Selection in Photoshop CS3 - Part II

For today's tutorial, we will learn how to use Photoshop's Single Row and Single Column Marquee tools. Are you ready? Open up your Photoshop applications now.


The Single Row and Single Column Marquee Tools

We have learned on our earlier tutorial that you can use Photoshop's Rulers to create a guide horizontally and vertically just by dragging the ruler to the active window. Remember? Now, if we want to create a 60-degree guide or a 45-degree guide, we can't use these rulers. Instead, we need to create a customized guide using these two amazing Photoshop tools, the single row and single column marquee tools. These tools let you create a 1-pixel wide horizontal or vertical selection.

Let's have a demo.

Step 1. Create a new document. Let's say a 300x300 pixels document. Set background content to white. Then click OK.
Step 1. Create a new layer for the 45-degree guide so as not to damage the image plus we can use the Move tool(V) to relocate it anywhere where it's needed. Name this layer as "45 deg guide" (just double click "Layer 1" layer just above the "Background" layer)
Step 2. Locate and select the Single Row Marquee tool or Single Column Marquee tool on the toolbox.
Step 3. Click on the Tool Preset list arrow, and then select from the available presets.
Step 4. Use the selection options on the Options bar to create a new selection, or add, subtract or intersect an existing selection.
Step 5. Drag the selection area in the active window.

Now you have two ways to fill this selection with any color we want. Instinctively, you'll do this way: Use the Zoom In tool("Ctrl"+"plus" keys) repeatedly until you can see clearly the area of the marquee. Then use Photoshop's Paint Bucket tool(G) and click on the area. Then Zoom Out("Ctrl"+"minus" keys). But here's an easy way, read carefully.

Step 6. Press "Alt"+"Backspace" keys to fill the selection with the chosen color. No more zooming in and out.

Pretty neat huh?! Tee-hee. Let's continue.

Step 7. Go to Edit menu. Then select Transform then choose Rotate.
Step 8. Enter a value of 45 in the Angle options in the Options bar above. Press Ctrl+D keys to deselect the marquee selection.

You should now have like this one. Give yourself a pat on the back. Well done.

That's it for today. On our next tutorial, we'll tackle how to use The Magic Wand Tool plus a new feature in CS3, the Quick Selection tool. Stay tuned.