Smart select - how to stop it being dumb ass select...

srichards

srichards

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Suz
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I've got loads of images to cut out. I'm bored stupid. Smart select seems to be confused and dumb about them so frequently when you try and get the right outline it'll jump to selecting the entire image.

It's frustrating when you can see with mark 1 eyeball exactly which edges you want to define but smart select doesn't work. If I have to use clipping paths I will jump out of the window as those went out with the ark.

How do you make smart select more intelligent? Are there magic sizes, hardness levels etc which help? Does it like to do little bits at a time rather than being given an entire outline. I did try the magnetic select tool thingy but that was mental and uncontrollable. If there was such thing as an eye tracker then it would be dead easy.

I've tried the logical drag over the whole image, or drag over a small section and systematically cut out each little piece. The latter seems to work better sometimes but what drives me potty is seeing something like a handle where it has defined one part of the outer edge then it randomly jumps to defining the inner edge.

It also has an annoying habit of selecting little bits somewhere else so you find later you have bits missing or worse it's chewed off an edge and you didn't notice so you have to go right back to the beginning and start again.

Sometimes it works a treat and for other things which you'd expect it to work just as well it makes a right arse of it.

At this rate I'll just end up drawing a bloody rectangle round each thing and being done with it!

Any tips on why it is so inconsistent?
 
I've never found the tool even slightly useful. It has never given a result close to acceptable. I have been playing around with layer masks for this sort of thing. Tedious, but gives a better result to my eye than using clipping paths, and much better than the completely useless smart select.
 
Alt click is your friend. Select the area you want then paint over the inevitable bits you don't want holding down alt (option on a Mac?) and it should do a much better job of working out where you want the edges.

You only really need a relatively rough selection as you can then use the mask edge tool panel and paint over the edges with the refine radius tool and it should give a pretty good cut out.
 
Last edited:
SandyMcClure said:
Alt click is your friend. Select the area you want then paint over the inevitable bits you don't want holding down alt (option on a Mac?) and it should do a much better job of working out where you want the edges.

You only really need a relatively rough selection as you can then use the mask edge tool panel and paint over the edges with the refine radius tool and it should give a pretty good cut out.
Click to expand...

I've been doing the Alt click to remove what it's just added in wrongly. Or just use the undo and redo from a slightly different spot in the hope it won't jump out to a ridiculous size again. I have tried the auto enhance option on and off and that doesn't seem to make much difference.

I'll investigate the mask edge tool panel. I did play with the refine radius tool.

For the price I expect PS to be telepathic ;)
 
Yea that's a pain, I know how you feel, I once had to spend 3 days isolating around 150 shots from their background. I nearly went mad. I'd say creating actions is a massive help, even if it is only for 2 or 3 steps, if you have to do the same thing over and over it is worth it in the long run when you have loads to do.
 
I feel your pain - it can be very frustrating.

That said, I remember back in the late 80s having to do it manually to load of prints. Prints of various bits of kit the MOD were selling off and they wanted white backgrounds. Anything from Land Rovers to ammo boxes. We had to use self adhesive masking film, a scalpel blade, bleach and cotton wool.
 
I need to spend some proper time finding the quickest ways for different types of issues really. Might have to start watching YouTube tutorials .... Ick.
 
The size of the tool seems to make a difference, a smalller brush size seems better at finding borderline edges (or so it seems to me)
 
I’m with Swanseamale; a small brush used in conjunction with refine edge works well.

Rhodese.
 
I'll give that a try and see how I get on. I'm lazy so layer masks are a pain in the butt in comparison.
 
Just paint your selection in with a layer mask. Smart select is utter crap at the best of times. You could also use the polygonal lasso tool, or pencil tool to make a clipping path. You could also use quick mask to paint the selection in. Just stop using smart select.. it's sh1t.

Once your selection if made, you can use refine edge if needed.
 
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