Adobe Photoshop CS6 Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks by Lynette Kent

ADJUST A SELECTION with the Refine Edge tool
The Refine Edge floating panel is accessible in the
Options bar when working with any selection tool.
Using Refine Edge, you can clean up selections, soften
or feather the edge outlines, and remove edge
artifacts, or jaggies. The panel offers various
previewing options, showing the selection on a white
or black background, against a red overlay, or on an
empty layer to help you see the edges of the areas
you are selecting and the changes you are making.
You can use the Refine Edge panel with any active
selection, regardless of the tool used to create the
selection. The Refine Edge tool is particularly useful
when selecting very irregular edges, such as animal
fur. Whenever there is a selection in the image, the
Refine Edge button appears in the Options bar.
With the subject selected, you can use the tool to
fine-tune the details in the edges of your image to get
the best selection possible.
1
1
2
A
1 Open an image and make a
selection using any of the
selection tools.
A The foreground subject is
selected.
Note: Depending on the image,
you might select the background
and then invert the selection to
show the subject matter in the
selection marquee.
2 Click the Refine Edge button in
the Options bar.
3
5
4
6
The subject appears against a
solid background.
3 Click the Zoom tool in the Refine
Edge panel and click in the image
to enlarge certain areas.
Note: Click the Hand tool ( ) in
the Refine Edge panel and click and
drag to move around the image.
4 Click and drag the Radius slider
to refine the edge selection.
5 Click and drag the Contrast slider
to remove edge artifacts and to
sharpen edges.
6 Click the View drop-down menu
to select another view mode.
56