PhotoPlus X6 User Guide - Serif

Soft-edged and hard-edged selections
Manipulating Images 93
Anti-aliasing and feathering are different ways of controlling what happens at
the edges of a selection. Both produce softer edges that result in smoother
blending of elements that are being combined in the image. You can control
either option for the Standard and QuickShape Selection tools, using the Feather
input box (or slider) and Anti-alias check box on the context toolbar.
• Anti-aliasing produces visibly smooth edges by making the selection's
edge pixels semi-transparent. (As a layer option, it's not available on
the Background layer, which doesn't support transparency.)
• If an anti-aliased selection (for example, one pasted from another
image) includes partially opaque white or black edge pixels, you can
use Matting options on the Layers menu to remove these pixels from
the edge region, yielding a smoother blend between the selection and
the image content below. (Fully opaque edge pixels are not affected.)
• Feathering reduces the sharpness of a selection's edges, not by varying
transparency, but by partially selecting edge pixels. If you lay down
paint on a feathered selection, the paint will actually be less intense
around the edges.
• Threshold converts a feathered, soft-edged selection into a hard-edged
selection (use Select>Modify>Threshold). As with feathering, you
won't see an immediate effect on the image, but painting and other
editing operations will work differently inside the selection.