Photoshop CS4: Selections in Depth

A walk-through of the many manual and automatic selection methods in Photoshop and pointers on choosing the most effective selection methods for an image.Choosing the right selection tools for the job and using those tools effectively are among the most important skills for Photoshop users. In Photoshop CS4: Selections in Depth, Jan Kabili goes deep into the subject, showing the best practices for making and working with selections. Jan walks through the manual and automatic selection methods in Photoshop and offers pointers on choosing the most effective selection methods for an image. She explains the underlying relationship between selections and alpha channels, and shows how to fine-tune selections to get the desired results. Exercise files accompany the course. Topics include: Selecting manually with the Marquee, Lasso, and Pen tools Saving time with automatic selection methods like the Quick Selection tool and the Magic Wand tool Fine-tuning selections with Refine Edge Working with selections in Quick Mask mode Moving, modifying, and combining selections Saving selections as alpha channels Making complex selections from color channels Using the Background Eraser tool to replace a background Installing and using the legacy Extract plug-in to isolate an object from its background