Using Channels to Create and Store Selections
Photoshop's primary method of creating selections is through the use of tools on the toolbox, such as the Marquee, Lasso, and Magic Wand, and while they create impressive and complex selections, Photoshop has other ways to capture that tricky selection using the Channels palette. The Channels palette primarily holds color information, but that's not all it can hold. You can use the Channels palette to create and store complex selections. Photoshop holds selection information using black (mask), white (selection), and shades of gray (percentages of selection). In addition, channels are saved with the image file.

Create Selections with Channels
Select the Channels palette.
Click the individual color channels.
Look for a channel that represents a brightness difference between what you want to select and what you want to mask.
Make a copy of the channel by dragging it down over the New Channel button on the Channels palette.
Select the new channel.
Click the Image menu, point to Adjustments , and then Threshold .
Drag the Threshold slider left or right until the visible image represents a black and white mask of your selection.
Click OK .
[View full size image]
Did You Know?Selection masks created from color channels will not always be perfect. For example, you may see unwanted spots of white or black. When that happens, do the best you can using the Threshold command, and then use you Paintbrush with white or black to clean up the mask. |
Apply Selection Masks to an Image
Click the Select menu, and then click Load Selection .
Click the Channel list arrow, and then select the newly created channel.
Click OK .[View full size image]
See AlsoSee "Creating Channel Masks from Selections" on page 243 for more information on using channel masks as selections. |