To float a copy of a selection: Make a selection in an image
and choose Image > Select > Float.
Deselecting and defloating selections
Deselecting a floating selection makes it part of the original image.
To deselect a floating selection, press Esc or Enter twice (Mac) or
Esc twice (Windows), or choose Image > Select > None.
To make the floating selection part of the image but still retain the
selection, you can press Esc or Enter (Mac) or Esc (Windows), or
choose Image > Select > Defloat.
Moving selections
To move a selection, you can press the keyboard arrow keys or drag
the selection with the Marquee, Lasso, or Wand tools. If a selection is
not floating, it becomes floating when you move it.
To keep the pointer from interfering with your view of a small selec-
tion, select the Remote Move tool in the Painting toolbar and drag it
anywhere in the drawing area. Canvas moves the selection in the
direction you move the pointer.
Changing the opacity of floating selections
You can change the opacity of a floating selection and make the pix-
els behind it partially visible. You can also change the mode to pro-
duce different effects. Note: You cannot make selections partially
transparent in Indexed or Black & White image modes.
1
With a paint object in edit mode, select part of the image.
2
From the background color palette icon in the toolbox, select a
color to use behind the floating selection. This color will start to
appear when you make the selection transparent.
3
Hold down the Option key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows) and
choose Image > Select > Float. Canvas floats the selection and fills
behind it with the background color.
4
Choose Image > Show Channels to open the Channels palette.
Set the Floating Opacity value to less than 100 percent to make the
selection become transparent and reveal the background color
behind the selection.
5
To change the mode, choose a new mode from the Mode pop-
up menu.
Dragging a selection floats it and
leaves an area filled with the
current background color (A).
A
Remote Move tool
Floating Opacity slider in the
Channels palette
Tip
To use the Floating Opacity
slider in the Channels palette to
lighten a floating selection, fill
behind the selection with white
or a light color.