Polygon Lasso Tool

[Emmanize]

I use this tool often and I know in one programme (I think its InDesign) you press F(can't remember the key number) and it automatically works its magic. Is this possible in FW or Illustrator? :confused:

[cjoe]

do you mean to make a clipping mask by detecting edges?

[Emmanize]

Yeah sorry I didn’t know how to word it. Normally I have to do this manually, and go all the way around the image using the tool. But I know in some programmes this can be done in seconds at a press of a button.

[urstwile]

The only thing I can think of is the magic wand tool in Photoshop. Is that what you're talking about? You press W and then click on say the background of the object (let's say it's white)? Is that what you're looking for?

I'll try to be more helpful if I've guessed your purpose correctly and you need more info. :)

[Albert_chu]

i tihnk waht your talknig about is the magic wand tool..not the polygonal lasso tool...is it the one where u click on the page holding down a button and it automatically wraps a line around the selected picture for you?

[Steven_jd]

ya i also think its magic wand tool in PS its (selete the magic wand tool and press Shift + Mouse left click)

[Emmanize]

Ill try it and see if it is.

When I worked for a design company called Oxygen, they did all the lasso tool work at just a push of a button. I thought it was well cool because I can spend up to 10 min (depending on the image) using this tool on a image to select the part I want.

[rickself]

Then on the other hand, continue to learn to make clipping paths the old fashioned way, with the pen tool, set to paths. It's good experience and can produce much more natural lines than simply clicking the magic wand.

I worked for a ad agency that specialized in furniture and when I had extra time (ahhh, those were the days) I would go through the collection of dining room sets and do clipping paths around the ladder-back chairs and through the table legs. Good and valuable experience, for any production artist or designer.

[urstwile]

Rick, I totally agree with you on that. It's actually a lot quicker sometimes if you're proficient with paths than making magic wand selections and then deselecting the areas you don't want.

The pen tool is often my selection tool of choice. Seems harder, but it's not, not really.

[SurfPark]

My first thought when you mentioned the lasso tool in the subject line was the magnetic lasso tool. I often used this when I had to clip out figures in my work. Then you can make those selections into clipping paths.

[urstwile]

Just an addendum: there are going to be times when, depending on the image, you're going to want to use a combination of selection tools (marque and pen) to create your selection. Sometimes a magic wand is fine if you've got a fairly solid background that you're clipping the image away from, but if there's hair (or similar soft edges required), then you're going to have to fine tune it, the magic wand will never do it properly. Here's where Quick Mask starts to become your friend. And sometimes going into specific channels to make a selection is better than trying from the composite image. Generally picking the channel with the highest contrast is a good start.

There are tons of ways to do selections in Photoshop, just depends on the type of image you're working with.

[tZ]

Urstwile wrote:
Sometimes a magic wand is fine if you've got a fairly solid background that you're clipping the image away from, but if there's hair (or similar soft edges required)

Extract is good to use for that type of selection.

[Ned]

Extract is good to use for that type of selection.

Depending on the background-foreground contrast. :)

I will concur with Urstwile... It is rare that I ever use just one technique to make a selection! It is usually done with a combination of techniques to select appropriate parts. QuickMask is usually the final touch-up, but also allows for all filters and degrees of transparancy, which is great for softness as well as translucent things like water, wasp wings, glass, etc.

[orkaknos12]

There are some very good vector mask plugins out there for knocking out the backdrop. I use Mask pro 3, and it's very good at making tight masks on high contrast pictures. I still use the good ol pen tool for important jobs.

-Jon