Feathering a selection using Photoshop CS3 (and why the Refine Edge dialogue box is cool…)
Since the recent release of Photoshop CS3, I’ve had several people ask me the same question: Why doesn’t feathering a selection work like it did in CS2?
Their question focused specifically on feathering a selection where one or more of its sides end at the edge of frame.
The good ‘ole days
In CS2 (and all previous versions of Photoshop), one could create a selection using the rectangular marquee tool, and end up with something looking like this (for illustration purposes all selections are represented as Quick Masks):
A selection made in CS2/CS3 using the rectangular marquee tool.
Using CS2, to soften this selection’s transition (or edge), you would have feathered the entire selection. The feather command affected only those selection edges not ending at the edge of frame. Feathering our example’s selection in CS2 would have looked like this:
Softening the edge of the selection using the “Feather” command in CS2.
Well, along came CS3 and everything changed. Feathering the same selection exactly the same amount in CS3 looks like this:
Softening the edge of the selection using the “Feather” command in CS3.
So what happened? Now, instead of creating a feathered selection with just a few key strokes, it seemed one needed to create, feather, and modify the selection to obtain the same result.
Why would Adobe change one of Photoshop’s most basic tools so fundamentally?
Happy days are here again
The answer is they didn’t, they just put the tools that control how a selection is feathered inside their new Refine Edge command. From Adobe:
The Refine Edge option improves the quality of a selection’s edges and allows you to view the selection against different backgrounds for easy editing.
1. Create a selection with any selection tool.
2. Click Refine Edge in the selection tool options bar or choose Select > Refine Edge to set options for adjusting the selection:
- Radius:
Determines the size of the region around the selection boundary in which edge refinement occurs. Increase radius to create a more exact selection boundary in areas with soft transitions or fine detail, such as those in short hair or fur, or blurred boundaries.- Contrast:
Sharpens selection edges and removes fuzzy artifacts. Increasing contrast can remove excessive noise near selection edges caused by a high Radius setting.- Smooth:
Reduces irregular areas (“hills and valleys”) in the selection boundary, creating a smoother outline. Enter a value or move the slider from 0 to 100.- Feather:
Creates a soft-edged transition between the selection and its surrounding pixels. Enter a value or move the slider to define the width of the feathered edge from 0 to 250 pixels.- Contract/Expand:
Shrinks or enlarges the selection boundary. Enter a value or move the slider to set the amount from 0 to 100% to expand, 0 to 100% to contract. Most useful for making subtle adjustments to soft-edged selections. Shrinking the selection can help remove unwanted background colors from selection edges.
Nothing in Photoshop is perfect, the application is made by committee after all. But the new Refine Edge Dialog box works reasonably well, and all the tools you need to modify a selection are now in one place.
Most importantly, our original question has been answered. Using the Refine Edge Dialog box, you can create a selection where one (or more) side is defined by the edge of frame, and the hardness of that edge is not affected by feathering the selection.
The biggest downside to the Refine Edge Dialog box is that it’s slower to interact with than simply using predefined keystrokes. Additionally, the Refine Edge functionality seems to take a fair amount of computing power. It can take a second or so to render my changes, especially on larger files. (And yes, my machine is fast, think Superman on steroids.)
More time to get something done is generally b-a-d around here. Big Swing hopes Adobe will create functionality allowing users to call just one tool in the dialog box with a key stroke.
All things considered, the Refine Edge Dialog box is a good addition to Photoshop.
Filed in How we get stuff done, Photoshop
9 responses to Feathering a selection using Photoshop CS3 (and why the Refine Edge dialogue box is cool…) (Add yours)
1. Ben — Jan 13 2008 10:31 PM
I really need the feathering in cs3 to work exactly like cs2(selection actions etc.) is there an overide or setting? Ta Ben
2. Richie — Jan 28 2008 08:23 AM
Yeah that really bugs me too... as a workaround i use the marquee tool and go far enough outside the edge of the image that the then feathered selection is only noticeable on the areas crossed by the marquee...! get me...? The Refine edges is waaaay to slow for me to use..! Richie
3. John — Apr 24 2008 01:52 AM
This tool would be great if it actually worked.
As it is, no matter whether you turn the background into a layer, use masks, merge your picture, whatever, it will show a great preview but not apply the damned effect to the picture.
- Yet another failed attempt from Adobe (and no wonder why so many people will evaluate, not buy, the software... quite aside from the price).
4. Mike — Apr 30 2008 03:53 AM
Hey John - I'm new to Photoshop as well and I was having the same problem you were for hours, I'd press OK and all my changes would revert.. The software is not very intuitive here..
I eventually figured out what to do:
1) Select the entire image: CTRL+A
2) Select->Modify->Feather and type in 50 or what not
3) Right click on hit Refine Edge, and get everything working just as you want it.. When you press OK, it all goes away like you said.
Now:
4) Select->Inverse
5) Hit Delete (This is Option+Backspace on a Mac because Mac guys are apparently too cool for an obvious key like Delete)
Be sure your background is set to the right color as well, but you'll get the point..
Mike
5. Ben mkII — Jul 18 2008 07:53 AM
They could have put a Use Legacy button in the dialogue box like they do with everything else they've changed recently (e.g. Brightness/Contrast). Pretty poor effort by Adobe here I think. Anyway, If we really wanted this feature we would all use Paint Shop Pro... they've had this for a years....lol!
6. niteboater — Aug 10 2008 01:08 PM
this explanation is:
Way too long
Mentions a product ( CS2) not involved in the solution
Doesn't even work !
I'm going back to Google hoping somebody has a quick answer
7. Yadz — Aug 10 2008 01:26 PM
Thanks to everyone for the comments.
As to the previous comment, the Refine Edge Dialog Box does indeed work.
Simply open the dialog box and play around. The tool is fairly straight forward.
Remember, using the Refine Edge Dialog Box not only allows users to refine the edge of a selection, but also the edge of an existing layer mask--and that's aok in our book here.
8. Zoe — Aug 18 2008 08:00 AM
I'm having the same problem as John and Mike. From other searches it looks as if this is weirdly a mac problem only? I JUST don't understand - I have tried all kinds of selections, inverses and masks and so on and nothing will apply the refined edge (looking beautiful in the preview) to the final image. Has Adobe picked this bug up? Is there a proper cure or do we have to work round this forever? And if so, does anybody know of the best way?!
9. Jakob — Nov 7 2008 02:12 AM
Same problem here.
Mac also.