Selecting image areas for modification

You can select one or more areas in an image for modification by using the Selection tool. After areas have been selected, you can modify them, such as by filling them with a color using the Paint Bucket tool or a color gradient using the Gradient tool.

 

To select areas for modification

  1. Select the Selection tool or press the shortcut key M.
  2. Drag to select an area. To move the selection area, press Spacebar after starting to drag and continue to drag.
  3. (Optional) To alter the selected area, do one of the following:
    • To add to one or more currently selected areas, press Shift and drag.
    • To remove from one or more currently selected areas, press Alt and drag through at least one currently selected area.
    • To create a selection that consists of the intersection of one or more currently selected areas and a temporarily created new selection, press both Shift and Alt and then drag to create the temporarily created new selection.

 

Note: You can also select areas by using the Convert to Selection button, which is associated with the Pen tool and the Shapes tool. For more information, see Drawing lines and curves with the Pen tool and Inserting shapes in an image.

 

Tip: If needed, you can invert a selection by using the Invert Selection command under the Select menu.

 

To change options for the Selection tool after selecting it

  • In the tool options bar under the menu bar, change the options as needed:
    • Type: Select the shape used to create selections or the way used to create them.
    • New Selection: Select the way that new selections created by dragging interact with existing ones. Note that these options can also be used by using modifier keys when dragging, as described in the subsection To select areas for modification.
    • Crop Selection: Select to crop the image to the portion formed from the selected area or areas.
    • Convert to Path: Select to convert the outline of the selected area or areas to a corresponding path or paths. This also deactivates the Selection tool and activates the Pen tool. Information on using the Pen tool is available in Drawing lines and curves with the Pen tool.

 

 

Related topics

Coloring an area with the Paint Bucket tool

Drawing a color gradient