We're using PS 5.0.  Here is the problem we're having:  When trying to cut out a picture of someone for a collage, we use the magic selection brush.  When we drag it to the collage, anywhere that we've cut out around the person's skin appears to be jagged instead of smooth.  We don't have this problem around their clothing or anywhere else but their skin.  Due to this we have to limit our collages to 5x7 because anythng bigger than that looks bad.  Why is it doing this?  What can we do to correct it?  Should we use a different tool? 

It's probably the tolerance setting... it grabs certain colors but leaves others out. The variation in the skin tone may account for this. 

I'd use the magic wand for quick comps only. Use either the pen tool or lasso, save a layer mask and tweak as needed.
 

i haven't ever used ps 5 but i've used cs2 and cs3 and i can tell you from experience using quickmask has been wayyyy better for me... a million times better :D to use:

1. open photo

2. dupicate layer

3. hit the "Q" key (you will see at the very VERY top of the screen will say quickmask mode)

4. using whatever appropriate brush size just start painting over the area you want to "cut out" ....it will be red (make sure you're at 100% opacity on the brush.

5. if you mess up you can use the eraser

6. when you finsish, hit the "Q" key again and it will show the selection

7. now... click the magnetic lasso tool and then just right click on the image and select "select inverse"

8. right click again and choose layer via copy (something like that)

9. now you will have that selection as a new layer and if there are rough edges or anything you can gently erase them

i hope this helps you and there are further steps for better precision but this is the basics of it :D

It does seem to be a problem on skin, doesn't it???

When I am creating a composite, or adding someone who missed the family reunion this is what I do...

When you have the individual on his own layer and place him where he needs to be... I select the blur tool.  At a very low tolerance, I just start painting over the edges.  I work in small strokes, cuz if I go a little overboard I want the undo function to just undo the mistake... not the whole area i have just painted over... kwim?

This has worked very well for me!

Hey sportsman,
I have PS v5 and CS2 and CS3.....  I typically do not use the magic selection brush in PSv5 because it just isn't selective enough for me (but then a again, the photo needs to be just perfect....adobe did improve this tool tremendously in CS3)....however, if you are getting success using it in PSv5, I bow to you!!!  Now if the skin portions of your subjects are the only aspects of your photos exhibiting a jaggered edge, try these two things in addition to smooth them out....for a more automated clean up try what is called the "defringe layer"....located under Enhancements/Adjust Color:  word for word.... defringing is going to remove the halo effect or any pixels left over on the outer edges of your subjects skin left behind after using the magic brush tool.  The more pixels used for this process....the "smoother" your edges become....now, sometimes, this little trick alone does not get the job done, so then you would have to manually smooth out the edges yourself (this is where your getting your money's worth on making collages :) -  and typically do this instead of using the magic brush tool or any other automated means)  Using the eraser tool and a soft round brush....crank up the zoom of your image so that you are essentially almost looking at the individual pixels and start "erasing" the edges ever so slightly to smooth them out.  Adjusting your brush size and opacity of eraser while performing this task will hopefully give you the results that you need.  I typically do a gradual decrease of the brush's opacity the closer I get to the skin's edges.   I've done this with my collages and I'm able to produce final products of 16x20 or greater and have them appear flawless.....Hope this helps you....good luck!!!

I can't remember if  PS 5 had clipping paths or not.

IF it does. it will give you the cleanest cut out possible. 

 

Clipping paths -    your new best friend.