Brush Select Tool

[Nan613]

Years ago,  photoshop had a selection tool that was like a brush or crayon.  It allowed for an easy way of selecting exact areas, somewhat like the lasso, but easier to use.  I can no longer find it.  Am I missing it?

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[Bojan Živković]

Are you talking about Quick Selection Tool? It is in Toolbox, if you can not find it groued with Magic Wand then try to restore Toolbox using Edit > Toolbar > Restore Defaults.

[Nan613]

No.  Not the quick selection tool.  This was a tool that one used like a brush or crayon.  I find all of the selection tools available at themoment clumsy and inexact when trying to define discreet spaces.  The one I'm describing did the job well. But as I said, it was some time ago.

[Nan613]

I'm guessing I'm beating a dead horse and thattool has gone by the wayside.  Wish they'd bring it back.

[r-bin]

This tool was in PS Elements.
In Photoshop, use the Quick Mask. Do you know what it is?

[jane-e]

Hi

I've been using PS since PS 3.0 (not CS3) and don't remember a crayon. The closest thing I recall was the precursor to the current Select and Mask. You would draw around a shape with green, then click inside and it would fill with blue. The results were iffy. The Object Selection tool (Tools panel) and Select Subject and Select and Mask (both in the Select menu) are all light years beyond that early attempt. Have you tried them? You'll be wowed!

I could be wrong, but was that first early version in PS 7.0?

~ Jane

[Barb Binder]

Hi Nan: Did you ever use Photoshop Elements? It sounds like you are referring to the Selection Brush. 

Photoshop can still use painting to create/enhance a selection—see the aforementioned Quick Mask and Select and Mask. Or better yet, show us what you are struggling to select and we can give you some direction using the modern toolset.

~Barb

[Nan613]

Yes, I used to use Photoshop Elements. I must have found it there. Thank you for detailing that process. I’m a painter, not a graphic designer, so the geometric tools don’t work for me generally, and have found lasso awkward. Hopefully this solution will allow me a familiar and comfortable way of selecting areas without assistance. Thank you very much.

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[Nan613]

OK.  I'm lost.  If I select Quick Mask, There are no further options under the Select menu.  If I just go to select and mask, I can see the brush menu, make selctions as I wish, but then everything is locked.  I have no idea how to do with the selection what I want to do.  I then have to force quiot to get out of the screen because nothing.  Can;t quit the jpg.  Can't even quit the program.

 Perhaps you can direct me to a tutorial?

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

Hi

When you enter Quick Mask, you can use your Brush and Pen tools to make your selection. When finished, simply exit Quick Mask by clicking the button again or use the keyboard shortcut of "Q" and you will have marching ants around your selection again.

~ Jane

[Omanwalks]

Photoshop can nevertheless use portray to create/decorate a variety—see the aforementioned Quickcoffee Mask and Select and Mask. Or better but, show us what you're suffering to choose and we can provide you with some course the usage of the modern-day toolset.

[Nan613]

I was asked to show examples.  Before doing that, I went to a couple tutorials but did not find a solution.  So here is something on which I'm currently working, a complicated line drawing. You must know that line drawings are famously difficult to photograph because the white must be consistent and the lines must have clarity.  Two professional photographers took a stab at it, and I'm working with the better of the 2 images. (1st jpg) I tried various tools on photoshop ranging from the automatic ones (2), to exposure, to curves, to levels, to putting it in B&W and attempting to manipulate.  I get close but even when areas read the same according to the color selector, they appear differently.  One area tinted a little green while the other tinted a little red, both reading #f5f4f2. (3) So I find myself selecting all the white areas so that I can paint them similarly.(4)  Here's where I need to be able to select critically with a selector that I could use as a brush which has been helpful in the past (I guess  when I was using Elements. ) 1.Image from Camera2.auto correction3.correcting using various PS tools4. Selecting to correct