Watch the video above then read the instruction below which document the actions taken in the video. The video above is intended as a visual indicator of where to go next, the detail of the tutorial is contained within the textual content of the page below:

The Marquee Tool is one of the most frequently used tools within Photoshop and as such it is worth spending a little time familiarising yourself with this tool. In the video above I do not set out to create an end result I am simply creating a blank canvas to demonstrate the uses of the Marquee tool, it is probably worth doing yourself just to gain a better understanding of this tool.

To start select the Marquee Tool.

On a blank canvas of any size select the Marquee Tool then click within your image and hold the left mouse button down until you have moved the mouse to the bottom right of the area you wish to select. A Rectangular Marquee will now be selected between the two points. By clicking and holding on the bottom left of the Marquee Tool button extra options will be expanded, the Ellipse Marquee Tool is the other main option within these that allows you to select either a perfect circle (hold down the Shift key whilst selecting area) or an ellipse between the points that the mouse is clicked and subsequently release. A perfect square can also be selected by holding down the Shift key whilst selecting an area with the Rectangular Marquee Tool.

When you have the Marquee Tool selected extra options will appear within the toolbar beneath File Edit Image etc. These options allow you to change the properties of the Marquee Tool. The first Icons allow your to make a "New selection" (standard option) "Add to selection" use the Marquee Tool to select additional areas of the image to original selection, "Subtract from selection" use Marquee Tool to removed a section of the original selection and "Intersect with selection" just select the overlapping area of the two selected areas.

Further along there is a dropdown menu that contains the options:

• Normal
• Fixed Ratio
• Fixed Size

Normal will simply allow you to select area between to points (clicked & released).
A fixed-ratio selection forces every selection to match that ratio. Ratios of 1:1 make squares and perfect circles.
Fixed Size allows you to determine the size of your selection and move that size selection around your image, ideal if you know the exact size that your image is to be delivered in and want to just select an area of the image that is to be used.

A you use Photoshop the Marquee Tool will be come quite intuitive as this is the tool that you will use the most.

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