magic wand tool
The magic wand tool is one of those tools that Photoshop offers its users to use in many ways to retouch photos that some selection tools are overlooked.
But the magic wand tool can be useful to change the color and appearance of your background.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can use the magic wand tool for selecting to your advantage.
Table of Contents
What Is The Magic Wand Tool
The Magic Wand tool is a selection tool. This allows you to quickly select parts of your images and make independent operations. It is most used to select fixed backgrounds and color areas. It also does not work, for example on an image with a separate gradient or blurry characteristics.
You can also exchange the background in a photo without moving or changing the subject of the image. This is very useful for product photography or e-commerce recordings.
In contrast to the fast selection tool, it selects pixels based on similarities in the color and show in an image. Instead of looking for different limits, the magic wand tool searches the canvas for comparable shades to come up with the selection of it.
Click on a part of your image with the magic wand tool. Photoshop corresponds to the pixels with pixels from another part of the image that has been determined as a match. You can use the option bar to further refine what Photoshop looks like for those pixels.
Magic Wand Tool Options
Tolerance level
The tolerance increases or reduces sensitivity in the luminance values ​​of a certain color. The higher the number, the higher the range of luminance values ​​that will be included in the selection.
The standard setting is set at 32, but you can go as high as 255.
For example, if you choose a value of 50, this means that Photoshop Luminance values ​​50 shades select brighter and darker than the area on which you clicked.
Change this selection to 100 and it will double that amount.
If you only want to choose the exact value of tones on which you have clicked, you can select 0 for the tolerance value.
Consecutive
A few consecutive or the selected pixels are next to each other. This allows you to limit your selection to a certain area, or choose many areas over the image with a single click.
Anti-alias
When you select Anti-Alias, smooth the edges of your selection. It allows the transition of color between the selection and the rest of the photo. This is an option that also works with other selection tools that are available in Photoshop. It provides realistic -looking selections that merge seamlessly.
How To Use The Magic Wand Tool To Make A Selection Based On Color
This tool is especially useful for images with a consistently colored background. You can also use it for images with a lot of specific tone represented.
In the image below I wanted to change the background for something livelier and more dramatic. I want a color that would contrast well with the flower.
To use the magic wand tool, select it in the toolbar of the Photoshop Tools. You can find it under the fast selection tool. You can also touch W for the shortcut.
In the option bar, choose your settings for tolerance, consecutive and anti -alias.
- Click on a color in the image to make your selection.
- Choose> Taste all layers if you want to select similar colors on all visible layers. Switch off if you only want to taste the current layer.
In the image of the Daisy, the magic wand has done pretty well to select the area to change, indicated by the “marching ants”. Everything within this area is included in the selection.
This selection can be further refined by holding down> Alt/Option key (addition) or the> Shift key (subtraction) and dragging the selection.
After you have made your selection> CTRL/CMD + D to deselect and adjust the tolerance level.
Again, if the tolerance increases, Photoshop selects a much wider range of colors. Now all areas that have been lost are included in their first selection. If it becomes consecutive, Photoshop also selects only from connected areas.
The right tolerance level 100 for the maisy image was 100.
After making your selection, press Ctrl/Command + J to make a copy of the layer. This gives you a layer with a transparent background and shows me what will be replaced.
Once you have done that, you need another layer for the background color. Go next to the right hand of your workspace and choose the icon to make a new layer.
To choose your color for the background, go to> edit and then choose> fill. Make sure you choose the color on the menu. This increases the color voter with which you can choose the exact color that you want to use as a background.
Press> OK to add this filling color to your bottom.
So again, the exact steps are the following:
- Make a selection with the tool for the magic wand. If necessary, refine the selection with> alt/opt or> shift.
- Make a new layer that plays Ctrl/Command + J
- Make a new layer to make a separate “fill” layer.
- Drag that layer under the transparent layer.
- Go to> edit. Choose> Fill
- Click on color
- Choose the desired color at the bottom with the coloring venture
- HIT> OK
FAQ On the Magic Wand Tool
How Do I Adjust The Magic Wand Tool In Photoshop?
You can create settings to the Magic Wand tool in the option bar. Select Tolerance will change how many of the color areas are shown. If it is consecutive, it ensures that only the colors that lie next to each other are selected.
How To Turn Off The Magic Wand Tool In Photoshop?
To turn off the magic wand tool, press the control (Windows) or the Command (Mac) + D. D to “Deselect” and is one of the most common shortcuts used in Photoshop.
Conclusion
The magic wand tool can be a bit difficult to use in some images. In others it can be a useful tool that can give excellent results with some fast and simple steps.
Why not even see some Photoshop tips and tricks below?
