3.2.3. Free Selection Tool

The Free Selection tool is designed to select freehand regions from images or layers so you can work on a specific area of an image or layer.

Activate Tool
  • The Free Selection Tool can be called in the following order, from the image-menu: Tools/ Selection Tools/Free Select.

  • The Tool can also be called by clicking the tool icon:

Key modifiers (Defaults)
Shortcut

The f key will change the active tool to Free Select.

Ctrl

Holding Ctrl while creating a free selection will place the selection into subtraction mode (see above).

Alt

Holding Alt will allow movement of the current selection (only its frame, not its content). If the whole image is moved instead of the selection only, try Shift+Alt

Shift

Holding Shift while creating a free selection will ensure that the selection mode is changed to addition (see above).

Ctrl+Shift

Using Ctrl-Shift will change the selection mode to intersection (or union).

Options

Overview

The available tool options for Free Select can be accessed by double clicking the Free Select tool icon

Mode

Replace mode will cause any existing selection to be destroyed or replaced when the new selection is created.

Add mode will cause the new selection to be added to any existing selection regions.

Subtract mode will remove the new selection area from any existing selection regions.

Intersection mode will make a new selection from the area where the existing selection region and the new selection region overlap.

Antialiasing

This option will make your selection appear more correct by antialiasing the edge of the selection with the neighbouring pixels. Antialiasing is discussed in further detail under the glossary entry Antialiasing.

Feather Edges

The Radius slider adjusts the amount of feathering in pixels for the next selection that is created. For further information regarding feathering, see the glossary entry Feathering.

Additional information
[Note] Note
When moving a selection beyond the boundaries of the image canvas, the selection will be cropped to the image area. Selections can exist on the visible canvas only. Selection movements and changes are, however, kept in the undo buffer should you have the need of repairing an error.