Essential Masking Techniques #3 - Refine Edge Dialogue Box

This is part 3 of a series of 10 masking techniques that I will be explaining. The refine edge tool is not a tool that selects, rather, it is a supporting tool that improves the final result of other selections you make. Depending on your needs, this can clean up rough edges, generate great selection for hair or clean up color fringing.

In Essential Masking Techniques #2 - Quick Selection Tool I mentioned the refine edge. In this post I will show you the ins and outs of the refine edge settings so that you can make a perfect selection every time.






Good for: Hair. Cleaning up masks for any selection you make with any other tool.

Settings

• Edge Detection: This setting will help you with tricky situations such as hair. Check the 'smart Radius' field and then bring up the radius. It will focus in on the small details that are hard to tackle. You can use the edge detection brush to zone in on areas you want affected by the radius. Here is a quick 2 minute video demonstrating the edge detection brush. Thanks @MADEdesignsHD.
• Adjust Edge
• Smooth: This slider will smooth out your selection
• Feather: This slider will add feather to your selection
• Contrast: Sharpens the selection by giving the edges higher contrast
• Shift Edge: Shift the selection in or out
• Output: Fairly straightforward, decide which output that you want to use. If you notice color fringe on the edges then check "decontaminate colors" before you hit OK.

Technique

1. Use any of the selection tools to make a rough selection.
2. Go to the refine edge dialog box.
3. Smooth out your selection using the adjust edge options. As you make adjustments you can preview the selection will look on the canvas. generally you want to smooth out any selection that you have made.
4. Output as a selection (only go to step #5 if there is hair in your selection, otherwise you can output as new layer with mask)
5. Go to the refine edge dialog box once again, this time with the aim of selecting hair.
6. Use the edge detection smart radius and edge detection brush to take care of the hair selection
7. Output once again except this time choose new layer with mask.

Tips

• You can find this dialog box in the settings of most selection tools.
• Always explore the options you have in refine edge. you will usually find area that you can improve.
• It is recommended that you use the refine edge feature twice, once for the main selection and one for hair

So there you have it. If I was not clear enough or I missed something let me know in the comments below!

Do you have any questions? comments? tips? I would be happy to hear from you! Get in touch through michaeljphotography.ca contact form. I would appreciate your follow @Jonssononline