Feather Selection by x Pixels

[Disk4mat]

2 Days and several plugins.... It seems I cant figure out how to feather a selection by a specified number of pixels. At the moment I need to feather by 3 pixels for a selection to promote to a new layer. Am I missing something ? Or is this gonna be a feature request? Maybe in the future this could be a feature.

 

Generally I often need to feather 1 to 4 pixels when promoting a selection of line art to a new layer. The feather works like an overlap for alpha pixels. So imagine you use the wand, make a selection, then are able to expand the selection by x pixels.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Disk4mat
Solved

[CircleBox]

I think I've read this topic before and I dont want to speak as a matter of fact but I don't think it's possible. You could always make a layre on top using a line, then select that line, and keep the outline selected to use on the layre you need it on. 

 

Sort of a work around. 

 

TR's Alpha Cutter also could do something similar by selecting outside the lines you are looking for. 

 

Edit: Work around idea 2:

 

Wand the selection you want. 

Make it a new layre. 

Use "Outline Object"

Select the outline object

Use that selection for the original purpose

 

Maybe that could help

Edited May 2, 2023 by CircleBox

[Disk4mat]

@CircleBox thanks my friend! Its close but not quite there.... But the line already exists, so my only option is to make a selection.

 

For a visual I have a screenshot, with a zoomed portion to illustrate the problem I cant overcome. Even with 70% tolerance those outside pixels wont select. At 71% the entire layer gets selected.

 

To really deep dive into this I also attached the PDN so you can see what Im trying to do.

 

Unless I want to spend a lot of time and effort coloring pixel by pixel. I just dont see any other option.

Background 512.zip

[CircleBox]

So just to be clear, you want to select up until the grey line in the zoomed in portion? 

 

And the wand tolerance is making that impossible? 

 

Just want to make sure I understand. I def understand the wand being too little and then suddenly way too much, haha. 

 

 

edit: this is just using the outline tool and selecting the outside alpha, and hitting cntrl + I to select the invert, which i then made disappear. 

 

some of your layers are made as overlays and show up underneath the background. 

 

with grey 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by CircleBox

[Disk4mat]

1 hour ago, CircleBox said:

So just to be clear, you want to select up until the grey line in the zoomed in portion? 

Right, I am using an adjustment layer to change the grey to blue. But in my efforts, the wand is neglecting pixels regardless of tolerance.

 

1 hour ago, CircleBox said:

I def understand the wand being too little and then suddenly way too much, haha. 

Exactly!!!! 70% it selects almost all of it and at 71% it selects the whole layer.

 

1 hour ago, CircleBox said:

some of your layers are made as overlays and show up underneath the background. 

Correct. The failed, promoted layers that are set to 'Overlay' are used to change the grey line to blue. Which looks smoother and is quicker than recoloring sll the grey if that makes sense.

 

 

EDIT: I might have figured out a procedure.....

Edited May 2, 2023 by Disk4mat

[Disk4mat]

Thats it.... There is the hard way and there is the Im gonna learn something new way.... Ive abandoned the notion of selecting an existing line/shape, promoting, adding adjustment layer blah blah just to change the color.

 

Now... Im all about the curves! My many thanks to you @CircleBox! I feel like without having you to bounce off of, I would have never got here. You inspired me to try something Ive never done. Adjustments > Curves: Adjust RGB.... Done! Now the grey lines are the perfect blue. No pixel bleeding, no orphaned pixels from the wand. No problem. Also means I dont need an extra layer.

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Disk4mat

[CircleBox]

Heyy, there you go man! Glad you got it! Haha!

 

Glad I could give you a hand! 

[Disk4mat]

I had to revisit this thread to say I discovered something. After making a selection (regardless of the selection tool type)... You can click on the Move Selection from the tools menu / dock. Now you can resize the selection, move it and even shrink / enlarge it... I could have feathered my selection after all (slaps head)