# Photoshop Elements - Ellipse Tool



## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

I am trying to use the ellipse tool to select an oval from a photo. I am missing some simple step. The ellipse I choose turns out grey and I can not get the inverse. When I try, it says no pixels selected. I don't know how to respond to this. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Is the ellipse tool a select tool or a painting tool. Sounds like the opacity is set way too low to select anything and that it is actually painting an ellipse with a transparency. Are you trying to do an inverse pixels or invert the selection?


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## slipe (Jun 27, 2000)

Welcome to TSG.

You want the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the toolbar. When you drag it you get an ellipse that is a selection. You can inverse the selection.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Slipe is correct...just use the marquee tool and if you want an ellipse of a fixed size choose constrain size. Draw the marquee and then you can nudge it woth the arrow keys to it's desired location.


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## jett_30032 (Jan 23, 2002)

Make sure the photo is on an open layer and not locked into the background layer. That may be why your getting the "no pixels selected" message. This is usually the case in PhotoShop not sure if it is the same in Element. If so you can make the selection with the marquee tool and press "Shift-Control>'J' " which will move the selection to a new layer. Hope this helps.


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

I can make the selection with the "Shift-Control>J" which you recommended. It does indeed select the ellipse because I can change the brightness and contrast and it only affects within the ellipse. I can also change opacity to make the ellipse visible. I can not invert the selection to get rid of the rest of the image or use the vignette feature which still says no selection has been made.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2003)

What kind of image is it...jpg gif bmp tif

if you open the image and select the ellipse tool and use it on the image nothing should turn grey...use should just see the marching ants of the selection

sound like you have something else going on


can you post a screenshot of what your seeing

buck


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

Buck,
The image is a jpg. I can change the ellipse from grey to transparent and see the "marching ants" by changing the opacity of the layer. 

I would love to post a screenshot but don't know how.

Carl


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2003)

when you have image on your screen press the printscreen key then open a new image in Elements and click edit paste...give it a name and save as a jpg...then in the reply window aftyer you type your reply click the browse button at the bottom and find the image you just saved and click on it so the path to it shows in the little window...then click submit

I'm confused by this... "I can change the ellipse from grey to transparent and see the "marching ants" by changing the opacity of the layer. " ... no need for there to be a layer at this point...other than the background... you can make the selection on the locked background


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

I have tried it both from the background and after making a layer. The results seem equally grim. I have attached a screenshot, hope that you see what I am doing wrong. Thanks.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2003)

Yep wrong tool... right click on the selection tool which is the tool on the top left of the tool bar then click on the elliptical tool then try making your selection

buck


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

Buck,

I have spent the better part of three days on this. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. Of course, when I used the tool that you pointed out, I was able to accomplish my task in 3 minutes. Thanks again.

Carl


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2003)

Glad to help 

sometimes simple little things can be very frustrating... as they say... been there done that 

have fun 

buck


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## jett_30032 (Jan 23, 2002)

Wanabe good observation because I noticed it also. Happy editing photoguy. And believe this we all have done it, use the shape tool by mistake that is. Glad you got it corrected.


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## slipe (Jun 27, 2000)

Are your tooltips not working? If you hesitate the cursor over a tool it should tell you what it is. Tooltips should have told you it was the Ellipse Tool you were selecting and not the Elliptical Marquee Tool.


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

I'm sure it might, but I didn't realize there were two ellipse tools and wouldn't have been sensitive to this distinction. As a matter of fact, I still don't have any idea what the "Ellipse Tool" does.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2003)

Howdy again photoguy

I believe the ellipse tool is part of the shapes section used more for drawing shapes on a blank canvas than making selections

right click on that tool and you will see that you can change that tool to draw may different shapes

buck


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## photoguy (Aug 29, 2003)

Thanks, I'm eager to learn more about PSE2


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