The Lasso Tool

If you right click on this tool you get three options. I think the polygonal lasso tool (the one that makes straight lines, not the image you see here) is by far the most useful. Then the image you see here, the lasso tool is good for drawing lines, but it can be a bit hard use with the mouse. And finally, the Magnetic Lasso tool. Maybe somebody out there likes this tool, but for me, I never use it. I basically just use the
polygonal lasso tool.

I often use this technique. Select an area with the lasso, copy and paste to a new layer. Then alter the color in any way I need to. Finally I will give it a touch of Gaussian Blur, and then merge down to the lower layer. I will give examples of this latter.