Use Scissors in Gimp
GIMP is a free photo editing software that can be downloaded at gimp.org. The intelligent scissors in GIMP are used as a select tool that is faster than using the paths tool. The lines will curve to create a selection.
Steps
- Make sure you are on the intelligent scissors tool. They look like a pair of scissors.
- Make sure you are on the layer you wish to make a selection in. To do this, simply click on that layer in the layers and channels box.
- Click to create a starting point (or anchor) of the thing you want to select. Click around the object you want to select. Notice that the lines curve and zigzag sometimes to get the correct selection.
- Once you have gone around the object, put the mouse on on the first point created. An infinity sign should come up (looks like a sideways "eight"). Click on this point to complete the selection.
- After this is done, put your mouse inside the selection. An image of a dotted circle should show up. Click inside the circle to create the selection.
Tips
- If you notice the intelligent scissors have incorrectly guessed where the selection is, drag the line to the correct place. It will create another point and hopefully correct the mistake.
- Clicking outside the image will include up the border of the image in your selection.
- You can save your scissor selection as a path by going to the paths tab in the layers/channels/paths box and clicking on the "selection to path" tool, which looks like a red oval with black dots around it (roughly accurate).
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