Resizing your selection in Photoshop using the Transform Selection tool – Step by step guide

Adobe Photoshop is a versatile software that allows users to manipulate images with ease. One of the key features of Photoshop is the ability to make precise selections. Once a selection is made, you can edit only the area within that selection without affecting the rest of the image.

In some cases, you may want to resize the selection itself to better fit your needs. This can be easily done using the Transform Selection tool in Photoshop. The Transform Selection tool allows you to scale, rotate, and skew the selection to any desired size or shape.

To resize a selection with the Transform Selection tool, start by making a selection using any of the selection tools available in Photoshop, such as the Marquee Tool or the Lasso Tool. Once you have made your selection, go to the “Select” menu at the top of the screen and choose “Transform Selection”.

Once you select “Transform Selection”, a bounding box will appear around your selection. You can now resize the selection by clicking and dragging any of the corner handles of the bounding box. To maintain the aspect ratio of the selection, hold down the Shift key while resizing.

In addition to resizing, you can also rotate and skew the selection using the Transform Selection tool. To rotate the selection, position your cursor outside the bounding box near one of the corner handles. Your cursor will change to a curved arrow. Click and drag to rotate the selection to the desired angle.

To skew the selection, position your cursor outside the bounding box near one of the side handles. Your cursor will change to an angle bracket. Click and drag to skew the selection horizontally or vertically.

Once you have resized, rotated, or skewed the selection to your satisfaction, press Enter or Return on your keyboard to apply the transformation. The selection will now be resized and ready for further editing.

Using the Transform Selection tool in Photoshop allows you to easily resize, rotate, and skew selections, giving you greater control over your image editing process. Whether you are resizing a selection to fit a specific area or just experimenting with different shapes and sizes, the Transform Selection tool is a powerful feature that can help you achieve your desired results.

Next time you find yourself needing to resize a selection in Photoshop, remember to use the Transform Selection tool for precise and flexible editing.

Overview of Resizing Selections in Photoshop

Resizing selections in Photoshop allows you to change the size of a specific area within an image without altering the rest of the image. This can be useful when you want to resize a particular object or element within a photo without affecting other parts of the scene.

There are several ways to resize selections in Photoshop, including using the Transform Selection tool. This tool allows you to resize, rotate, and distort the selected area to achieve the desired effect.

To resize a selection using the Transform Selection tool:

1. Open the image in Photoshop and make a selection using any selection tool, such as the Marquee or Lasso tool.
2. Go to the “Select” menu and choose “Transform Selection” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Command+T on a Mac).
3. A bounding box will appear around the selected area, indicating that it is selected for transformation.
4. To resize the selection, simply click and drag one of the handles on the bounding box.
5. You can hold the Shift key while dragging to maintain the proportions of the selection.
6. Once you have adjusted the size of the selection, press Enter or Return to apply the transformation.

It’s important to note that resizing a selection does not modify the actual image pixels, but rather changes the boundaries of the selected area. Therefore, you can always go back and readjust the selection if needed.

Resizing selections in Photoshop gives you more flexibility and control over the composition of your images. Whether you’re resizing an object, cropping a photo, or working on a collage, this skill is essential for achieving professional-looking results.

Step 1: Opening Photoshop and Selecting an Image

Photoshop is a powerful image editing software that allows you to resize selections and manipulate images with ease. To get started, you’ll need to open Photoshop and select the image you want to work with.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open Photoshop on your computer. If you don’t have Photoshop installed, you can download a free trial from the Adobe website.
2. Create a new document by clicking on “File” in the menu bar, then selecting “New”. This will open the New Document dialogue box.
3. Set your document preferences such as width, height, resolution, and background color. You can enter specific values or choose from preset options.
4. Click “OK” to create the new document.
5. Import the image you want to resize by clicking on “File” in the menu bar, then selecting “Open”. This will open the Open dialogue box.
6. Navigate to the location where your image is stored, select it, and click “Open”. The image will now appear in the Photoshop workspace.
7. Select the image by clicking and dragging the mouse over it. You can also use the “Select” menu in the menu bar to choose different selection tools.

Now that you have Photoshop open and have selected the image you want to resize, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Step 2: Accessing the Transform Selection Tool

Once you have made your initial selection in Photoshop, you can access the Transform Selection tool by going to the “Edit” menu at the top of the screen. From there, scroll down to the “Transform” option and click on it to reveal a drop-down menu. In this drop-down menu, you will find the “Transform Selection” option.

Alternatively, you can also access the Transform Selection tool by using keyboard shortcuts. Pressing Ctrl+T (Windows) or Command+T (Mac) will automatically activate the tool, making it easier and quicker to access.

Step 3: Making Proportional Resizing of a Selection

When resizing a selection in Photoshop, it is important to ensure that the dimensions are maintained proportionally. This means that the width and height of the selection should be adjusted together, so that the overall aspect ratio of the selection remains the same.

To make a proportional resizing of a selection, follow these steps:

1. Select the “Transform Selection” option by pressing Ctrl+T (Windows) or Cmd+T (Mac) on your keyboard.
2. Hover your cursor over one of the corner handles of the selection until you see a double arrow cursor.
3. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click and drag the corner handle inwards or outwards to resize the selection. The selection will maintain its aspect ratio as you resize it.
4. Release the mouse button and the Shift key when you are happy with the new size of the selection.
5. Press Enter or Return on your keyboard to apply the transformation and finalize the resized selection.

By following these steps, you can easily and accurately resize a selection while maintaining its proportions using the Transform Selection feature in Photoshop. This can help ensure that your images look balanced and visually pleasing.

Step 4: Making Non-Proportional Resizing of a Selection

When resizing a selection in Photoshop, you have the option to maintain the proportions of the selection, which is known as proportional resizing. However, there may be times when you want to resize the selection without maintaining its original proportions. This is called non-proportional resizing.

To make a non-proportional resize of a selection in Photoshop, follow these steps:

1. Select the Transform selection tool by clicking on the arrow next to the Rectangular marquee tool in the Tools panel, and then selecting Transform selection from the menu.
2. Click and drag any of the handles on the selection outline to resize the selection as desired. You can drag the handles horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to stretch or compress the selection in different directions.
3. Hold down the Shift key while dragging the handles to constrain the movement of the selection and maintain its proportions. This is useful if you want to switch back to proportional resizing temporarily.
4. Release the mouse button and the Shift key when you are happy with the new size and shape of the selection.

By following these steps, you can easily make non-proportional resizing of a selection in Photoshop. This allows you to have more control over the shape and size of your selection, giving you the flexibility to create unique and custom designs.

Step 5: Applying Transformation and Finalizing the Resized Selection

Now that you have adjusted the size of your selection using the Transform Selection tool, it’s time to apply the transformation and finalize the resized selection. Follow these steps to complete the process:

1. Press Enter or Return on your keyboard to apply the transformation and confirm the resized selection. This will lock in the changes you made to the selection size.

2. Deselect the selection by going to the “Select” menu at the top of the Photoshop interface and choosing “Deselect” or by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D (Windows) or Command+D (Mac).

3. Continue working on your image with the resized selection. You can apply various image adjustments, filters, or other editing techniques to the selected area.

4. Save your work by going to the “File” menu and choosing “Save” or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S (Windows) or Command+S (Mac). It’s always a good idea to save your work regularly to prevent any accidental loss of progress.

Congratulations! You have successfully resized a selection in Photoshop using the Transform Selection tool and finalized the changes. Now you can continue editing your image with the resized selection to achieve your desired result.

Question-answer:

What is Transform Selection in Photoshop?

Transform Selection is a tool in Photoshop that allows you to change the size, shape, or position of a selected area in an image.

How do I resize a selection using Transform Selection?

To resize a selection using Transform Selection, first, make a selection using any of the selection tools. Then, go to the “Edit” menu, select “Transform Selection,” and choose one of the transform options like Scale, Rotate, or Skew. Use the bounding box handles to resize the selection, and press Enter or click the checkmark icon to apply the changes.

Can I resize a selection proportionally in Photoshop?

Yes, you can resize a selection proportionally in Photoshop. To do this, make sure the aspect ratio lock is enabled in the options bar. Then, when you resize the selection using Transform Selection, it will maintain its original proportions.