Restrict a selection refinement?

[jdvoracek]

Often, especially with hair, I will want to refine only a part of a selection, but when I refine just the area of interest, AP refines other areas which I have not highlighted in the refine step. Not only does it refine those areas, but it often makes the selection there worse. In the example below, I don't want the green area refined, but if I highlight the red area in the refine step, the green area selection is modified (for the worse) as well. What am I missing? TIA!

[NotMyFault]

In V2 you can use compound masks.

1. Make your initial selection - but do not refine.
2. Create mask from selection, but hide. (Base mask)
3. select pixel layer in layer stack again.
4. use rectangular marquee or freehand tool in mode intersect to create the part of selection which should be refined.
5. Create mask, and hide. (Refinement area)
6. select pixel layer again.
7. Refine as usual. 
8. When finished, create mask from selection. (Refined mask)
9. Deselect all
10. make compound mask from all 3 mask layers. Choose „subtract“ for unrefined area, and „add“ for refined area. Base mask at bottom.

This workflow has many steps, but works reliable. Masks are far mor flexible, as you can have multiple masks, and combine them, or simply use as inactive backup storage for selections you may need later again. 

You can always convert selections to masks (just create mask while selection is active) or back (selection from layer).

[jdvoracek]

@NotMyFault thanks, and theoretically I see the logic, but the result is imperfect - there is an artifactual line at the bottom of the intersected areas.

[NotMyFault]

Almost there

to avoid this, both mask should slightly overlap. You can erase with erase brush from the middle mask. 

Normally all parts with hair are used for the "refined" part, and you can choose e.g. the shoulder area with hard edges for the demarcation line.

[jdvoracek]

@NotMyFaultyeah, another sloppy work-around. Upon further review, it appears the masks do not line up well either. 

It sure would be a lot easier if Serif/AP would just give an option to refine ONLY the area we highlight. I'll have to check to see if they have a feature request list.

[NotMyFault]

15 minutes ago, jdvoracek said:

@NotMyFaultyeah, another sloppy work-around. Upon further review, it appears the masks do not line up well either. 

It sure would be a lot easier if Serif/AP would just give an option to refine ONLY the area we highlight. I'll have to check to see if they have a feature request list.

if you search you will find many older requests to improve "refine mask".