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Fireworks MX: Bitmap Selections: Combining Tools to Isolate and Duplicate Objects
(Lesson from the Fireworks MX: Selections and Masking Techniques Training CD)

Version: Fireworks MX
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Objectives: Create a selection around an object by combining several bitmap selection tools.
Tools & Techniques: Lasso Tool, Oval Marquee Tool, Magic Wand Tool, Isolating and Selecting Objects, Bitmap Selections, Adding and Subtracting Selections
Preview final | View the QuickTime Movie

Often when creating more difficult selections, you'll find by combining your bitmap selection tools you can more efficiently create your selection.

If you previewed the final example you can see how beneficial selections are. By creating the bitmap selection around her hat, we were then able to duplicate the hat selection and modify the colors of each copy.

We finished the project by using the Swap Image behavior in Fireworks MX to add the interactivity to the page.

Step 1: Selecting the Right Tool for the Job

In this example the object we want to select is this woman's hat. We're not going to select it to delete it. We only want to create a selection around the hat for the purpose of creating multiple copies of the hat and then changing the color of each of the duplicate hats.

Since this example is working with the selection tools, the Lasso Tool (L) will most likely be our best tool. But before we begin creating a detailed selection around her hat using the Lasso Tool (L) (which can be a tedious job for even the most seasoned designer) we should take a look at the area just outside the hat.

For the most part, the area behind her hat is monochromatic. There is the grayish/off white sand area and then there's the sea or sky behind her. With the exception of the subtle texture in those areas as well as the slight gradation between them, we can treat each area as a solid color.

This is helpful to know, especially if our goal was to remove the woman from the background. Let's take a moment and review the steps we'd take if we wanted to remove the woman from the background.

  1. Selecting the Magic Wand Tool (W) with a Tolerance of 20 and the Edge set to Anti-Alias, click once in the sand area (Depending on the image and type of new background, you may find setting the Edge to Feather with an Amount of 1 would work better)
  2. Hold down the Shift key and click again in the top area (light blue, sea area)
  3. Continue Shift-Clicking until you've selected enough of the background that would enable you to remove it

 

In this example we now have enough of the background that we could easily remove it using the Eraser Tool (E) to remove the extra area.

But we're not selecting the the background in this example. We only want to select and duplicate the woman's hat. We can use one of the background techniques to assist us in creating our hat selection.

Select either the Lasso Tool (L) or one of the Oval Marquee Tools with the Edge set to Anti-Alias and create a loose selection around the woman's hat as show in the example below:

Step 2: Creating Reverse Selections

Once the loose selection is created we can apply the same selection technique we used earlier when we used the Magic Wand Tool (W) to add selections. This time, however, we'll subtract from the selection

Select the Magic Wand Tool (W)

  1. Set the Edge to Anti-Alias and the Tolerance to around 20 (this number will vary depending on each image and situation but it's a good starting point in most cases)
  2. Click and hold the Alt Key with the Magic Wand Tool (W) selected and begin clicking inside the selection. You will see a minus sign next to the Magic Wand Tool indicating you're ready to begin subtracting from the selection
  3. Continue Alt-Clicking until you've selected everything inside the original selection

 

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