magnetic lasoo tool

[agvrobot]

Hello everybody.

I have a question regarding the Magnetic lasoo tool .
If I make a slip whilst tracing an image and the tool leaves an erroneous trail how do I undo back to where I made the slip.
If I click EDIT>UNDO I have to start again which is frustating if I've already traced most of the image.

regards Paul

[emkayess65]

Hi,the magnetic lasso will respond to backspace. You can undo successive set points.
Personally -- I don't get along with the magnetic lasso.
I prefer the polygon. It says it is for straight lines - but if you set points close together around a curve you can follow any outline. And you get to choose where those points go - not the tool.
This is copied from my notes:
"Select tools: erratic
This is because you are working with the single image maximized. It will not happen if you are in multi-window mode. To get there, go to the upper right hand corner of the PSE window, to the 2nd line of window control icons, when you scroll over it, it should say multi-window mode, and click on it. You may have to resize the window to fit, but the tool cursors won't jump around. Multi window mode has its own issues as you will see. PSE, as in life itself, gives us choices

one other thing on the magnetic lasso tool -- you know how when you are zoomed in to do a good outline, you get to the end of the window and then the tool zips off the image? Before you get to the end of the window, press the space bar and the cursor changes to a hand. This lets you drag the image so the next area to work on is right where you need it. The lasso tool stands by and resumes when you release the space bar. This really helps with this problem without going to multi-window mode.

PS: this switching to hand works with other tools, too (e.g., crop, eraser, clone)!"
Thank you whoever posted these tips. Sorry I did not keep track of the authors. I would be lost without the forum. Thank you!
HTH
MKS

[Wendy]

Hi Paul ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

I have terrible problems with the magnetic lasso too ... but that tip about using the backspace is so useful ...

Wendy

[ladybug]

o goody I will keep this tip handy by the computer. I will need it. Thanks lots and lots.

[agvrobot]

Marie
Thankyou so much for the tips and I look forward to trying them out tonight


Regards
Paul

[Diana]

Hi,the magnetic lasso will respond to backspace. You can undo successive set points.
Personally -- I don't get along with the magnetic lasso.
I prefer the polygon. It says it is for straight lines - but if you set points close together around a curve you can follow any outline. And you get to choose where those points go - not the tool........

HTH
MKS

MKS, I'm glad to see your post. I thought I was the only one who uses the polygonal lasso to make curved selections. That, along with the backspace to undo and moving around the WAY zoomed in image using the spacebar/hand tool, makes this my selection tool of choice because I can control it and be more precise.

With using some of the "magic" selection tools that are not so precise, I spend more time cleaning up the selection than I save with the initial automatic selection.

Diana

[photoshopsusieq]

Hello Paul and welcome to the forum,

Just had to put in by 2¢ worth... I think you'll find out the the best way to make selections is to use a combination of tools. I use the polygonal or regular lasso tools (NOT the magnetic lasso) to make a basic selection and then finish up with the magic brush.

Here's a few more tips...

Always work on a duplicate copy of your image.
Save your selection Select>Save Selection - this is especially handy if you need to take a break. Use Select>Load Selection and then use the SHIFT or ALT keys to add or substract from the selection.

Hope this wasn't information overload :confused: Feel free to ask more questions because this forum is a great place for help.

[elizabeth]

Hi. I tend to use the magnetic tool to select, say, an horizon, skyline or anything with a fairly definate edge. I then zoom way in on the marching ants and use all or any of the above to add or subtract as necessary. Sometimes it seems to save time. The first magnetic selection is very quick and may get most of the edge just right. Then it is just a bit of clean up. I like the spacebar/hand tip. i will use it too.

cheers. elizabeth

[rmartin]

Yippie! I never knew about the space bar deal. I'm so happy :D:D

[Jbass99]

Hi all,
I was getting ready to start a thread on this subject when I found this one. I shot some photos at a local car show and the lighting was such that I could not effectively use depth of field, so the photos are very busy.
I was hoping to select a car, then inverse the selection and apply blur, but I'm not having much luck. The cars are multi-colored, some with flame jobs, chrome , etc. and the magic selection tool is useless.
The Magnetic Lasso works OK until I get near the edge of the photo (I'm zoomed way out to make selection easier) and then the darn thing just takes off. It's kind of like the automatic scrolling that Word and Excel do. Can this be disabled?
What I'd really like to do is to use a combination of the magnetic, the regular and the polygonal together, switching from one to the other as appropriate. Can any of you pros out there tell me if this is feasible?

[Wendy]

Hi ...

An easier way of doing this is to duplicate the layer ... blur it and then drag it below the original layer.

Next take a soft eraser and erase the areas that you want to keep sharp, or if you have Grant's tools use the mask from the tool set to mask out the area.

Corey did a really good Video on how to acheive a depth of field effect (Subscriber Area>Videos ... 5th Jan 2007) and I am sure that would help you with this :)

Wendy

[hukari]

If you take the time to read all of the thread you are posting in you will find most of the answers to your questions.:)

The magnetic lasso tool can pretty much be used simultaneously as a polygonal lasso tool. If you need to set a point where the tool doesn't, just click. It also helps to adjust the edge contrast and frequency.

Also, from the Help file:
With the Magnetic Lasso tool selected, do one of the following:
To activate the Lasso tool, Alt-drag.
To activate the Polygonal Lasso tool, Alt-click

[Jbass99]

Thanks Wendy, I'll check out the videos.

[Wendy]

Hi ..

Hope that they help and do let us know how you go on with them :)

Wendy

[Bayla]

After reading all the tips on this thread I'm looking forward to the day when they finally do the online course on Selection techniques....

Bayla

[Jbass99]

Hello again,
I've watched the video and you were right, Wendy-it's a much easier technique. I'll try to attach a couple of examples of what I've been playing with. They are a little extreme, I'm still learning the various features and I will probably use just a little simple Gaussian blur in the future. At the risk of inviting more scorn, I do still have a couple of questions, though. When using the magnetic lasso, how do I change to the polygonal? If I simply click, the selection continues while I try to go to the toolbox for the polygon. If I double-click, it makes a selection for me and I still can't change tools. As to the attachments, one is the original shot, another is (too much) Gaussian blur by selecting the car and inversing the selection. Selection was made by painstakingly using the polygonal lasso and swearing a lot. The version with the radial blur was done with the technique learned on the video Wendy referenced. It was easier and faster but when I used a feathered brush, I lost the crisp edge and when I used a sharp one, I couldn't make a graceful curb (too much fun in the sixties, I guess.) Anyway, thanks for all your help, it continues to be invaluable! Well, shoulda known this would happen-can't upload my 350x280 medium quality save of this photo-watch for my plea for help in a new post coming your way!

[Jbass99]

Did I say "curb" instead of "curve?" My apologies! I think I figured out the attachment problem, but put the images in my gallery (Jbass99) instead. Sorry about that, folks.

[emkayess65]

agvrobot
I forgot to say: Welcome to the forum. You'll like it here.

Diana
Sorry I skipped right over your post. I had to think were I got the idea from to use the polygon for curves - it's in the Missing Manual. She says something to the effect of 'dexterity challenged' which rang a bell with me.
I have tried all the other ways to select but keep coming back to the polygon.

Since the thread is on top again I thought I would share another tip that I find very usefull:

When the selection is almost complete(polygon or magnetic) sometimes it tricky to close the loop.
If you hold Control and click it links right up.

MKS