance the accuracy and complexity of selections for your projects.