How Do I Select a Pen Tool Selection in Photoshop?

Selecting a Pen Tool selection in Photoshop involves converting the path you've created with the Pen Tool into an active selection that you can then use for editing. Here's how you do it:

1. Ensure the Pen Tool is active: Select the Pen Tool from the toolbar. It looks like a fountain pen nib. It's usually grouped with the Shape tools.

2. Make Sure You're Working with a Path: With the Pen Tool selected, in the options bar at the top, ensure the dropdown menu is set to "Path" instead of "Shape." This is crucial because you need to create a path first.

3. Draw Your Path: Use the Pen Tool to create your desired shape or outline by clicking to place anchor points and dragging to create curves. Close the path by clicking on the starting anchor point.

4. Convert the Path to a Selection: There are several ways to do this:

   • Right-Click (Context Menu): Right-click inside the path you created with the Pen Tool. Choose "Make Selection..." from the context menu.

   • Paths Panel: Go to the "Window" menu and select "Paths" to open the Paths panel. You should see the path you created (usually named "Work Path"). Click on the "Load path as a selection" icon at the bottom of the Paths panel (it looks like a dotted circle).

   • Keyboard Shortcut: Press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Cmd + Return (Mac) to convert the current path to a selection.

5. Feather Radius (Optional): When using the right-click or Paths panel methods, a "Make Selection" dialog box will appear. Here, you can specify a "Feather Radius" if you want to soften the edges of the selection. A value of 0 will create a sharp-edged selection. Experiment with different values for a softer transition. You can also choose an "Operation" (New Selection, Add to Selection, Subtract from Selection, Intersect with Selection).

6. The Selection is Active: Once you've completed these steps, the path will be converted into an active selection, indicated by a marching ants outline. You can now use this selection for various editing tasks, such as:

   • Adding a Mask: Click the "Add Layer Mask" button at the bottom of the Layers Panel.
   • Adjusting Color: Use adjustment layers and the active selection will automatically become the layer mask.
   • Deleting Content: Press the Delete key to remove the content inside the selection.
   • Copying/Pasting: Copy the selected area to a new layer.
   • Applying Filters: Limit the application of a filter to just the selected area.

Example:

Let's say you want to cut out a specific object from an image. You would use the Pen Tool to carefully trace around the object. Then, following the steps above, you would convert that path into a selection. Finally, you could either inverse the selection and delete the background, or copy/paste the selected object to a new layer.