Photoshop - CS4

Lesson 36: Selections (7)

36/84 Lessons 

Transform Selection

To transform a selection click the “Select” button in the menu bar and choose “Transform Selection” in the drop-down menu.
Click and drag a box on the edge of the selection for which we need to change the shape and dimensions (1).

Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, when you need to retain the length / width ratio.
Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard, when you want to adapt the dimensions of selection from the center.
Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard to skew the selection (2).

If you want to rotate the selection, move the mouse pointer just outside the selection and when it changes into a circular double-headed arrow, click and drag in the direction you want (3).

If you wish to perform a free transform, click the “Switch between free tranform and warp modes” button (4).

If you are ready to transform, you click the “Commit Transform” button (5).  Or something faster, click the Enter key on your keyboard.

These two buttons are in the options bar when you select “Transform Selection” in the drop-down menu. Once the transformation is done, they disappear again.

Rectangle with rounded corners

When there is no selection tool, it does not mean that it can not be created.
To create a rectangular selection with rounded corners, we use the drawing tools “Rounded Rectangle” in cooperation with the “Paths”.

The first thing you do is open the “Paths” panel (1).
Then select the “Rounded Rectangle” tool in the tool bar (2) and click the “Paths” in the options bar (3). Enter a value for the radius of the corners (4) you want.

In this example 30, but increase this value for more “square” corners, decrease this value for more “round” corners.

Then, mark a path in the picture (5).  Just for information. For those who might not know what a path is, a path is nothing more than one (auxiliary) line and can be converted to a “real” line, filled with shape or selection.

Click the “Load Path as Selection” button at the bottom od the “Paths” pane (6). This will change the path into a selection.

This will change the path into a selection. (7).  Then click the “Select” button in the menu bar and choose “Transform Selection” in the drop-down menu.
What we have to do is adjust the selection so that it fits perfectly in the area in the picture that we wish to select.  Right click above the selection and choose “Distort” from the drop-down menu (8).
Click and drag the boxes around the selection to the correct position (9).

When this is done, click the Enter key on your keyboard to capture the selection.

You just made your first selection with rounded edges and corners (10).

Awesome!
You've completed Lesson 36
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