New Selection Brush Tool in Photoshop – Beginners Tutorial
In this video we will be learning how to use the new Selection Brush tool in Photoshop, which allows you to create selections from a brush. This is a great tool to use with the AI Generative Fill feature, because it allows you to create something called as a “Soft Selection”, which gives the user a great control on how the Generative Fill feature works. Here’s the video:
Video Summary
This tutorial by Creative Pad Media explores the Selection Brush Tool in Photoshop, explaining how it simplifies selection tasks and offers unique advantages for AI-powered editing.
Key Summary Points
- Tool Basics: The Selection Brush Tool (shortcut ‘L’) allows you to “paint” selections using a colored overlay (defaulting to magenta) rather than drawing lines with a lasso [01:21, 02:01]. It is highly intuitive for beginners and works similarly to masking features in Lightroom [01:36].
- Modifying Selections: It seamlessly integrates with other tools. You can start a selection with “Select Subject” and then use the Selection Brush to easily add or subtract areas, which is especially helpful in low-contrast zones like helmets or shoes [06:34, 08:29].
- The “Soft Mask” Advantage: A unique feature is the Opacity slider. By reducing opacity (e.g., to 40%), you create a “soft selection” or gray-scale mask [11:03, 12:03].
- Generative AI Precision:
- Artistic Effects: Using a soft selection with Generative Fill allows the AI to apply effects (like “oil painting”) while retaining the original subject’s features, jersey numbers, and likeness better than a standard 100% selection [13:26, 14:16].
- Subtle Retouching: For sensitive tasks like removing facial blemishes, a low-opacity, soft-edged selection ensures the AI fixes only the problem area without altering the surrounding skin structure [14:36, 15:34].
Conclusion: While similar to the long-standing “Quick Mask” mode, this tool provides a more user-friendly way for beginners to create the subtle selections necessary for high-quality AI editing.
Important Links
Link to download the images shown in the video:
Link to access our FREE Photoshop Course:
FREE Photoshop Course for Beginners
