Results 1 to 13 of 13
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065

    How to do this in photoshop?

    Even after reading the manual for the life of me I still cannot fiqure out how to trace the person out of the picture. For example I've included the attachment of the original image in this post and then the image showing how the person was traced out of the image with a transparent background.

    How was this accomplished? Can anybody tell me where exactly I need to click step by step in photoshop? I'm pretty familiar in photoshop with how to edit my PSD files comfortably but I could never fiqure this one out!

    Can anybody tell me how it's done? Please....
    Last edited by Frosty; 04-13-2007 at 02:28 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    paradise
    Posts
    6,220
    So you got the Photoshop finally.......cheers !

    I think you need to use the lasso tool to make a selection and then copy-paste it on a new file


    Check this out.....there is a similar example given below using an image of daffodils. In your case the background is transparent so you have to create a new file with transparent background and then paste the selected cutout.

    http://iit.bloomu.edu/vthc/Photoshop...ctiontools.htm

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065
    Thanks for responding. Yes I can finally edit my PSD files

    But silly me, I just fiqured this other issue out... it's actually quite simple to do. I was simply using the wrong lasso before. I couldn't find the magnetic lasso before because you have to click way up top for it to show up. I don't know how I overlooked that before. Here's my first... maybe not so good attempt at tracing/cropping out an image from the picture. Here's the image I just traced out of that original image shown before. hey at least I got it to work!

    EDIT: actually after looking at the other persons tracing job they did a MUCH better job. The edges of my tracing are all jagged and not even but I did it really fast. Sure if I do it slower and control the magnetic lasso more it should be a nice clean border... I hope! Because mine looks terrible. I'm going to try it again.
    Last edited by Frosty; 04-13-2007 at 02:28 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065
    I'm back after another attempt. Ok this isn't any good. I can't seem to make the edges nice and smooth no matter what I do! Look at how terrible it looks.. the edges are all jagged... trying to go slower and more carefully with the magnetic lasso does not work. These photoshop manuals are not that good... they don't really tell you step by step how to fix such a problem... or at least I don't see it anywhere and I ahve the complete manual... I don't want to become a photoshop wizrd or pro... I'm just using it because it's necessary for me to eb able to edit my existing PSD files but I'd like to fiqure out how to at least trace out an image.

    Do you know what I could be doing wrong? It looks like a chicken pecked at the image!
    Last edited by Frosty; 04-13-2007 at 02:28 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,668
    The pen tool is much better suited to traceing an image. It does take some practice getting used to it, but once you do, you will find yourself using it for other things as well. There is also another command that you can use the remove the matting from an image that you just cut out. (it may help you a bit) Another tool that can be used to do this is the wand tool. You may need to set the tolerance lower and make more than one pass with it, but it can do a pretty good job and will yield better results than the laso.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,668
    Here is an example of your shot with using the pen tool and wand tool. This was just a quickie, if you spend a little more time, you can get it perfect.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails franalfonsopic.jpg  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    paradise
    Posts
    6,220
    I havent used Photoshop for a while so I dont remember the exact procedure.

    However look for settings such as Anti Aliasing, Snap to Edge, Sensitivity, Soft-Edge. Play around with these settings to get the best result.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    paradise
    Posts
    6,220
    The mouse is mightier than the pen


    I did this on another image editor called PhotoImpact. I used the path tool to make the selection and copied it. Using the path tool gave me better control even with using the mouse.

    btw....You can also use the blur tool to further smoothen out the edges.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails wht.jpg  

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065
    Thanks for the responses. It looks like we have a winner though... I think RajanUrs image won over Chris M

    Before I get beaten up here... I know Chris M's was a quickie and would look better if more time had been taken.

    RajanUrs,
    I'm going to download photoimpact and try it with that. I hope it's not an expensive program. But I was really hoping to master this in photoshop... but it almost seems as if it's easier to do this in photoimpact?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,668
    I guess the point I was trying to make was just that the pen tool is very powerful. It can be used for many different things. I have always found this to be the best tool for creating clipping paths when I need to extract an image. It does take some practice to master it, but it is well worth it in the end.

    Glad it all worked out for you.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    chica go go
    Posts
    11,876
    I usually duplicate the layer, make the original layer invisible, then use the selector tool to remove large chunks around the person. Then, I'll zoom in to the max, and remove individual groups of pixels around the person. Then i'll toggle the original layer on and off to see if i mistakingly cut out pieces fo the person.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065
    Guess I'll have to mess around with it a bit more. I too always find other creative ways of doing things until it's finally perfect. But lately I don't have the patience for it anymore. Too bummed out with other thigns.

    RajanUrs,
    I downloaded photoimpact and used the path tool. That actually is much more precise than the magnetic lasso in photoshop. It does a better job... the edges are smoother and it doesn't create jagged edges. You'd think since photoshop is so much mroe expensive they'd have something like that! But there is a problem... as soon as I have traced out the image with the path tool... it then suddenly turns whatever I traced BLUE!

    Why is it doing that?

    In photoshop when you trace out an image all you have to simply do is copy the traced image and then paste it into a transparent backgournd and you're done.

    But the photoimpact turns the entire traced image blue. I can't fiqure it out.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    paradise
    Posts
    6,220
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_M
    I guess the point I was trying to make was just that the pen tool is very powerful. It can be used for many different things. I have always found this to be the best tool for creating clipping paths when I need to extract an image. It does take some practice to master it, but it is well worth it in the end.

    Glad it all worked out for you.

    Yes the pen is indeed powerful but with the program I worked on I could create a path without having to keep the mouse button pressed. This gave good control over the task without making many errors.


    Frosty, I have an old edition of PhotoImpact so I am not sure why you are getting it blue. Photoshop is no way inferior to PhotoImpact...you should find some settings that can smoothen the edges. [I think you need to turn on anti-aliasing]

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •