Help with lasso tool. Should be an easy question.

[ashdavid]

Ok... when you click the lasso tool and start drawing/outlining ect, if you let the mouse button go it automaticaly joins the unfinnished line. What I want to do is be able to adjust the zoom for intricate outlining ,but still have the lasso tool contine working for me? Anyone know of a lock mechanisim or a key to hold so that I can perform two functions at once?

TIA.

[PacAce]

Ok... when you click the lasso tool and start drawing/outlining ect, if you let the mouse button go it automaticaly joins the unfinnished line. What I want to do is be able to adjust the zoom for intricate outlining ,but still have the lasso tool contine working for me? Anyone know of a lock mechanisim or a key to hold so that I can perform two functions at once?

TIA.

Instead of using the Lasso tool, use the Polygonal Lasso tool. That one won't close loop until you position the curson over the starting point of the selection. The good thing about is that you don't need to keep pressing the mouse button. You just click at a point, then move the cursor to the next point and click again. And you do this until your selection is complete. You can zoom in and out by using the Alt + (zoom in) and Alt - (zoom out) keys.

[Alastair]

Select the Polygonal Lasso tool which is the one in the attachment.

Then each click anchors a point on the image to be selected, if you zoom in loads you can select circles by doing lots of small lines. Holding down space then allows you to click and drag the image around if you need to move it to select an area outside of where you are viewing. I'm not sure how to zoom in/out whilst trying to select though.

Have a play with it and see how you get on.

There's a tutorial around somewhere I'll try and find for you too.

[René Damkot]

Just keep the mouse button pressed, and press space. This gives you the hand tool. You can release the mouse (or click or whatever) as long as you hold the spacebar. Press cmd (ctrl) as well for zooming in (click mouse to zoom). Space + opt (alt) for zooming out.Keep the mouse button pressed before you release the spacebar...

[ashdavid]

Thanks Guys, I have just tried both methods and they work great. ;)

[Alastair]

This tutorial may help:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994

[ashdavid]

This tutorial may help:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994
Thanks Alastair, that was very helpful.

[cgratti]

Don't use either tools, if you want a more accurate cutout you should be using the pen tool. This tool is much more complicated and much more accurate. If your serious about cutting people or objects out, then you need to learn this tool. Once you learn it, it's like riding a bike.

Here's something that might help get you started with the pen tool in PSCS:

[ashdavid]

I am going to give this a try when I get home today. Thanks for the detailed destription, I will let you know how I go.;)

[cgratti]

I am going to give this a try when I get home today. Thanks for the detailed destription, I will let you know how I go.;)

No problem, dont get discouraged, the Pen tool acts funny, its almost backwards. As a graphic designer, it took me a few weeks to master it. READ ON HOW IT WORKS FIRST!


Learn how to manuver it, once you learn that you wont use any other tool for this.

[PacAce]

Don't use either tools, if you want a more accurate cutout you should be using the pen tool. This tool is much more complicated and much more accurate. If your serious about cutting people or objects out, then you need to learn this tool. Once you learn it, it's like riding a bike.

Here's something that might help get you started with the pen tool in PSCS:

Can't agree with you more. That pen tool is a lot more versatile than just using it for making selection although for most photo editing work, that would be the primary use. :)

[cgratti]

Can't agree with you more. That pen tool is a lot more versatile than just using it for making selection although for most photo editing work, that would be the primary use. :)

I mainly use it in Illustrator, but it works well for Photoshop also.