How To

How to Use the Laso Tool in Adobe Photoshop

Contributor
By Alan Donahue
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

One of the best features in Adobe Photoshop is the ability to edit and take sections of pictures to copy, move or use in other projects. There are multiple methods you can use to take out different sections of photos, but one of the easiest is the "Lasso" tool. There are 3 different "Lasso" options within the Photoshop program and each one offers a different way to select portions of pictures.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Open up a picture or project in Adobe Photoshop. Go to "File" and "Save as" to save a copy of the picture so that any changes you create do not become permanent.

  2. Step 2

    Find the "Lasso" tool in the Photoshop tool window. It is located on the left side and is the second tool down the list. The small icon for the tool resembles an actual lasso.

  3. Step 3

    Right-click on this tool to see the three different options. The first selection is the "Lasso" tool. The second option is the "Polygonal Lasso Tool" and the last option is the "Magnetic Lasso Tool." Choose the "Lasso" tool first.

  4. Step 4

    Find the part in your picture that you want to remove. Click at the starting point and use your freehand to trace around the object. Connect the two points to complete the lasso. Now the section you drew around will be highlighted. If you do not connect the two points, a line from the start and ending points will automatically be made for you.

  5. Step 5

    Press "CTRL+C" to copy the section or "CRTL+X" to cut the section. You can now paste the section into a new project or directly into that same picture as a new layer.

  6. Step 6

    Choose the "Polygonal Lasso" tool. This tool allows you to click multiple times to create a more defined shaped of what you want to cut out. Click at the starting point and make your way around the object you want to highlight. Click during multiple parts to create multiple lines and points in the lasso. Double-click or connect the two ends to complete the selection.

  7. Step 7

    Choose the "Magnetic Lasso Tool." Click around an object or section of the photo. This tool acts like a guide and "attaches" to a section of the photo that it thinks you are trying to highlight. For example if you are trying to highlight a cloud in a blue sky, you merely have to go around the cloud's edges and the lasso tool will fill in all of the details automatically to create a more precise selection.

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