Lasso Tool

The Lasso Tool allows you to draw a freeform selection area to select multiple anchor points, vertices, or elements at once. Unlike marquee selection, the lasso follows your mouse movement exactly, making it perfect for selecting points in complex paths.

Activating the Lasso Tool

• Select the Lasso Tool from the toolbar
• Or press Q to activate
• Works in both element mode and path edit mode

Basic Usage

1. Click and hold to start drawing the lasso
2. Drag to draw a freeform selection shape
3. Release to complete the selection
4. All points inside the lasso are selected

Selection Modes

Element Selection Mode

When not editing a path:

• Lasso selects entire elements
• Elements partially inside the lasso are selected
• Useful for selecting scattered elements

Point Selection Mode

When editing a path (double-clicked):

• Lasso selects individual anchor points
• Only points fully inside are selected
• Perfect for editing complex vector shapes

Modifier Keys

• Shift - Add to existing selection
• Alt/Option - Subtract from selection
• Shift + Alt - Intersect with selection

Lasso vs Marquee Selection

Lasso Tool	Marquee Selection
Freeform shape	Rectangle only
Best for irregular areas	Best for aligned elements
Requires steady hand	Click and drag corners
Can wrap around obstacles	Selects everything in rectangle

Common Use Cases

• Complex Path Editing - Select specific points in detailed illustrations
• Scattered Elements - Select non-adjacent elements on canvas
• Partial Selection - Select points on one side of a shape
• Avoiding Elements - Draw around elements you don't want selected

Tips

• You don't need to close the lasso perfectly - it auto-closes
• Zoom in for more precise point selection
• Use in combination with Shift-click for adding individual points
• The lasso path doesn't need to be smooth - just encircle what you need
• Release the mouse to complete - no need to return to start point