How to make a precise line when adding color to eyes, lips?

I have been playing with my new software , PS Elements 6.0. I tried a few different brushes to get a feel for coloring in eyes, and lips on this B&W pic. I zommed in, but do I need a real steady hand to outline the lips, or is there a different method (paint bucket) that will fill the lips in with color, more pricisely and accurately? Thanks in advance!

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lasso tool is your friend, zoom in, and using the polygon lasso click points around the area you want to select, then feather by a couple of pixels (helps smooth out the lasso selection) and make your corrections/alteration​s

I used to use the lasso tool, but that thing is a pain..it won't let me go back and readjust. Now, I use the pen tool I can delete whichever points were put there by mistake and re-do them . I always feather around 2-3 pixels.

If PSE6 has a pen tool, I recommend that.
(Since it's easiest to go back to and adjust)

René Damkot wrote in post #6274105
If PSE6 has a pen tool, I recommend that.
(Since it's easiest to go back to and adjust)

It has a pencil too (which I used) is that close enough?

Are you painting with a mouse?

PhotoGuru13 wrote in post #6274244
It has a pencil too (which I used) is that close enough?

No, they're not the same. Forget the pen tool. It's a terrific tool, but it's also an advanced tool (and Elements doesn't have the pen tool anyway). Get the basics down first.

I assume you're using a mouse. One way to precisely select eyes, lips, etc., is with quick mask. To paint more accurate edges, use the "shift-click" method. Practice this on a blank document just to get the feel of it:

• With the paintbrush, click once to make a spot.
  
• Move the cursor to a nearby position.
  
• Hold the shift key and click again.
  
• Move the cursor again.
  
• Hold shift and click again.

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DavidSR wrote in post #6273891
I used to use the lasso tool, but that thing is a pain..it won't let me go back and readjust. Now, I use the pen tool I can delete whichever points were put there by mistake and re-do them . I always feather around 2-3 pixels.

Sure you can readjust after the initial selection. On a PC just hold the {shift} key to add to the selection or the {alt} to subtract from the selection. Mac it's the {shift} and {option} keys.

D Thompson wrote in post #6274538
Sure you can readjust after the initial selection. On a PC just hold the {shift} key to add to the selection or the {alt} to subtract from the selection. Mac it's the {shift} and {option} keys.

I know what you mean, but what I was referring to was the ability to go back to specific points in 1 selection and I guess I'm trying to say re-plot the points if that makes sense. What you are saying is to select the whole eye and than hit the shift key and select the other eye to have them both selected.

theres a tool called the zoom tool, it allows you to magnify the image so you can get a better selection, if you grab the zoom tool, click at one side of the eye and drag to the other, it will zoom the eye to fit the open window area

FedkaTheConvict wrote in post #6274341
Are you painting with a mouse?

YES..is there a different option?

yes much easier as well

i always use the pen tool to create selections. it will provide a cleaner line and and provide smoother curves (as compared to the wand/etc)). make you line, then ctrl+click the layer icon. the selection will automatically be antialiased, and you can go on your way. if you use the shapoe as a color overlay or mask, it is entirely non-destructive. no ctrl-z through your history hoping to get back to a previous state.

Look up quick-mask mode?

DavidSR wrote in post #6274629
I know what you mean, but what I was referring to was the ability to go back to specific points in 1 selection and I guess I'm trying to say re-plot the points if that makes sense.

Exactly. You've made you're initial selection and you want to modify it because you either didn't get part of what you wanted or got a part you didn't want. You can add or subtract from your initial selection by holding the shift or alt and drawing with the lasso the parts you either want or don't want. Holding one of those keys and redrawing parts of the initial selection will modify your selection so that you can fine tune it to exactly what you want. Hope I'm making this a little clearer.

You can use it like that also.