How to move the elliptical tool in Photoshop

[knowoneuno]

My friend was trying to show me another way of making the selection around this Gulfstream window in the jet and when he went to go move the marching ants section, Photoshop "cut out" the selection.

How do you actually move the marching ants portion, and without cutting out the area in the photo?

Enclosed are the two screen shots to show what I am trying to convey.

Thanks in advance!

 

[IamSam]

How do you actually move the marching ants portion, and without cutting out the area in the photo?

After the selection has been made just place the cursor in the center of the selection to move, or you can go to SELECT > TRANSFORM SELECTION to use free transform without moving pixels, or you can press the M key to move entire selection with any tool.

While your making the selection, just press the spacebar.

 

[knowoneuno]

I apologize, you partially answered my question, but I did not explain what I was trying to do, with the marching ants. When you have your oval, around that window area, is there any way to "move and stretch" for a lack of a better term, where the marching ants are more of a "free flow"? I want to make the circle around the windows and then I want to pinch and adjust that circle where it will be exactly the same shape as that round window. Is that possible?

 

[IamSam]

When you have your oval, around that window area, is there any way to "move and stretch" for a lack of a better term, where the marching ants are more of a "free flow"? I want to make the circle around the windows and then I want to pinch and adjust that circle where it will be exactly the same shape as that round window. Is that possible?

Yes. I answered this for you above. But you will not be able to easily make the selection fit the window if at all.

After the selection has been made, go to SELECT > TRANSFORM SELECTION to use free transform without moving pixels or while your making the selection, just press the spacebar.

You should be using the Pen Tool to make these selections around the windows and not the Elliptical Marquis Tool. The Pen Tool creates an editable path that can be finely tweaked to fit. Trying to manipulate a marching ant selection is NOT recommended at all.

 

[IamSam]

Just in case your asking if the marching ant selection can be made to make right angle turns like this...........


Yes. You would have to use two ellipses, one would have to be manipulated using SELECT > TRANSFORM SELECTION, and the other would intersect with the first. This takes time and multiple steps that I'm not even going to attempt to explain it to you. It would be the hard way to do this when you could do it in a matter of seconds with the Pen Tool and make quick easy changes to the path if needed.

 

[knowoneuno]

I'm slowly working with using the pen tool and I appreciate your help and everyone's help with it. My friend just SWEARS by the polygonal lasso tool and the elliptical tool. That is why I was asking.

Here is my latest attempt with the pen tool.

 

[IamSam]

My friend just SWEARS by the polygonal lasso tool and the elliptical tool. That is why I was asking.

No problems. Your friend must not have much experience with Photoshop and that's why he's suggesting them. These are not the proper tools for making these types of selections.

 

[knowoneuno]

No problems. Your friend must not have much experience with Photoshop and that's why he's suggesting them. These are not the proper tools for making these types of selections.

Truthfully, he is excellent with Photoshop, about 1000 times better than I am at it. He things the polygonal tool IS the tool for going around the windows, and he also uses the elliptical tool from time to time. I told him that numerous people on this forum suggested the pen tool for what I was wanting to do and he politely disagrees.

To me, at times, that is what is so frustrating about Photoshop, there are ten ways to skin the cat. Just show me the best and efficient way and I'll learn it, similar to what I am trying to do with the pen tool. I'm not a master of that tool, by any means, but it is getting somewhat easier to figure out.

 

[IamSam]

I told him that numerous people on this forum suggested the pen tool for what I was wanting to do and he politely disagrees.

I certainly have no issues with anyone disagreeing with me and as you say there are many ways to do things in Photoshop. Several members here have explained that the best way to perform the selection you're attempting is with the Pen Tool. We are not here to lead you off in the wrong direction or offer bad advice. We understand if you value your friends advice over ours. Good luck.

 

[knowoneuno]

I certainly have no issues with anyone disagreeing with me and as you say there are many ways to do things in Photoshop. Several members here have explained that the best way to perform the selection you're attempting is with the Pen Tool. We are not here to lead you off in the wrong direction or offer bad advice. We understand if you value your friends advice over ours. Good luck.

I appreciate ALL your help with my questions and if all of the members think the pen tool is the way to go, I'll go that way.