Tips on cutting things out

MW
Posted By
Michael_Walton
Nov 4, 2005
Views
222
Replies
8
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Closed
< http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/temp/miscell/mssd_and_you.j pg>

hi – please see the above image. i first tried using the pen tool and placing 100’s of anchor points around all of the various edges to cut out the photo. i found this a little too tedious to do it that way.

so then i just created a layer mask and painted with soft edges the surrounding areas to get the effect you see above.

i’m wondering if anyone could offer tips for better ways to cutting things out than the way i described above. i couldn’t go too close to the edges with the paint brush [in mask mode] because then it would get rid of the picture i wanted to keep. so that’s why you see some little whites around some of the edges.

any help is appreciated.
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JJ
John Joslin
Nov 4, 2005
There are several ways to get a better result.

I would have used the Polygonal Lasso tool, possibly with a final touch-up with Quick Mask.

Don’t forget: a soft brush will give soft edges and a hard brush hard edges.
C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 4, 2005
A lot depends upon what the original background was (you’d have been better posting that).

As John says, there are several ways. My favourite being the Extract tool which a gives a realistic edge to the cut-out which blends well with a new background.

Let’s see the original.

Chris.
MW
Michael_Walton
Nov 4, 2005
<http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/temp/miscell/kids.jpg>

here is the original. i started playing around with the extract function and it looks like it would do a great job. i then went into the history brush to see if i can clean up.

the clean up tool in extract is grayed out and will not work for me. can u give me tips on extract or send me to a web site with instructions on better using extract?
C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 4, 2005
It takes some practice. Trick is to us the narrowest possible highlighter brush to trace the edge of the subject. The more care you take at this stage the more sucessful the extraction will be.
JJ
John Joslin
Nov 4, 2005
Well this took less than 4 minutes with the lasso/quick mask method.

<http://i27.imagethrust.com/p/51397/kids2_jpg.html>
TM
T_Mike_Hyndman
Nov 4, 2005
wrote in message
<http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/temp/miscell/kids.jpg>
here is the original. i started playing around with the extract function and it looks like it would do a great job. i then went into the history brush to see if i can clean up.

the clean up tool in extract is grayed out and will not work for me. can u give me tips on extract or send me to a web site with instructions on better using extract?

Michael,

I removed all of the sky, just leaving the leaves, with three clicks of the magic wand tool (at 20% )and the backspace key.
HTH
TMH
MW
Michael_Walton
Nov 4, 2005
thanks for all of your help. it’s been helpful and has given me a lot of options to choose from.
D
deebs
Nov 4, 2005
There really are lots n lots of options (I prefer the term: workflow as the selection really depends upon what is done before and after the selection. In that way I guess it’s a bit like a game of pool? Play the shot & line up for the next one)

It’s good to see you posting Michael

deebs

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