Skip to main content
thomasbricker
thomasbricker
Inspiring
March 7, 2012
Answered

How do I smooth out an edge of a selection using Quick Select and Refine Edges?

  • March 7, 2012
  • 6 replies
  • 30129 views

Im trying to get used to using Quick Select and Refine edges to mask out objects in my photos.

It works pretty well but Im still having trouble in some spots getting the edge to be a smooth curve.

How do you get the refine edge function to allow you to modify its edge so you can have a perfectly smooth edge?

Ive tried using the Refine Radius Tool and it just doesnt smooth it out completely.

What else can  try?

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer

      You will never get it smooth unless you have a HQ picture.  The pixels are discrete blocks and the lower the resolution the larger the pixels.  So as you try to refine the edge you can only do as good as the picture will allow.

      Check out this video in masking and refine edge.  http://tv.adobe.com/watch/the-russell-brown-show/masking-basics-in-photoshop-cs5/

      6 replies

      joet082964
      joet082964
      Inspiring
      November 5, 2015

      Quick selection can be effective, but the pen tool is the choice for precision in most of my projects. I'm no power-user, I know this doesn't answer your question, but consider perfecting your pen tool skills as well.

        T
        tayloramorgan
        Participating Frequently
        November 5, 2015

        So I'm a newbie having this same problem. This is the first time I've used photoshop and I have no idea what a pen tool is and if it's hardware I can't afford it so what's the consensus on how to do it without a pen tool?

        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 5, 2015

        First make sure you have a good selection. Use the "add" and "subtract" options in the options bar:

        Then explore the sliders in the Refine Edge dialog:

        T
        tayloramorgan
        Participating Frequently
        November 5, 2015

        Already tried all those things. In fact it just made it more ragged then the original selection. Obviously the OP who knows more than me has tried this as well but I am surprised that such an expensive program allows what most would see as a glitch. It simply would not allow me to make a straight line when I got to my knee. It wanted to cut a big chunk right into it no matter what I did so I couldn't crop to where I wanted.

        Gixxxa75
        Gixxxa75
        Inspiring
        March 8, 2012

        Try zero radius, no smart radius, increase the contrast quite a bit then smooth it to the desired degree. Youll have to use the refine radius tool to paint on the radius where you dont want a such a smoothed selection. I dont think you can change the shape of a selection only add or remove radius with the paint brush and eraser thingy while the refine edge box is open. If its not working for me I hit the cancel button and change the selection in quick mask mode then go back to refine edge.

        So in summary too much radius, then what Trevor said(bearing in mind whay Noel said)

        Noel Carboni
        Noel Carboni
        Legend
        March 7, 2012

        Refine Edges is actually intended to help you blend things into the background, so it may well make your edges LESS smooth.

        Perhaps you should show a screen grab of what's actually going wrong for you.

        Sometimes, if you're putting an object originally shot on a light background in front of a dark background, the eye/brain can spot the incongruity of the lighting, but there are some things you can do to help with that (e.g., push the Decontaminate Colors control way up).

        -Noel

        thomasbricker
        thomasbrickerAuthor
        Inspiring
        March 7, 2012

        Hi Noel,

        I did post a screen shot of the problem area in my first post.

        What should be a perfectly smooth curve on the edge of an apple, is not.

        Its all bumpy.

        If I could have the precision of a bezier curve, Id be all good.

        - T

          arc_fixer
          arc_fixer
          Participating Frequently
          March 7, 2012

          Hi Thomas.

          This is a piece of cake if I was using the pen tool and turning my path into a selection.

          True. You might try a hybrid scheme like I use. I create photo montages all the time using the Quick Select Tool. I've done thousands. I refine the edge with an action. (One of a suite of actions I use for this work.) It smooths the the selection and then converts it to a path then a vector mask, which can be edited with the Direct Selection Tool (A). This elimates the feathered selections. And I don't have to draw the whole path with the Pen Tool. About half the time I need to adjust the mask. The other times rest, it's good as is. Depends on the contrast with the background. I use a Tolerance of 2 px most of the time when converting from a selection to a path. This varies with the circumstance. Something to think about in addition to mastering Refine Edge.

          One other cheat I've learned. A barely perceptible amount of Bevel/Emboss and/or maybe Drop Shadow with the light aligned correctly can do wonders on troublesome edges when composing images. Quicker than perfecting the edge. Mileage varies according to content. Refining edges and composing is as much  Black Art as Science. The best tools and methods will depend very much on the content of the images and exactly what you're trying to do with them. I realize you are focusing on mastering the Refine Edge tool, and of course that's good strategy and time well spent. I run CS3, and Refine Edge isn't as spiffy as in CS5, so not as useful.

          FWIW.

          Peace,

          Lee

            Trevor.Dennis
            Community Expert
            Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            March 7, 2012

            But using high values of Smooth and Contrast in Refine edge is going to do a reasonable job.  Otherwise, use the Pen tool to follow the outline, but cut a few corners and make it smooth as you need.  Turn the resulting Path into a selection, and use the Clone tool to fill in the gaps inside the line - invert the selection, and repeat for outside the line.

            thomasbricker
            thomasbrickerAuthor
            Inspiring
            March 7, 2012

            Hi Trevor,

            Im cool with using the pen tool but how do I use it when Im in the middle of using Edge Refinement?

            Can they be used concurrently?

            A
            Anonymous
            Correct answer
            March 7, 2012

            You will never get it smooth unless you have a HQ picture.  The pixels are discrete blocks and the lower the resolution the larger the pixels.  So as you try to refine the edge you can only do as good as the picture will allow.

            Check out this video in masking and refine edge.  http://tv.adobe.com/watch/the-russell-brown-show/masking-basics-in-photoshop-cs5/

            thomasbricker
            thomasbrickerAuthor
            Inspiring
            March 7, 2012

            Hi Curt,

            I agree about the HQ picture.

            Shouldnt be an issue with my images since I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II.

            Ii just need to smooth out the bumps of the selection edge.

            This is a piece of cake if I was using the pen tool and turning my path into a selection.

            BUT I am trying to do this with the Quick Select tool and Edge Refinement.

            According to the instructional videos this should be possible but it is coming up short so far.

            Anyone know how to finess the edges?

              Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
              Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices