Adobe Photoshop CS3 - Manual (Page 262)

PHOTOSHOP CS3
User Guide
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2 Choose Select > Modify > Border.
3 Enter a value between 1 and 200 pixels for the border width of the new selection, and click OK.
The new selection frames the original selected area, and is centered on the original selection border. For example, a
border width of 20 pixels creates a new, soft-edged selection that extends 10 pixels inside the original selection border
and 10 pixels outside it.
Expand a selection to include areas with similar color
Do one of the following:
• Choose Select > Grow to include all adjacent pixels falling within the tolerance range specified in the magic wand
options.
• Choose Select > Similar to include pixels throughout the image, not just adjacent ones, falling within the tolerance
range.
To increase the selection in increments, choose either command more than once.
Note: You cannot use the Grow and Similar commands on Bitmap mode images or 32-bits-per-channel images.
Clean up stray pixels in a color-based selection
1 Choose Select > Modify > Smooth.
2 For Sample Radius, enter a pixel value between 1 and 100, and click OK.
For each pixel in the selection, Photoshop examines the pixels around it, to the distance you specify in the radius
setting. If more than half of these surrounding pixels are selected, the pixel remains in the selection, and the
unselected pixels around it are added to the selection. If less than half the surrounding pixels are selected, the pixel
is removed from the selection. The overall effect is to reduce patchiness and smooth sharp corners and jagged lines
in the selection.
Refine selection edges
The Refine Edge option improves the quality of a selection’s edges and allows you to view the selection against
different backgrounds for easy editing.
1 Create a selection with any selection tool.
2 Click Refine Edge in the selection tool options bar or choose Select > Refine Edge to set options for adjusting the
selection:
Radius Determines the size of the region around the selection boundary in which edge refinement occurs. Increase
radius to create a more exact selection boundary in areas with soft transitions or fine detail, such as those in short
hair or fur, or blurred boundaries.
Contrast Sharpens selection edges and removes fuzzy artifacts. Increasing contrast can remove excessive noise near
selection edges caused by a high Radius setting.
Smooth Reduces irregular areas (“hills and valleys”) in the selection boundary, creating a smoother outline. Enter a
value or move the slider from 0 to 100.
Feather Creates a soft-edged transition between the selection and its surrounding pixels. Enter a value or move the
slider to define the width of the feathered edge from 0 to 250 pixels.