Fun with Selections in Photoshop

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Fun with Selections in Photoshop

updated by rck, 2004-11-09

One of the main reasons, why I haven't fully switched to Linux and cope with Windows XP must be the incredible amount of amazing software for Windows. The best, of course, is Photoshop. Let's make a graphic with it.

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Away with the corners
intersection	Now the big trick. Let's remove the corners of the squares! In fact, this is something that's really easy in Photoshop. Select the layer of a square (you might want to make the layers visible with Window \| Layers). Look closely at the layers. See the circle-layer Hold the ctrl-key and press it. You should have the square-layer still selected in the layer-menu, but a marquee of your circle. Got that? Cool. Now press DEL on your keyboard. Repeat for the other square and compare with the left graphics.

Away with the corners

intersection

Now the big trick. Let's remove the corners of the squares! In fact, this is something that's really easy in Photoshop. Select the layer of a square (you might want to make the layers visible with Window | Layers). Look closely at the layers. See the circle-layer

Hold the ctrl-key and press it. You should have the square-layer still selected in the layer-menu, but a marquee of your circle. Got that?

Cool. Now press DEL on your keyboard. Repeat for the other square and compare with the left graphics.

Moving the now cut squares
While this already could serve as a simple logo for some weird company, we're not finished yet. I'll introduce you with a Photoshop-concept called "nudging". In other words: Pixel per Pixel movement. Very precise, to say the least. Click on the upper/right cutout square, choose the arrow tool. Remember? It's the right/upper item in your toolbar. Now comes the tricky part. Find the cursor keys on your keyboard! They have arrows pointing in all directions. Press the right-arrow, say, two times. And the upper one as well. Looking good. I've hidden the guides and the circle here for clarity.	only the squares

Moving the now cut squares

While this already could serve as a simple logo for some weird company, we're not finished yet. I'll introduce you with a Photoshop-concept called "nudging". In other words: Pixel per Pixel movement. Very precise, to say the least.

Click on the upper/right cutout square, choose the arrow tool. Remember? It's the right/upper item in your toolbar.

Now comes the tricky part. Find the cursor keys on your keyboard! They have arrows pointing in all directions. Press the right-arrow, say, two times. And the upper one as well. Looking good.

I've hidden the guides and the circle here for clarity.