Retouching lesson 4 - Whitening eyes

[Bayla]

Well I spent a very unproductive hour late last night trying this tutorial out. My problem is that though I can do it in my sleep I just seem to fall to pieces once I try to do a selection or (using the second method) paint with a brush. I keep on selecting bits of the eyelid or painting out the pupil no matter how much I zoom in! I find even the magic lasso tool very difficult to master. Not sure why I'm finding it so difficult as I normally have no problems with fine motor skills and my eye/hand coordination is good. Dave makes it all look so effortless.

I guess I'm gonna have to seriously think about getting a graphics tablet and/or PSE4 (I love that magic selection brush tool!) but before I go out & splash out the £££££s I was wondering what other applications a graphics tablet has apart from photo editing? Also am I best off buying a very basic one or one with more features (I've been comparing the Intuos/Graphire ones but maybe they're too advanced?)

Any advice most gratefully received

Bayla

[Wendy]

Bayla ...

I have to say that I still find when making a selection that the ordinary lasso works best for me ... and don't forget that you can "add to " or "subtract from" your selection simply by clicking on the different boxes at the top of the screen.

Anothet tip is to zoom in very close and take your time over doing it ... you do get used to making selections but practise is the key to it :)

Wendy

[Bayla]

Thanks Wendy. I've given the regular lasso a go this morning, zoomed right in but I just can't seem to get the mouse to do what I want! Marching ants? All I get is a load of extremely drunk looking ants careering all over the place! I know I can add & subtract using the Alt & Shift keys, but I feel a bit like the proverbial joiner trying to saw the legs off a table & get them all the same length - as soon as I take a bit off, I have to add a bit on and so on and so forth......

Bayla

[GaryK]

Bayla

Is your mouse ball/rollers clean?
I know, sometimes, it is a little tough to make a selction with the mouse, but you are making it sound horrendous :D

[Bayla]

Ok. I cleaned them, not that they were very dirty. I've had another go and it was slightly better this time around. I also realised that if I had painted a bit of the eyeball white I found it easier to take the eraser tool and erase it - for some reason I have less problems removing what I don't want rather than adding in what I do! Also the second method that Dave uses (changing the blend mode to screen, filling the layer with black and then whitening the eyes) I seem to find easier cos there's no selection involved.

I've also got a splitting headache from concentrating so much :cry:

Thanks for all your help. I guess practise makes impovements if not perfect!

Bayla

[Wendy]

Bayla ...

I well remember the headaches I used to get from using Elements ... but don't worry about it as they wear off very quickly. The more you use the lasso the better you become ... promise :)


Wendy

[Pauline]

Bayla, ask Santa for a Wacom tablet. That will solve a lot of your problems with making selections!! It makes life so much easier. The mouse just doesn't cut it.

[Wendy]

Pauline ...

Funny thing is I am still finding it easier to do selections with the mouse than the tablet ... :lol: :lol:

Wendy

[Pauline]

Really Wendy??? Well I guess the difference is that you have had much more time with PS, and using the mouse, so your skills with it are fine tuned. I, on the other hand have spent more time with real paint brushes and pencils, etc., and only used the mouse for point and click stuff. Now I did try using the Wacom mouse the other day for the first time, and found I liked my optical one better!! It's all what you get used to I guess.

[Bayla]

I was going to ask whether the sort of mouse one uses makes a difference. I have a regular mouse, would an optical mouse be a better bet?

Bayla

[Wendy]

I love my Optical Wireless Mouse ... it eats up batteries but I keep a recharged supply :)

Wendy

[Pauline]

Optical mouse does make a big difference in controls. You can get one that is usb connected rather than batteries.

[willpresley]

When I bought this system I was saddled with a ball-mouse and it didn't take me long to find an optical -- I really dislike using the regular mouse as the optical has much better control and response.

But over that I prefer the pen and tablet for fine work in elements.