Fuzzy Expand |
  
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Fuzzy Expand |
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Menu: Mask - Fuzzy Expand (Fuzzy.E)
Shift + Expand button
A special "content aware" version of Expand effect from the chapter "Tools and more tools" is available in the Menu Mask or by simply clicking Shift + Expand button.
Unlike the normal expand that will expand the mask in all directions, the Fuzzy Expand looks at the colors of the image and expands only where there are any similar colors.
So in a way this is like a marriage of Magic Wand and Expand. (just like most of the marriages after few years)
Example 1
Here is an Example where I want to expand an existing painted mask to the tips of the horse hair. As in few previous examples, I will create a selection from a curve to protect the rest of my mask and then Shift+Expand the mask inside the selection.
If I go too far with the clicking on my Expand button, I can simply take Eraser and erase some of the parts and then repeat.
Example 2
Another good example would be to expand the Live Mask just after the Magic Wand or Mask form Hue was used.
As with the example where I used simple Expand to finish some missing mask between Magic Wand areas, I can use Shift + Expand that is aware of the image content.
Here I masked the green colors with the Mask From Hue. There are still some parts left, but if I go with the Live Tolerance higher, the inside of the flowers will get picked up as they have some green as well. Instead I will immediately use Shift+Expand multiple times to close those openings without affecting the flowers (a simple expand will expand the mask into the flowers)
It is important to remind you once again about the benefits of Live Mask. If you use any effect such as Shift+Expand on a Live Mask (Magic Wand, Mask from Hue, Curve) the effect will be applied ONLY to that last step and nothing else. If you turn the Live Tolerance dial, this effect will reset.
So in the example above if I go too far with the clicking Shift+Expand, I don't have to redo everything, just turn slightly the Live Dial and I will be back at step 2 before I started clicking the Expand button (the image which has "Mask From Hue" text).
The ability to affect only last step without affecting everything else is a very powerful tool.