When we learn Photoshop, we often ask a question: What are the things in Photoshop that need to be mastered? Some teachers will say that we need to learn toolboxes, layers, channels, filters and color grading knowledge. This classification method is from the perspective of tool application. And if we classify it from the operating steps, we should learn selection, color mixing, painting and layout.
Selection operations are everywhere, from the simplest lasso tool in our toolbox, to channels, masks, and even some color correction commands, you can see the shadow of selection. Therefore, learning choice is the most important part of learning Photoshop. Only after selecting the part that needs to be modified can you adjust the color to make it meet your requirements, and fuse the selected parts of the image to get a new picture, that is, a composite image.
In this lesson we discuss the most common problem faced by beginners: half-selection and conversion.
What is half-selection? Half-selection means that when we select some pixels, they are not completely selected, but seem to be selected but not selected. The menu "Select"-"Modify"-"Feather" is a typical example of converting a complete selection area into a selection area with a half-selection range.
We use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to select the three children on the right in the picture below, and use the Move Tool to move them out. You can see that their edges are very clear, as shown on the upper right side of the picture. And if we feather the selection area by 30 pixels and then move it out, the edges will be blurry, as shown on the lower right side of the picture.
This is because after we feather the selection area, there will be a half-selected part outside the selection area. The farther to the outside, the weaker the selection will be and the less affected it will be by the selection. When we move the selected image out, the center part If it is fully selected, all will be moved out, and if the edge part is partially selected, the semi-transparent pixels will be moved out, so the final moved image will have a very soft transition.
Let’s talk about the conversion of selection areas again. In Photoshop, our most common selection methods are selection areas, channels, masks, layer shapes, paths, etc. How do we convert them into each other?
In the channel panel, there are two dedicated conversion buttons: "Save selection as channel" and "Load channel as selection". On the Paths panel, there are two dedicated conversion buttons: "Generate working path from selection" and "Load path as selection". Their function is to convert selections, channels and paths to each other.
And if you want to convert the mask or layer shape into a selection area, you need to use Ctrl key click to complete it. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the layer thumbnail with the mouse to convert the layer's shape into a selection area. This operation technique is very important and commonly used. The layer used for compositing itself stores the selection area information. We no longer need to use channels to save the selection. If you hold down the Ctrl key and click on a channel, path, or mask, the same function is available.
The method to convert the selection area to a layer mask is to click the "Add Layer Mask" button on the layer panel after selecting it, and the selection area will become the mask of the layer.
Once you learn how to convert, you also learn how to convert channels, masks, paths, and layer shapes to each other. We only need to use the selection area as a bridge to complete their conversion.