Making a selection based on a selection

[puppychew]

Hi - let me explain my problem.

If I have say an image of a picture in a frame on a wall. I first select the photo inside the frame and let's say change the color.

Now I need to select the frame.

I can select the outside of the frame and then subtract the inside part of the frame. However my selection may overlap the photo I selected.

Is there a way to select the photo inside the frame - save that selection, and then use that selection for the frame?

 

[Stric9]

After you select the photo, copy that to a new layer with cntrl+j. Then select your frame and copy to a new layer. Reselect the picture by cntrl clicking the picture layer and hit delete. That should leave just the frame on a new layer assuring that the layers don't overlap.

 

[puppychew]

I see the selection for the picture when the layer is deleted. This selection is still a + selection. How do I see the selection for the outside of the frame? The outside of the frame is also a + selection so won't it add to the picture selection only making it bigger?

 

[Hoogle]

select the picture as normal change the colour using an adjustment layer with the adjustment layer apply a clipping mask so it will only effect the layer below it deselect everything reselect the frame copy it to a new layer then do an adjustment layer colour change that way you have 2 sets of masks to fine tune it 1 for the frame and 1 for the image

 

[hawkeye]

Select the frame then Select-Save Selection. Select the photo then Select-Save Selection-Subtract from Channel.

 

[puppychew]

Confusing - it's not letting me do it. Shouldn't I first select the pic working form the inside out? When I subtract the pic channel, what layer should I be in or should I be in an image layer?

 

[puppychew]

See what I am trying to do - and this is just a simple example because I have numerous situations like this - I am hoping to select the picture - and do what i need to do with it and reuse this selection. I am hoping I can use this selection for the inside of the frame. I thought I can select the frame and subtract the picture layer from it. This is where I get confused and don't understand what to do.

 

[hawkeye]

You can reuse the selection, just save it. Select-Save Selection. When you want to use it Select-Load Selection, or go to channels and ctrl+clk the alpha channel.

 

[puppychew]

I have a saved selection for the picture (a small square), and I have a saved selection for the frame (a larger square). Two separate layers and 2 separate channels.

I can load each selection layer separately only.

How can I subtract the picture (small square) from the larger square? Both selection layers are add to (+) selections.

 

[hawkeye]

Load the small selection, click save selection, bring up the large selection and check subtract from channel.

 

[puppychew]

Both selections are saved as separate layers
So I bring up the small selection
make active a layer with an image, right?
I go to Select, Save selection, choose the larger selection channel
subtract from channel

nothing happens, my cursor does change to that for a box selection with a +

sorry - I must be missing something

 

[Vafann]

I have been trying to do what you I think you want done, if you mean that you want to change the color of the picture inside the frame, and then change the color of the frame itself separately. If this is what you mean, I was able to do it like this..

Select the picture inside the frame, save the selection and name it ("inner frame" or something)
Click on quick mask tool, which should turn the picture inside the frame red.
Click on "add to selection " and select around the outside of the frame.
Add an adjustment layer and change the hue-saturation of the frame, or whatever it is you want to do with it.
Click on the quick mask tool again to turn it off.
Now deselect all.

Ok, now the frame should be the color or whatever that you want.
Then go to selection-"read in selection" (or whatever it´s called in English, I mean use the selection of the "inner frame" that you saved earlier.)
Add another adjustment layer, and change the color of the picture, or whatever it was you wanted to do with it.

That was the only way I could figure out to do it, for some reason it didn´t work if I tried changing the picture first, I had to start with the frame. I hope this might at least help a little.

 

[puppychew]

Thanks - I need to play around with this. See, I am using a picture and frame as an example because it is simple.

The area I need to select is very detailed and complicated. I will need to save that selection on its own layer to go back and change the color etc a few times. Then there is an area surrounding that area that I will need to make a selection, save it on a layer and go back and change colors again. The result I need is 2 layers with separate selections. I am trying to save a lot of time and avoid the possibility of leaving gaps. The outside of the selection of the picture needs to be used in each layer selection - one as the outside of the selection, the other as the inside of the selection.

 

[hawkeye]

Both selections are saved as separate layers
So I bring up the small selection
make active a layer with an image, right?
I go to Select, Save selection, choose the larger selection channel
subtract from channel

nothing happens, my cursor does change to that for a box selection with a +

sorry - I must be missing something

After you Subtract from Channel, click OK. Now go to Select-Load Selection and choose the selection and it will be altered.

 

[Vafann]

Thanks - I need to play around with this. See, I am using a picture and frame as an example because it is simple.

The area I need to select is very detailed and complicated. I will need to save that selection on its own layer to go back and change the color etc a few times. Then there is an area surrounding that area that I will need to make a selection, save it on a layer and go back and change colors again. The result I need is 2 layers with separate selections. I am trying to save a lot of time and avoid the possibility of leaving gaps. The outside of the selection of the picture needs to be used in each layer selection - one as the outside of the selection, the other as the inside of the selection.

If you are going to save a selection that you need to go back to after you have shut down photoshop for example, you need to save the picture together with the selection, if you do that, you can use it as many times as you want.

You make a selection, save it and name it. Then save the picture right after that. I think that if you do this several times with all the different selections you want to keep
you should have them all to choose from, by choosing the name of the selection you want to use at the moment. Am I still misunderstanding you? I suppose that this way you will end up with two diffrerent copies of the picture, but you can make them into layers. Does this sound like it makes sense? lol.

 

[hawkeye]

Selections are not saved as layers, they are saved as alpha channels and are independent of the layers.

 

[Vafann]

Selections are not saved as layers, they are saved as alpha channels and are independent of the layers.

Yes, I just tried what I said and it didn´t work, I was going to come back and say that. lol. I give up.

 

[hawkeye]

View attachment 7119View attachment 7118View attachment 7117 View attachment 7120
#1) Save the outside selection )name it outside)
#2) Select the inside, open save selection, subtract from the "outside" channel click Ok.
#3) Load the outside selection (Select-Load Selection)
#4) The result

Done all I can do. Good luck...

 

[ibclare]

#1) Save the outside selection )name it outside)
#2) Select the inside, open save selection, subtract from the "outside" channel click Ok.
#3) Load the outside selection (Select-Load Selection)
#4) The result
Done all I can do. Good luck...

Congratulations everybody who gave some amazingly detailed explanations of the various ways to do this job! Now if Puppychew will slow down and read what you wrote he might be able to do it too. :mrgreen:

 

[ibclare]

Thanks - I need to play around with this. See, I am using a picture and frame as an example because it is simple.

The area I need to select is very detailed and complicated. I will need to save that selection on its own layer to go back and change the color etc a few times. Then there is an area surrounding that area that I will need to make a selection, save it on a layer and go back and change colors again. The result I need is 2 layers with separate selections. I am trying to save a lot of time and avoid the possibility of leaving gaps. The outside of the selection of the picture needs to be used in each layer selection - one as the outside of the selection, the other as the inside of the selection.

If you want to save the selection you make and include the edges in the selection as well as the inverse, make your selection, save it (name it), then go to select>modify>expand. Make your layer. Now go to select>load selection. Invert it and modify>expand again and make your 2nd layer. Now you will have each layer with a bit of the other, whatever expansion number of pixels you choose. Like Hawkeye said, good luck.