Newbie question from ex-Fireworks user

Jeff G wrote:

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little, but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

I’ve never hit a limit like that in PS7, or PS8. I suspect the limit is VERY high, as I’ve pasted some pretty complex vector paths into PS from Illustrator in the past without problems. We tend to work on images in excess of 3000×3000 pixels when retouching.

—

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #

Jeff G wrote:

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little, but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

BTW, if it helps to answer my question, here is the image I want to work on: http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1694/StacyKeibler28.jpg . Its going to be a nuisance working where the sun is striking her skin and destroying the color data of those pixels.

"Jeff G" wrote in message

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little, but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

If you can easily separate the subject from the background, you can make a selection of the deleted background, Select > Inverse to select the shape of the model and Make Work Path from your Paths palette (little triangle in the upper right corner.) Once the path has been defined, you can create a Custom Shape by going to Edit > Define Custom Shape. This will create a vector shape that is easily accessed through your Custom Shapes tool. It may be a bit of a time saver.

If you have any influence on the photographers themselves, you may be able to get them to shoot high contrast silhouettes which would turn the task into mere seconds.

Peadge 🙂

Peadge wrote:

"Jeff G" wrote in message

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little, but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

If you can easily separate the subject from the background, you can make a selection of the deleted background, Select > Inverse to select the shape of the model and Make Work Path from your Paths palette (little triangle in the upper right corner.) Once the path has been defined, you can create a Custom Shape by going to Edit > Define Custom Shape. This will create a vector shape that is easily accessed through your Custom Shapes tool. It may be a bit of a time saver.

If you have any influence on the photographers themselves, you may be able to get them to shoot high contrast silhouettes which would turn the task into mere seconds.

Peadge 🙂

As I define the path with the pen tool, the area selected is filled with color. I need to make this transparent. I ma slightly more than halfway done with the selection, and now I can no longer see the border of the model to place points with the pen tool. Looking at my two reference sources and the available options I cannot figure out how to make the selected area transparent so I can see where to place points with the pen tool.

What’s the answer?

"Jeff G" wrote in message

Peadge wrote:

"Jeff G" wrote in message

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little, but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

If you can easily separate the subject from the background, you can make

a

selection of the deleted background, Select > Inverse to select the

shape of

the model and Make Work Path from your Paths palette (little triangle

in

the upper right corner.) Once the path has been defined, you can create

a

Custom Shape by going to Edit > Define Custom Shape. This will create a vector shape that is easily accessed through your Custom Shapes tool. It

may

be a bit of a time saver.

If you have any influence on the photographers themselves, you may be

able

to get them to shoot high contrast silhouettes which would turn the task into mere seconds.

Peadge 🙂

As I define the path with the pen tool, the area selected is filled with color. I need to make this transparent. I ma slightly more than halfway done with the selection, and now I can no longer see the border of the model to place points with the pen tool. Looking at my two reference sources and the available options I cannot figure out how to make the selected area transparent so I can see where to place points with the pen tool.

What’s the answer?

The answer you seek is ……AAAARRRGGG!

Well not really, but you do have a couple choices You could reduce the opacity of the layer you’re using for the paths by adjusting it at the top of the layers palette. Reducing Opacity would my first choice.

On your next project, you might try clicking on another icon on the options bar for the pen tool, just below "Image" at the top of your screen (pen tool need to be selected). My guess is you have "Shape Layers" selected, when "Paths" would be a better option. Don’t select Paths for this project yet as it will likely erase all your tedious work so far. So first, try reducing the opacity. In the future, you could switch to Paths. Once you’ve completed your task you can fill the path from the Path palette (tiny triangle at the top).

A third option also uses the opacity tool but places the model layer on top at reduced opacity. Reducing below 50% will disable the "auto select layer" feature for the move tool for that layer.

Peadge 🙂

Peadge 🙂

Peadge 🙂

"Peadge" wrote in message

"Jeff G" wrote in message

Peadge wrote:

"Jeff G" wrote in message

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now that I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its Adobe Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include on the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How to Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little,
but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

If you can easily separate the subject from the background, you can make

a

selection of the deleted background, Select > Inverse to select the

shape of

the model and Make Work Path from your Paths palette (little triangle

in

the upper right corner.) Once the path has been defined, you can create

a

Custom Shape by going to Edit > Define Custom Shape. This will create a vector shape that is easily accessed through your Custom Shapes tool. It

may

be a bit of a time saver.

If you have any influence on the photographers themselves, you may be

able

to get them to shoot high contrast silhouettes which would turn the task
into mere seconds.

Peadge 🙂

As I define the path with the pen tool, the area selected is filled with color. I need to make this transparent. I ma slightly more than halfway done with the selection, and now I can no longer see the border of the model to place points with the pen tool. Looking at my two reference sources and the available options I cannot figure out how to make the selected area transparent so I can see where to place points with the pen tool.

What’s the answer?

The answer you seek is ……AAAARRRGGG!

Well not really, but you do have a couple choices You could reduce the opacity of the layer you’re using for the paths by adjusting it at the top of the layers palette. Reducing Opacity would my first choice.
On your next project, you might try clicking on another icon on the options
bar for the pen tool, just below "Image" at the top of your screen (pen tool
need to be selected). My guess is you have "Shape Layers" selected, when "Paths" would be a better option. Don’t select Paths for this project yet as
it will likely erase all your tedious work so far. So first, try reducing the opacity. In the future, you could switch to Paths. Once you’ve completed
your task you can fill the path from the Path palette (tiny triangle at the
top).

A third option also uses the opacity tool but places the model layer on top
at reduced opacity. Reducing below 50% will disable the "auto select layer"
feature for the move tool for that layer.

I’m a bit confused as to what you are trying to do? I would have thought trying to use a vector based mask was a retrograde step, I build a mask using the quickmask function in PS7 and it works very well, the big problem is always the hair, I would have thought a vector mask would be much more difficult to use round hair!
maybe i’m missing something? I would be very interested as nearly all the work I do involves cutting out models of various types and changing the backgrounds. maybe your way is better, just can’t really understand how it works?

"MOP" wrote in message

"Peadge" wrote in message

"Jeff G" wrote in message

Peadge wrote:

"Jeff G" wrote in message

I do a lot of work cutting out complex images of female models. I’m used to working in bitmaps and doing a lot of erasing. I see now

that

I’m going to be switching to vector graphics and paths. BTW, its

Adobe

Photoshop v 7.0 that I’m using.

Before I start on a really complex tracing (my image is 1800 x 1200 pixels), is there any limit to the number of points you can include

on

the path? I would really hate to use up 1499 points without having finished only to find I’ve reached the limit and can not add any more data to my path. I’d love any hints you may have. I’m using a "How

to

Use Adobe Photoshop 7.0" book by Giordan in addition to the Photoshop Help file for guidance. Knowing how to use Fireworks MX helps a little,
but there are definitely a lot of differences.

Thanks in advance for your time.

If you can easily separate the subject from the background, you can make

a

selection of the deleted background, Select > Inverse to select the

shape of

the model and Make Work Path from your Paths palette (little

triangle

in

the upper right corner.) Once the path has been defined, you can

create

a

Custom Shape by going to Edit > Define Custom Shape. This will create

a

vector shape that is easily accessed through your Custom Shapes tool. It

may

be a bit of a time saver.

If you have any influence on the photographers themselves, you may be

able

to get them to shoot high contrast silhouettes which would turn the task
into mere seconds.

Peadge 🙂

As I define the path with the pen tool, the area selected is filled

with

color. I need to make this transparent. I ma slightly more than halfway done with the selection, and now I can no longer see the border of the model to place points with the pen tool. Looking at my two reference sources and the available options I cannot figure out how to make the selected area transparent so I can see where to place points with the pen tool.

What’s the answer?

The answer you seek is ……AAAARRRGGG!

Well not really, but you do have a couple choices You could reduce the opacity of the layer you’re using for the paths by adjusting it at the

top

of the layers palette. Reducing Opacity would my first choice.
On your next project, you might try clicking on another icon on the options
bar for the pen tool, just below "Image" at the top of your screen (pen tool
need to be selected). My guess is you have "Shape Layers" selected, when "Paths" would be a better option. Don’t select Paths for this project

yet

as
it will likely erase all your tedious work so far. So first, try

reducing

the opacity. In the future, you could switch to Paths. Once you’ve completed
your task you can fill the path from the Path palette (tiny triangle at the
top).

A third option also uses the opacity tool but places the model layer on top
at reduced opacity. Reducing below 50% will disable the "auto select layer"
feature for the move tool for that layer.

I’m a bit confused as to what you are trying to do? I would have thought trying to use a vector based mask was a retrograde step, I build a mask using the quickmask function in PS7 and it works very well, the big

problem

is always the hair, I would have thought a vector mask would be much more difficult to use round hair!
maybe i’m missing something? I would be very interested as nearly all the work I do involves cutting out models of various types and changing the backgrounds. maybe your way is better, just can’t really understand how it works?

Jeff, the OP is using his Pen Tool to trace around high resolution photos of models. My guess is he has the "Shape Layers" option selected, since the paths are being filled with the Foreground color. This filling color is hiding some of the portions he wants to trace next with his Pen Tool. I suggested reducing the opacity of his layer so he could see through to the photo of the model. Check out the Jeff’s link to the image and you will see that QuickMask probably wouldn’t work, at least not without taking ample time to create a selection:
http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1694/StacyKeibler28.jpg

Vector Masks don’t depend on pixels and can maintain much more definition than Bitmap masks, especially on things like hair. Plus, a vector image, at least a vector shape, creates a much smaller sized file.

Quick mask may work just fine if a rough selection is first made and then commence the tedious tweaking with paint and eraser.

Peadge 🙂

Snip

Jeff, the OP is using his Pen Tool to trace around high resolution photos of
models. My guess is he has the "Shape Layers" option selected, since the paths are being filled with the Foreground color. This filling color is hiding some of the portions he wants to trace next with his Pen Tool. I suggested reducing the opacity of his layer so he could see through to the photo of the model. Check out the Jeff’s link to the image and you will see
that QuickMask probably wouldn’t work, at least not without taking ample time to create a selection:
http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1694/StacyKeibler28.jpg

Yes I did have a look, and this picture is typical of the ones we work with all day

Vector Masks don’t depend on pixels and can maintain much more definition than Bitmap masks, especially on things like hair.

But by definition the highest resolution in any picture can’t be any higher than a single pixel!
and vectors rely on X Y coordinates, I don’t know what the resolution of this is in PS maybe someone knows?
but I suspect it’s not much higher than the pixel size of a high definition image, if indeed it’s even as fine. Anyway eventually the vector mask has to be applied to the bit map so even if there were any improvenent it would be lost at this stage.

Plus, a vector image, at
least a vector shape, creates a much smaller sized file.

True!

Quick mask may work just fine if a rough selection is first made and then commence the tedious tweaking with paint and eraser.

Just hold down the shift key and go round the image in exactly the same way as using the path pen.
MOP

"MOP" wrote in message

Just hold down the shift key and go round the image in exactly the same

way

as using the path pen.
MOP

Which tool are you talking about?

Peadge 🙂

"Peadge" wrote in message

"MOP" wrote in message

Just hold down the shift key and go round the image in exactly the same

way

as using the path pen.
MOP

Which tool are you talking about?

Peadge 🙂

Holding down the shift key, works with nearly all the tools, it joins individual point,
but in this case I was talking about the brush tool when using the quick mask, and the erase brush when doing an erase.

"MOP" wrote in message

"Peadge" wrote in message

"MOP" wrote in message

Just hold down the shift key and go round the image in exactly the same

way

as using the path pen.
MOP

Which tool are you talking about?

Peadge 🙂

Holding down the shift key, works with nearly all the tools, it joins individual point,
but in this case I was talking about the brush tool when using the quick mask, and the erase brush when doing an erase.

Oh yes. I use that a lot on my brush tool and eraser tool. I wasn’t sure which tool or which prior post you were talking about.

Good suggestion.

Have a great New Year!

Peadge 🙂