Photoshop CS2 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies- P9:Barbara Obermeier is principal of Obermeier Design, a graphic design studio in Ventura, California. She’s the author of Photoshop Album For Dummies, coauthor of Adobe Master Class: Illustrator Illuminated, Photoshop 7 For Dummies, and Illustrator 10 For Dummies. She has contributed as coauthor, technical editor, or layout designer for numerous books. Barb also teaches computer graphics at Brooks Institute; the University of California, Santa Barbara; and Ventura College | 218 Lassoing When You Can t You can start anywhere just be sure to click the edge between the element you want and the background you don t want. 3. Move your cursor around the object without clicking. The Magnetic Lasso tool creates a selection line similar to the other lasso tools. It also adds little squares called points along that selection line as shown in Figure 1-11. These points pin down the selection line the way you might section off an area of your yard with ropes and stakes. If the Magnetic Lasso tool starts veering off the edge of your object back up your mouse and click to force a point down on the line. If the Magnetic Lasso tool adds a point where you don t want one simply press your Backspace Delete on a Mac key to delete it. 4. Continue moving your mouse around the object return to your starting point and release the mouse button to close the selection. As with the Polygon Lasso tool you see a small circle next to your cursor indicating that you re at the correct place to close the selection. The selection marquee appears when the selection is closed. Magnetic Lasso point Figure 1-11 The Magnetic Lasso tool detects the edge of your object. Adjusting the Magnetic Lasso options The Magnetic Lasso tool comes equipped with a few settings on the Options bar that control the sensitivity of the tool. Performing Wand Wizardry 219 I recommend starting out by messing around with the Magnetic Lasso tool using its default settings. If the tool isn t cooperating then play with the options. The first icon has to do with tool presets and the next four icons are the selection state icons check out Book III Chapter 2 . The Feather and Anti-alias options work like they do with the marquee tools see the earlier section Using the marquee options . The following list explains the remaining options Width This option measured in pixels from 1 to 256 determines how close to the edge you have to move your mouse before the Magnetic Lasso tool recognizes the object you re
