selecting with the Magnetic Lasso tool

selecting with the Magnetic Lasso tool


You can use the Magnetic Lasso tool to make freehand selections of areas with
high-contrast edges. When you draw with the Magnetic Lasso tool, the selection
border automatically snaps to the edge between areas of contrast. You can also
control the selection path by occasionally clicking the mouse to place anchor points
in the selection border.


You’ll use the Magnetic Lasso tool to select the nautilus so that you can move
it to the center of the plate.

1  Select the Zoom tool ( ), and click the nautilus to zoom in to at least 100%.
2  Select the Magnetic Lasso tool ( ), hidden under the Lasso tool ( ).
3  Click once along the left edge of the nautilus, and then move the Magnetic Lasso
    tool along the edge to trace its outline.

Even though you’re not holding down the mouse button, the tool snaps to the edge

of the nautilus and automatically adds fastening points.

4  When you reach the left side of the nautilus again, double-click to return the

    Magnetic Lasso tool to the starting point, closing the selection. Or you can

    move the Magnetic Lasso tool over the starting point and click once.

5  Double-click the Hand tool ( ) to fit the image in the image window.

6  Select the Move tool ( ), and drag the nautilus onto the plate.

7  Choose Select > Deselect, and then choose File > Save.

separating portions of an

image into different files

To quickly create multiple images from one scan, use the Crop And Straighten

Photos command. Images with a clearly delineated outline and a uniform background—

such as the 03Start.psd file—work best. To try it, open the 03Start.psd file

in the Lesson03 folder, and choose File > Automate > Crop And Straighten Photos.

Photoshop automatically crops each image in the start file and creates individual

Photoshop files for each. You can close each file without saving.