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illinifarmboy
Participating Frequently
November 7, 2022
Answered

PS Elements 19, Lasso Tool

  • November 7, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 392 views

I want to make two different selections on the same image. For example, to paste a photo of a donut on a different background, I would select the perimeter of the donut and then select the donut hole. When I attempt to select the donut hole and release the mouse the selection line disappears, and I never get to the marching ants phase.  How do I make the second selection?  The "add" button at the bottom of the page seems only to expand an existing selection.  I have read that holding down the shift key is supposed to allow a second selection, but that doesn't work either.  Hel

Mike 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Greg_S.

This may be a little counter-intuitive, but if you first select the outside of the donut with the lasso and want to select the middle of the donut to remove the hole from your donut, you actually need to use the Subtract Mode instead of the Add mode because you are subtracting the hole from your outer selection.  In the alternative, instead of using the Shift key to add to the selection, you need to use the Alt key to subtract from it.  I used both techniques to perform the selection in the following screenshot.  The first shows the lasso selection marching ants and the second shows the selection copied to a new layer.

 

(My selection is crude because it was done quickly and I hate the lasso tool to select objects when there are many better tools to use IMO.)

2 replies

Greg_S.
Community Expert
Greg_S.Community Expert
Community Expert
November 7, 2022

Selection tools have improved in the versions since Elements 2019.  But, depending on the task, my go-to selection tools are the Quick Selection Brush and the Magic Wand tool which are available in your version.

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illinifarmboyAuthor
Participating Frequently
November 16, 2022

Greg,

I finally got back to the project and just wanted to say "thanks" for the help.  I would never have thought to use the Subtract button to solve the problem.

Mike

Greg_S.
Community Expert
Greg_S.Community ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
November 7, 2022

This may be a little counter-intuitive, but if you first select the outside of the donut with the lasso and want to select the middle of the donut to remove the hole from your donut, you actually need to use the Subtract Mode instead of the Add mode because you are subtracting the hole from your outer selection.  In the alternative, instead of using the Shift key to add to the selection, you need to use the Alt key to subtract from it.  I used both techniques to perform the selection in the following screenshot.  The first shows the lasso selection marching ants and the second shows the selection copied to a new layer.

 

(My selection is crude because it was done quickly and I hate the lasso tool to select objects when there are many better tools to use IMO.)

    I
    illinifarmboyAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    November 7, 2022

     

    Thank you, I will give it a try.  I am open to suggestions about which tool you would use for this project. I am not a frequent user.

    Thanx,

    Mike

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