Deleting area outside selection also removes inside selection

[Taggs]

Hi All,
I wonder if someone could point me in the direction of a setting or let me know what I am doing wrong.

After making a selection I want to clear the background. I invert the selection and press the delete key to clear the selection. The problem I'm having is that it is also fading a little from outside of the (inverted) selection. I.E. fading a little from the part I want to keep.

Here is my process. I foreground select the object. Create a layer mask for the selection. Add a white background layer. Select object layer. Invert selection (because the layer mask has carried over some areas I don't want and were not selected. The press delete.

I'm sure it is just a setting but I can't work out which one.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

[rich2005]

You are duplicating procedures.
Either
Make a selection / invert / cut
or
Make a selection / selection to layer mask / apply layer mask

The foreground select tool works, but does leave a slightly feathered edge and possibly some semi-transparent areas. There is also a feather toggle. Make sure it is off. Usually necessary to "touch-up" the layer mask by painting in it, black or white, to hide or show. The "X" key is there to switch FG/BG colours and makes editing a little easier.

Too many screenshots to add here so:

https://i.imgur.com/Pmmk0Wc.jpg top to bottom, not going to dwell on this. A straight forward FG select tool although it does pay to spent a little time when painting in the FG.

1. The Image used, complicated background
2. Outline created, foreground painted in.
3. Applied to give a selection around the "foreground area" (objects are a vector term)

https://i.imgur.com/8n4uew0.jpg The editing bit:

4. Selection to Layer mask. Once you have the layer mask turn the selection off
5. Paint in the layer mask to remove defects - I find I always need to go round the edges to fix missing or excess pixels - no shortcut to this step.
6. When sure all is complete, you can apply the layer mask

7. Put a layer under if required https://i.imgur.com/M8MsIev.jpg

[Taggs]

(02-08-2023, 01:57 PM)rich2005 Wrote: You are duplicating procedures.
Either
Make a selection / invert / cut
or
Make a selection / selection to layer mask / apply layer mask

The foreground select tool works, but does leave a slightly feathered edge and possibly some semi-transparent areas. There is also a feather toggle. Make sure it is off.  Usually necessary to "touch-up" the layer mask by painting in it, black or white, to hide or show. The "X" key is there to switch FG/BG colours and makes editing a little easier.

Too many screenshots to add here so:

https://i.imgur.com/Pmmk0Wc.jpg top to bottom, not going to dwell on this. A straight forward FG select tool although it does pay to spent a little time when painting in the FG.

1. The Image used, complicated background
2. Outline created, foreground painted in.
3. Applied to give a selection around the "foreground area" (objects are a vector term)

https://i.imgur.com/8n4uew0.jpg The editing bit:

4. Selection to Layer mask. Once you have the layer mask turn the selection off
5. Paint in the layer mask to remove defects - I find I always need to go round the edges to fix missing or excess pixels - no shortcut to this step.
6. When sure all is complete, you can apply the layer mask

7. Put a layer under if required https://i.imgur.com/M8MsIev.jpg

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and with the screen shots, it is much appreciated.  (Great album cover selection) 

I have checked the feathering edges option and it is switched off.  My problem seems to be with the foreground selection method.  It seems to bring over some of the edge outside the selection. I thought I would try to invert the selection and delete to remove these unwanted areas but it also them removed from some of the required parts of the image.  I have attached a picture of the unwanted areas I'm getting.

If I select, cut, paste new layer it works but obviously that is a lot more time consuming and more prone to my clumsy mouse control.

 I hope this makes sense.

[rich2005]

Quote:...My problem seems to be with the foreground selection method. It seems to bring over some of the edge outside the selection.....

The Foreground Section tool is not wonderful, as you found. My preferred method is a layer mask and then paint out any excess / missing areas.
..but.. If you want to use a selection a better way (and depends on how complicated the shape is) Use a path. Put the path to a selection. Shrink the path a pixel or two to get away from the border pixels, Invert and cut.

You could try the Selection -> Shrink with the FG select tool result before inverting It might / might not be a fix.

[Taggs]

OK I'll have a play with that and see how I get on. Many thanks again for your time and effort. It is much appreciated.