How to Delete a Part in Photoshop

Deleting or removing parts of an image in Adobe Photoshop can be done in several ways, depending on the desired outcome. One straightforward method is using the Eraser Tool, which effectively removes pixels, making them transparent (on a standard layer) or revealing the background color (on a background layer).

Deleting Parts Using the Eraser Tool

The Eraser Tool allows you to paint over areas you want to remove. It's like using a physical eraser on your image.

Here are the steps to use the Eraser Tool based on the provided reference:

1. Select the Eraser Tool:

   • Press E on your keyboard to quickly select the Eraser Tool.
   • You can also find it in the Photoshop toolbar, often grouped with the Background Eraser and Magic Eraser tools.

2. Customize Tool Settings:

   • Look at the tool options bar at the top of the Photoshop window.
   • Here, you can adjust settings like:
     • Size: Control the brush size to erase larger or smaller areas precisely.
     • Hardness: Determine if the edges of the erased area are sharp (high hardness) or soft/feathered (low hardness).
     • Mode: Choose between Brush, Pencil, or Block modes (Brush is most common).
     • Opacity: Control how transparent the erased area becomes (100% removes completely, lower percentages partially erase).
     • Flow: Similar to opacity but controls the rate of application.

3. Drag Over Parts to Erase:

   • Click and drag your mouse cursor over the areas of the image you wish to delete or erase.
   • As you drag, the pixels under the cursor will be removed according to your selected settings.

Reference Steps Included:

As per the reference dated 06-May-2024:

1. Select the Eraser Tool (E) .
2. Use the tool options bar to customize tool settings, like Size and Hardness, to get the effect you want.
3. Drag over the parts of the image you want to erase.

Quick Summary Table: Eraser Tool

Step	Action	Details
1. Select Tool	Press E or click icon	Choose the Eraser Tool from the toolbar.
2. Adjust Settings	Use the Options Bar	Set Size, Hardness, Opacity, etc.
3. Erase	Click and Drag	Paint over the areas you want to remove/make transparent.

Other Ways to "Delete" or Remove Content

While the Eraser Tool makes pixels transparent, you might also interpret "delete a part" as removing content and having Photoshop intelligently fill the gap, or cutting out a part entirely.

• Removing Content (Content-Aware Fill): You can select an area (e.g., using the Lasso or Marquee tool) and use features like Content-Aware Fill (Edit > Content-Aware Fill) to analyze surrounding pixels and fill in the selection realistically.
• Cutting/Deleting (Selection + Delete): You can select a part of the image and press the Delete or Backspace key. This either fills the selection with the background color or transparency, or applies Content-Aware Fill depending on your settings.

These methods serve different purposes than the direct pixel removal offered by the Eraser Tool. However, when aiming for a simple removal that results in transparency, the Eraser Tool is a primary method.