How to use refine selection -refinement brush mode?

Is something not working like it should? Let us know.
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2021-03-18 04:38:08

I'm unable to understand how refinement brush mode works in Pro. In the original Pixelmator it was easy (select a brush & color, press Q, paint additions and deletions to the selection). In Pro, I just can't make it work. I do a command+option+R to get to refine selection, hold down Shift and paint. The brush is always so soft that even with multiple passes and a huge brush, I only get about a 50% erasure (alpha) and the selection will still exist so a tool like paint will still paint there. Worst of all, there is no UNDO in refine selection, so any mistake, like forgetting to hold down the shift key, means total loss of the refine selection session. Again, I know I must be missing something. I've looked in the help, but all of the links that promisingly say 'select precise areas of an image' (https://help.pixelmator.com/pixelmator-pro/2.0/#765) do nothing because the link is dead.

Is there a writeup or tutorial on how to make refine selection work? And is there any way to undo while it is active?
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2021-03-22 13:43:56

Hi there! I believe you're essentially after the quick mask functionality? Quick masks are only available in Pixelmator Classic at the moment but it's possible to achieve a similar selection refining workflow using a regular layer mask in Pixelmator Pro. If you'd like some more detailed steps, I'd be happy to share them with you! As for the refinement brush itself — it functions more as a selective refinement tool for the very edges of the selection. You can use it to soften the edges or make them sharper.
By the way, the faulty links in the Help Guide have been removed, thanks for the heads up!