UEN Web Academy

Selecting Groups of Pixels \| Using the Marquee Tools


The Pixel selection tools gives you the ability to select groups of pixels and then edit just that selection. These tools officially go by the name of Marquee tools. There is a rectangle and oval tool for selecting predefined shapes. For freehand selections the "Lasso" tools are used. The one we will use is the curved lasso tool. This lets you draw a selection around an object like the middle boy in this photo. When using the Lasso tools a selection must be closed or Fireworks will close it for you.	Click to enlarge

Pick up the Lasso tool from the toolbar.	Click to enlarge

Before starting the selection choose what type of edge you want. For a smooth edge use Anti-alias.	Click to enlarge

Now draw around the object. To do this click and hold the left mouse button as you draw around the middle boy. You must keep the mouse button down until you have completed the loop. Don't worry if the selection is not perfect. We will be able to add and subtract from it later. As you are drawing the line will be blue.	Click to enlarge

Once you get back near where you started a small square will pop up next to the lasso, this means that you are over where you started and if you release the mouse the selection will close. Now the selection will look like a black and white Marquee, or marching ants.	Click to enlarge

To clean up the selection you can add and subtract pixels. We zoomed in and there is part of the background is selected along the left side of his face. Let's remove those pixels from the selection.	Click to enlarge

To remove those pixels, pick up the lasso tool again. This time hold down the alt key on the keyboard and a minus sign will appear next to the cursor. Draw a loop outside the boy around the pixel you want to remove. When the loop is closed and you release the mouse the pixels will be subtracted from the selection.	Click to enlarge

Next some of the hair on the left of his head needs to be added to the selection.	Click to enlarge

This time hold down the Shift key and a plus sign will appear. Keep the shift key down while you draw a loop inside of the boy including the hair. When you release the mouse these pixels will be added to the selection.	Click to enlarge

After you spend some time cleaning up the selection, you may want to save it so you don't have to redo the whole selection if it accidentally gets unselected. Go to Select >> Save Bitmap Selection. Now if you accidentally hit a wrong button and delete the marching ants you can get them back without having to reselect everything.	Click to enlarge

The group of pixels that is selected have become their own object which you could move, copy and paste, or delete. In this example let's just change their color.	Click to enlarge

To make the selection black and white go to Commands >> Creative >> Convert to Grayscale. Go to Page Two	Click to enlarge


	Utah Education Network \| 1705 E Campus Center Drive MBH Room 205 \| Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 \| In partnership with USOE and USHE \| 801-585-3054 800-866-5852 \| tstack@media.utah.edu \| All rights reserved Utah Education Network