trouble with magnetic freehand selection

[lettergothic]

Magnetic Freehand tool:

Example: I'm selecting an overhead shot of a magazine lying on a flat blk or wht bg so I can delete the bg. In my example, the magazine is a dark color on a wht bg—a clearly defined hard edge. Sometimes the selection works as expected but, many times, the tool has an annoying habit of leaping over a clearly defined outer edge to pick up a much less defined edge in the interior of the image—not what I want. 

- Is there a key command or something to temporarily override the lasso's automatic behavior and allow me to set a point manually on the other side of the "problem zone" area—and then revert to  automatic placement ?
- Is there some way to adjust the sensitivity of the tool (by hue, value, saturation, for ex.?) ?
- Is Command Z the best way to backtrack, point by misplaced point?

Thanks,

lettergothic

[Ron P.]

FWIW, I've never like the magnetic lasso tool, in any program. Just seems way too sensitive, and difficult to get a good selection. For what you're attempting I'd use the Pen Tool. Should make selecting that fairly easy. Once you've completed outlining the magazine, you have 2 options, create a Mask or Selection. Choose which one you want, I'd try the Selection. You should have a good clean selection from that. You can also Refine the selection if need be.

[Callum]

11 hours ago, lettergothic said:

Magnetic Freehand tool:

Example: I'm selecting an overhead shot of a magazine lying on a flat blk or wht bg so I can delete the bg. In my example, the magazine is a dark color on a wht bg—a clearly defined hard edge. Sometimes the selection works as expected but, many times, the tool has an annoying habit of leaping over a clearly defined outer edge to pick up a much less defined edge in the interior of the image—not what I want. 

- Is there a key command or something to temporarily override the lasso's automatic behavior and allow me to set a point manually on the other side of the "problem zone" area—and then revert to  automatic placement ?
- Is there some way to adjust the sensitivity of the tool (by hue, value, saturation, for ex.?) ?
- Is Command Z the best way to backtrack, point by misplaced point?

Thanks,

lettergothic

Hi Lettergothic,

1. If you hold left click and drag you will override the magnet side of the tool and be able to draw your selection freely.

2. As far as I'm aware there is no way to change the sensitivity I'm afraid. 

3. I would say CMD + Z is the best way to do that.

Thanks

Callum

[walt.farrell]

13 hours ago, lettergothic said:

Example: I'm selecting an overhead shot of a magazine lying on a flat blk or wht bg so I can delete the bg. In my example, the magazine is a dark color on a wht bg—a clearly defined hard edge. Sometimes the selection works as expected but, many times, the tool has an annoying habit of leaping over a clearly defined outer edge to pick up a much less defined edge in the interior of the image—not what I want. 

Can you provide a sample image?