Selecting: Pen vs. Brush in quick mask mode

Demolisher wrote:

Very many Photoshop book authors seem to agree that the Pen tool is the best for making complex selection. What I don’t understand is why the pen tool is superior to, for example, using lasso to make a rough selection and touching that up in quick mask mode with a fine brush. This allows me to do partial transparency around the edges, for a fading selection, with fading at each point selected by the softness of the brush I use. It seems to be a relatively fast way of selecting.

However, the pros, unanimously, it seems, say, "Use the pen tool to make fine selections."

Problems I see with the pen tool:

1) It takes a long time to select non-trivial shapes, especially with many curves.
2) It is a vector selection, so there is no feathering on the edges. Everything is either 100% selected or 0% selected.
3) The scalability of the vector shape formed is irrelevant, since the image on which the selection is made is of one size.

Someone, please clue me in 🙂

1. The pen tool is not faster, but it is more accurate. If you don’t need that accuracy (often you don’t), then by all means, use other methods.
2. You can change a path into a selection. Then you can set the feathering.

—
Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/

Demolisher wrote:

Very many Photoshop book authors seem to agree that the Pen tool is the best for making complex selection. What I don’t understand is why the pen tool is superior to, for example, using lasso to make a rough selection and touching that up in quick mask mode with a fine brush. This allows me to do partial transparency around the edges, for a fading selection, with fading at each point selected by the softness of the brush I use. It seems to be a relatively fast way of selecting.

However, the pros, unanimously, it seems, say, "Use the pen tool to make fine selections."

Problems I see with the pen tool:

1) It takes a long time to select non-trivial shapes, especially with many curves.
2) It is a vector selection, so there is no feathering on the edges. Everything is either 100% selected or 0% selected.
3) The scalability of the vector shape formed is irrelevant, since the image on which the selection is made is of one size.

Someone, please clue me in 🙂

Mike

The secret is learning to use the right tool at the right time. The art of selection is 50% toward mastery of Photoshop i reckon… Most of the selection tools can be used simulataneously pretty much.. I favour the pen tool because I like to work with paths which i can then use to make selections and modify later,, It give me a lot more options overall i feel. But, if you are happy with the lassoo tool, then thats fine. Whatever boils your potatoes dude! 🙂

In article <412b4cbe$0$4409$ says…

Very many Photoshop book authors seem to agree that the Pen tool is the best for making complex selection. What I don’t understand is why the pen tool is superior to, for example, using lasso to make a rough selection and touching that up in quick mask mode with a fine brush. This allows me to do partial transparency around the edges, for a fading selection, with fading at each point selected by the softness of the brush I use. It seems to be a relatively fast way of selecting.

However, the pros, unanimously, it seems, say, "Use the pen tool to make fine selections."

Problems I see with the pen tool:

1) It takes a long time to select non-trivial shapes, especially with many curves.
2) It is a vector selection, so there is no feathering on the edges. Everything is either 100% selected or 0% selected.
3) The scalability of the vector shape formed is irrelevant, since the image on which the selection is made is of one size.

Someone, please clue me in 🙂

Mike

It all depends on how you, or they, work and what the nature of the final Selection will be, how it will be used, and one’s minimumally accepted results.

I agree on using Pen, but that is how I work. With Pen, I can make a rough Path, then go in and add Points, delete Points, and/or correct my curves. Once I am pleased, Paths>Make Selection with Feather set to your choice of pixels will create the Selection – yes you can Feather from a Path/Pen Tool. Or, set Feather to 0pixels, then in QM use the Blur of your choice. I use the Pen to get the most critical Selection, that I can, then modify it as is needed.

This also doesn’t mean that I don’t use the Brush one heck of a lot, especially in QM, or while editing the Alpha of the Selection. By toggeling the "X" key, you can go from laying down black for the mask, to "erasing" it, and can use all sorts of Brushes.

I just happen to grab the Pen first, even over Magnetic Lasso, Extract, etc.

Isn’t it nice that PS gives one so many options?

Hunt