Introduction to Selection Tools

A selection isolates part of an image so you can work on that area without affecting the rest of the image. Let's learn how to make selections using the Marquee Selection Tools in Photoshop, including how to add, subtract, intersect selections, and deselect to make precise edits. Make sure to download the practice files from the chapter's page to follow along!

To recap:

• In the Tools panel, choose the Rectangular Marquee tool and draw a rectangle on the image. The animated border indicates your selection area. They're also called marching ants;
• The Elliptical Marquee tool is used to make circular and oval shaped selections;
• To add to the selection, click the Add to selection icon in the options bar or hold Shift key while dragging. To subtract from the selection, click the Subtract from selection icon or hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) while dragging;
• To deselect, you can go to the menu bar and go to Select > Deselect or by pressing Ctrl+D (Windows) or CMD+D (macOS).

Some tips to help you with your work:

• Holding Shift while making a selection makes a perfect rectangle with the Rectangular Marquee Tool, or a perfect circle with the Elliptical Rectangular Marquee Tool;
• Holding space when doing your selection, allows you to move your selection without affecting its shape.