In the brand new Photoshop CS3, you will find a new selection tool that enables you to quickly select broad areas of an image by simply painting them. You can use the quick selection tool where you can brush all over the areas to select them and varying the brush size as you work to select more difficult areas. Another option is to click the areas for a more limited selection. You can also add to selections by easily pressing the shift key and subtract from the selection by simply holding the option (alt) key as you paint.
The new refine edge floating palette is accessible in the option bar whenever any selection tool is selected. With the refine edge, you are now able to clean up selection, feather or soften the edge outlines, remove jagged edges, and also expand or contract selected areas with more control than if you are using any of the selection tools alone. The palette will give you various previewing options and showing the selection on different backgrounds so that you will see the edges of the areas you are selecting and the changes you are making. Here are how to use quick selection tool and refine edge palette.

1. Click the quick selection tool.
2. Click and drag the diameter slider if you want to change the brush tip size. If you have a wacom tablet attached, you can use size drop down list to adjust the brush size with pen pressure.
3. Click and drag the inside part of the image that you want to select.
4. Click and drag in another area. After that, the selection changes to the Add to option.
5. Press option (alt) and click in the areas to remove them from the selection. You can press option (alt) + space bar and click to zoom out.
6. Click the refine edge. After that, the refine dialog will be appears.
7. Click and drag the radius slider to the right side to soften the edge outline.
8. Click and drag the contrast slider to the right just to remove the edge artifacts.
9. Click and drag the smooth slider to smooth the outline of the selection.
10. Click and drag the contract/expand slider to adjust the selection edges.
11. Click and drag the feather slider to create a softer edged transition from the selection to the surrounding areas.
12. Click OK the save the selection adjustment. Your refined selection appears on the image.
13. Repeat steps 7-11 for a better result!

M.A.H.

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