Photoshop Selections Tutorials
Master Photoshop's Selection Tools With Tutorials At Photoshop Essentials.com!
Need to learn how to make selections in Photoshop? That's what this section of Photoshop Essentials is all about! Here, you'll find our complete collection of Photoshop Selection Tools tutorials, beginning with a look at why we need to make selections in the first place! Learn how to draw rectangular and square selections with the Rectangular Marquee Tool, elliptical and circular selections with the Elliptical Marquee Tool, freehand selections with the Lasso Tool, how to make selections based on tone and color with the Magic Wand Tool and the Color Range command, how to paint over objects to easily select them with the Quick Selection Tool, and even how to master selections using Photoshop's Pen Tool, plus much more! New Photoshop Selections tutorials are added regularly, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates!
Download our tutorials as printable PDFs! Learning Photoshop has never been easier!
Photoshop Selections - Why Do We Need Selections?
There's lots of ways to make selections in Photoshop, some simple, some advanced, but having lots of ways to do something doesn't explain why we need to do it in the first place, so in this tutorial, we'll look at why we need to make selections in Photoshop at all, and why Photoshop doesn't see things like we do.
Photoshop Selections - The Rectangular Marquee Tool
Being able to select objects or areas in a photo is one of the most important Photoshop skills you need, but not all selections need to be complex or time consuming. The Rectangular Marquee Tool, one of Photoshop's basic selection tools, is perfect for making selections based on simple geometric shapes.
Photoshop Selections - The Elliptical Marquee Tool
The Rectangular Marquee Tool may be one of the easiest Photoshop selection tools to use, but it isn't much help to us when we need to draw oval or circular selections. That's where the Elliptical Marquee Tool comes in. In fact, the Elliptical Marquee Tool is really just the Rectangular Marquee Tool with extremely rounded corners!
Photoshop Selections - The Lasso Tool
Photoshop's Lasso Tool is probably the easiest of the selection tools to use, allowing us to draw freehand selections around objects in a photo as if we were outlining them on paper with a pen or pencil. We'll also learn how to fix up problem areas and dramatically improve your results!
Photoshop Selections - The Polygonal Lasso Tool
The Polygonal Lasso Tool, another of Photoshop's geometry-based selection tools, allows us to easily select objects with straight, flat surfaces with just the click of a mouse!
Photoshop Selections - The Magnetic Lasso Tool
The Magnetic Lasso Tool is one of the best selection tools in Photoshop, giving us much better results than what the standard Lasso Tool offers in less time and with less effort and frustration. In fact, with a little practice, you may find yourself hopelessly attracted to it!
Unlock The Full Power Of Basic Selections
If all you've been doing with Photoshop's basic selection tools is making a new selection every time, you've been missing out. In this tutorial, learn how to unlock their full potential by adding to, subtracting from, and intersecting selections!
Photoshop Selections - The Magic Wand Tool
The Magic Wand, one of the oldest and most basic selection tools in Photoshop, selects pixels in an image based on tone and color. Learn how it works and how a tool so simple can make replacing the sky in a photo quick and easy!
Photoshop Selections: The Quick Selection Tool
If you're using Photoshop CS3 or higher, you'll definitely want to learn all about the Quick Selection Tool and how it lets us select objects in an image simply by painting over them!
Photoshop Selections - The Color Range Command
When it comes to making color-based selections in an image, most Photoshop users turn to the Magic Wand Tool because it's easy and it's right there in the Tools panel. But if you dig a bit deeper, you'll find the Color Range command, and in this tutorial, you'll learn why it's time to wave that Magic Wand goodbye!
Photoshop Selections - Feather Selections With Quick Mask
There are lots of times when we need to feather, or soften, our selection edges, but Photoshop's Feather command gives us no way to preview what we're doing. In this tutorial, learn a better way to feather selections using Quick Mask mode!
Making Selections With The Pen Tool In Photoshop
Still using the Lasso Tool to select everything that isn't a rectangle, square or circle? It's time to take your selections to a whole new level! Learn how to outline objects with paths using the Pen Tool, and then how to easily convert those paths into professional quality selections!
Transforming Selections In Photoshop
Tired of drawing selections in the wrong size, shape or location you needed and trying again and again until you get it right? Learn how to fix the selection you've already made with Photoshop's Transform Selection command, and create a fun picture-in-picture effect while you're at it!
Download our tutorials as printable PDFs! Learning Photoshop has never been easier!
