Photoshop Tutorials : Lesson # 11: Moving and duplicating selections

Cutting the selection for use elsewhere
1. Choose Cut from the Edit menu.. This leaves the area empty (indicated by grey and white pixels).
Copying the selection for use elsewhere
1. Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

Pasting the selection into the new location

1. Open required file if not current file;
2. Choose Paste from the Edit menu. The item appears on a transparent new layer.
3. Use the Move tool to position element exactly (making sure the element’s layer is live in the layers palette first).

Repeat (3) to make multiple copies of the item, each on a separate new layer. 


Layers take up a lot of space so once you have finished editing, choose Image >
Flatten Image to merge them into one background layer.
If you make a mistake...
1. Choose Undo from the Edit menu.
Deleting a layer (containing a duplicated selection)
Drag layer to Layer Wastebin (bottom  right)


Copying the selection within the same layer

1. Hold down the option/alt  and command keys and position the pointer on the selection;
2. Drag the selection to a new location and release the keys.

This copies and pastes the selection into the existing layer.  To get rid of the selection
border, click outside of it.


Erasing duplicated selections
1. Choose the eraser tool (see right) from the toolbox;
2. Drag the pointer over the duplicated item. The set background colour appears.
If you want  to restore the original background image,  hold down the option/alt key while dragging the  pointer

Left: erase to background colour (white)   Right: erase to background (original pic)