What Is A Polygonal Lasso In Photoshop: A Comprehensive Guide

In the world of digital design and photo editing, Photoshop is an essential tool that offers an extensive range of features and capabilities. One of the fundamental aspects of Photoshop is its selection tools, which allow users to isolate parts of their images for editing and manipulation. Among these tools is the Polygonal Lasso, a powerful and versatile instrument designed for making selections with straight edges.

The Polygonal Lasso tool in Photoshop is specifically tailored for selecting polygonal shapes or objects with numerous straight sides. It works by creating anchor points and connecting them with straight lines to generate a selection area. This is especially handy when working with images that have clear geometric structures or sharp edges, as it allows for precise and accurate selections.

Key Takeaways

• The Polygonal Lasso tool is a versatile selection tool in Photoshop for isolating parts of an image with straight edges.
• It creates selections by connecting anchor points with straight lines, making it ideal for working with polygonal shapes.
• Mastering the Polygonal Lasso tool can help handle complex selection challenges, leading to more refined editing and design work.

Understanding the Basics of Photoshop Selection Tools

To effectively work with images in Photoshop, one must get familiar with its selection tools. These tools reside in the toolbar and are designed to help users select various objects or parts of an image. In this section, we will cover the basics of three commonly used selection tools: Marquee Tools, Standard Lasso, and the Polygonal Lasso Tool.

The Marquee Tools provide four different shapes (rectangular, elliptical, single-row, and single-column) to help users create simple, geometric selections. To access these tools, simply click and hold the Marquee icon in the toolbar and choose the desired shape. Drag the cursor across the image to create the selection.

The Standard Lasso Tool offers more flexibility in selecting irregularly shaped objects by allowing users to draw freehand selections. In the toolbar, select the Lasso icon and trace around the object you wish to select. This tool is perfect for quickly selecting objects with organic shapes, but it may not be ideal for selecting objects with straight edges.

This brings us to the Polygonal Lasso Tool, which excels when making selections with straight sides. To use it, click the Polygonal Lasso icon in the toolbar, then click on the starting point of the object you want to select. Continue clicking at each corner or edge change to draw your selection. Once you have reached your starting point, double-click to close the selection.

By mastering the use of these selection tools in Photoshop, we can easily manipulate and edit the different elements within our images to create stunning results.

Getting to Know the Polygonal Lasso Tool

The Polygonal Lasso Tool in Photoshop is a versatile selection tool that allows us to create selections based on straight lines. It's perfect for selecting objects with clearly defined edges. Unlike its counterparts, the Rectangular Marquee Tool and the standard Lasso Tool, the Polygonal Lasso Tool gives us more control over the selection process¹.

To use the Polygonal Lasso Tool, first click on the tool from the toolbar or press "L" on your keyboard². Before we begin selecting our subject, it's essential to adjust the tool options according to our needs. We can switch between selection options such as New Selection, Add to Selection, Subtract from Selection, and Intersect with Selection². These options let you refine the selection by adding or subtracting parts of the image.

When using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, we click on the canvas to create anchor points. These points define the corners of the selection. For an accurate selection, we place the anchor points along the edges of our desired object³. To close the selection, we can either double-click or connect the last anchor to the initial anchor point manually. Don't worry about making mistakes while creating anchor points, as you can always press the backspace key to remove an unwanted point.

In conclusion, the Polygonal Lasso Tool offers us precision and control when making selections with straight edges. By understanding the tool options and mastering the use of anchor points, we can harness the power of this flexible selection tool to elevate our Photoshop work⁴.

Practical Applications of the Polygonal Lasso Tool

The Polygonal Lasso tool is a handy Photoshop feature that allows us to create precise selections with straight edges. We can use this tool for various applications that involve editing and modifying objects within the canvas. In this section, we will discuss some practical applications of the Polygonal Lasso tool.

One primary application is to select objects with straight sides, such as squares or buildings. After making a selection, we can easily move, cut, or copy the object to another layer or remove it from the canvas. This technique is particularly helpful for designers working on architectural images or other projects that involve geometric shapes.

Another practical use is when we need to delete or cut parts of an image cleanly. With the Polygonal Lasso tool, it's possible to define a precise outline around the desired area before removing it. This method ensures that the deletion is clean, with no jagged edges or unwanted pixels left behind.

When working on a layer mask, the Polygonal Lasso tool becomes essential in creating selections that match the mask's shape, especially if it has multiple straight edges. By doing so, we can quickly apply adjustments and effects to specific portions of an image without affecting the entire layer.

Lastly, the Polygonal Lasso tool can be useful in editing outlines and borders of an object, where precise adjustments are needed. For instance, when adding a stroke effect to a polygonal shape or refining a silhouette, the tool enables us to make clean and accurate selections.

Overall, the Polygonal Lasso tool is an efficient and precise selection tool for a variety of Photoshop tasks involving objects with straight edges. Leveraging its capabilities can significantly improve our editing workflow and final results.

Mastering Selection Techniques

The Polygonal Lasso Tool in Photoshop is a versatile selection tool that allows us to make precise selections using straight-edged outlines. By clicking and dragging anchor points along the edges of an object, we can create a closed path and select the area within it. To improve our selection techniques, we need to be familiar with various selection options and settings.

Selection Options: When using the Polygonal Lasso Tool, we have several options to refine our selections. These include:

• New Selection: Creates a fresh selection outline.
• Add to Selection: Expands our current selection by clicking and dragging new points.
• Subtract from Selection: Removes parts of the existing selection by clicking and dragging over the area to be deselected.
• Intersect with Selection: Retains only the overlapping area between our current selection and a new selection made.

In addition to selection options, we can also adjust the Feathering and Anti-Alias settings. Feathering softens the edges of our selection by creating a gradual transition between the selected and unselected areas. Anti-Alias smooths the appearance of jagged edges by blending the pixels at the boundary of the selection.

In conclusion, mastering the Polygonal Lasso Tool involves knowing when to use specific selection options like New Selection, Add to Selection, Subtract from Selection, and Intersect with Selection, as well as adjusting settings like Feathering and Anti-Alias for smoother selection outlines. With practice, we can make our Photoshop projects more efficient and professional-looking.

Handling Complex Selection Challenges

When working with complex selections in Photoshop, the Polygonal Lasso tool is often our go-to choice. However, there are other tools that can make selections even more precise, such as the Magnetic Lasso tool. This tool helps us create selections around objects with jagged edges or those that require a more intricate approach.

The Magnetic Lasso tool works by automatically detecting and snapping to the edges of an image. As we draw the lasso path, it intelligently adds anchor points along the object's edges, resulting in a more accurate selection. We can adjust its sensitivity by changing the contrast and edge width settings.

In cases where we need finer control over our selections, we can switch to the Hand tool by temporarily holding the spacebar. This allows us to pan and navigate around the image without altering the selection. When we are done moving the canvas, we simply release the spacebar and continue working with the current lasso tool.

To equip ourselves for tackling different sorts of complex selection challenges, we must familiarize ourselves with various tools and techniques in Photoshop. By understanding when and how to use the Polygonal Lasso, Magnetic Lasso, and Hand tool, we can ensure precise and efficient selections, even around intricate objects and jagged edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Polygonal Lasso tool differ from the regular Lasso tool?

The Polygonal Lasso tool is designed for creating selections with straight edges, allowing us to connect anchor points with straight lines. In contrast, the regular Lasso tool is more freeform, enabling us to draw selection outlines without restrictions on shape.

What are the main uses of the Polygonal Lasso tool in Photoshop?

The Polygonal Lasso tool is primarily used for selecting objects with straight edges, such as buildings or geometric shapes. It allows us to make precise selections by clicking and dragging anchor points along the edges of the image, creating a closed path and selecting the area within it.

How can I find the Polygonal Lasso tool in the Photoshop 2022 toolbar?

To locate the Polygonal Lasso tool in Photoshop 2022, look for an icon that resembles a lasso with a polygon in the toolbar, typically located on the left side of the screen. If you don't see it immediately, click and hold on the regular Lasso tool icon to reveal a flyout menu containing the Polygonal Lasso tool.

What are the key differences between Polygonal Lasso and Magnetic Lasso tools?

The main difference between these tools lies in their functioning. While the Polygonal Lasso tool requires manual creation of selection outlines by clicking and connecting anchor points with straight lines, the Magnetic Lasso tool automatically snaps to the edges of an object, detecting color and contrast differences to create a selection.

Is it possible to undo actions made with the Polygonal Lasso tool?

Yes, undoing actions made with the Polygonal Lasso tool is possible. Simply press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo the last action. You can also use the History panel within Photoshop to revert to previous steps in your editing process.

How can I use the Polygonal Lasso tool to remove backgrounds in Photoshop?

To remove a background using the Polygonal Lasso tool, first create a precise selection around the object or area you want to keep. Once you've completed the selection, right-click within the selected area, and choose "Layer via Copy" or "Layer via Cut." This will create a new layer with the selected object, effectively removing the background from the original layer.

Footnotes

1. https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/selections/polygonal-lasso-tool/ ↩

2. https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/tool-techniques/polygonal-lasso-tool.html ↩ ↩²

3. https://essential-photoshop-elements.com/mastering-the-polygonal-lasso-tool-a-step-by-step-guide-to-precise-selections-with-stats-and-tips/ ↩

4. https://essential-photoshop-elements.com/mastering-the-polygonal-lasso-tool-in-photoshop-a-step-by-step-guide-with-statistics-and-tips/ ↩