Photoshop Tip from Josh Withers

Are you ever unclear on just how much of a feather to add to your selection in Photoshop?

Feathering softens the edges of a selection.  This is an essential technique in Photoshop.

Here is a quick tip:

Make a selection.

Hit the "Q" key to enter Quick Mask mode.  Quick Mask mode will allow you to see your selection with a colored overlay.  The default color is red.  Quick Mask mode is a temporary mode to alter your selection by viewing it as an editable mask vs. the "Marching Ants."

Go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur.  Gaussian Blur works virtually the same as if you were to feather your selection.  Instead of feathering, you have a visual idea of how much softening you are doing to your selection by blurring the quick mask instead.

Once you do the appropriate amount of blurring for your image, remember to hit the "Q" key again to get out of Quick Mask mode.  Your marching ants will change shape a bit to reflect the change you made to the edges of your selection.

I hope this helps the arbitrary guessing game when it comes to feathering your selections!  Happy Photoshopping!

-Josh Withers