Using Refine Edge Tools In Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop has been a game-changer in editing photographs and videos in recent times. The large variety of tools available in Photoshop makes it highly versatile and user-friendly as well. Photoshop allows us to use any effect based on our moods or ambience. Editing never felt so easy until Photoshop arrived.

The refine edge tool one of the really impressive tools of Photoshop which helps in modifying the background of an image without disturbing the image itself. It helps smoothen out the irregularities along the edges of the image while editing thus making the photo look good and sharper.

Here are a few steps to use the refine edge tool properly:

1. Refine edge tool helps in changing the background by making a sharp selection. Go to the Options bar and select “Refine Edge Tool”. This will open the refine edge toolbox. There are various modes available such as:
   1. Marching Ants – The selected area will be surrounded by marching ants(M)
   2. Overlay – the selected area is overlaid by a layer mask of light red colour(V)
   3. On black – the area excluding the selected area is filled with black colour(B)
   4. On white – the area excluding the selected area is filled with white colour(W)
   5. Black and white – area selected is filled with white colour while area not selected is filled with black colour(K)
   6. On layer – in this mode the area excluding the selected area becomes transparent(L)
   7. Reveal layer – in this mode, the image is displayed without any selection(R)

Bracketed alphabets are the keyboard shortcuts.

2. SMART RADIUS

The selection of smart radius option results in the choice of selection as hard or soft by Photoshop.

3. RADIUS

Radius option helps to control the radius of the refine edge tool. It determines the extent up to which the edge is refined.

4. SMOOTH

The selection of this option results in the smoothness of the selection.

5. FEATHER

Feather option is selected when the selection of area is to be softened, and the vignette effect is to be added to the photograph.

6. CONTRAST

Selecting the contrast option sharpens the edge of the area selected.

7. SHIFT EDGE

This option helps to contract or expand the selected area.

8. DECONTAMINATE COLOR

This option is to be selected when the selected area still contains some leftover coloured pixels at the edges. By selecting this option, Photoshop replaces the colour of selected pixels with that of the nearby pixels.

9. OUTPUT OPTIONS

The output option contains some drop-down menus as follows:

• Selection – output will be a selection of the activated layer
• Layer mask – the selection is applied with a layer mask.
• New layer – deletes the background and creates a new layer containing only the selection
• New layer with layer mask – a new layer with a new mask is created
• The new document – a new document containing the selected image is created
• A new document with a layer mask – a new document with a layer mask containing the selected image is created

The refine edge tool certainly is a great tool for convenient and smoother editing of photographs. It is one of the most important tools of Photoshop, and it is justified in the above discussion.