Cropping irregular shapes - PS Elements 6.0

Cropping irregular shapes
Can someone out there help with what I'm sure is a simple task for those who know Photo Shop -obviously, by my asking the question, I do not.
I have a newspaper article that was scanned and then given to me. I want to manipulate in Photo Shop prior to including it in a slide show. The article headline is 5 columns wide. The desired article beneath is 3 columns wide with the other two columns filed with advertisements and other undesirable material. I am wanting to "crop out" or eliminate those adjoining "undesirable" columns. I cannot do it by using the standard cropping tool - at least with my knowledge. Help, please, I know this should be an easy task for those in the know - unfortunately I am not such a person.

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:33:45 GMT, "Duane Lee" wrote:

Cropping irregular shapes
Can someone out there help with what I'm sure is a simple task for those who know Photo Shop -obviously, by my asking the question, I do not.
I have a newspaper article that was scanned and then given to me. I want to manipulate in Photo Shop prior to including it in a slide show. The article headline is 5 columns wide. The desired article beneath is 3 columns wide with the other two columns filed with advertisements and other undesirable material. I am wanting to "crop out" or eliminate those adjoining "undesirable" columns. I cannot do it by using the standard cropping tool - at least with my knowledge. Help, please, I know this should be an easy task for those in the know - unfortunately I am not such a person.

This is as easy as
Opening the Image
markig what you want to keep
Shft/Ctrl/I (Inverse Selection)
and Delete.

Opening the image and follow up with 3 steps.
If it is a common selection, less than 1 sec. thus.

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:43:12 +0200, Dave wrote:

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:33:45 GMT, "Duane Lee" wrote:

Cropping irregular shapes
Can someone out there help with what I'm sure is a simple task for those who know Photo Shop -obviously, by my asking the question, I do not.
I have a newspaper article that was scanned and then given to me. I want to manipulate in Photo Shop prior to including it in a slide show. The article headline is 5 columns wide. The desired article beneath is 3 columns wide with the other two columns filed with advertisements and other undesirable material. I am wanting to "crop out" or eliminate those adjoining "undesirable" columns. I cannot do it by using the standard cropping tool - at least with my knowledge. Help, please, I know this should be an easy task for those in the know - unfortunately I am not such a person.

This is as easy as
Opening the Image
markig what you want to keep
Shft/Ctrl/I (Inverse Selection)
and Delete.

Opening the image and follow up with 3 steps.
If it is a common selection, less than 1 sec. thus.

Maybe I should have explained
'marking what you to keep' by using the Lasso tool
2 icons higher than the crop tool on CS3's Tool Bar

Dave thanks for your help - I'm half way there.
I have followed your instructions and yes have eliminated the unwanted material. I have saved the file and when I view it I now have a "white" space in the area that had the unwanted material. Can you help me remove that white area so that I looks like I took a pair of scissors and cut out the article prior to scanning it?
Thanks,
Duane

"Dave" wrote in message

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:43:12 +0200, Dave wrote:

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:33:45 GMT, "Duane Lee" wrote:

Cropping irregular shapes
Can someone out there help with what I'm sure is a simple task for those who know Photo Shop -obviously, by my asking the question, I do not.
I have a newspaper article that was scanned and then given to me. I want to manipulate in Photo Shop prior to including it in a slide show. The article headline is 5 columns wide. The desired article beneath is 3 columns wide with the other two columns filed with advertisements and other undesirable material. I am wanting to "crop out" or eliminate those adjoining "undesirable" columns. I cannot do it by using the standard cropping tool - at least with my knowledge. Help, please, I know this should be an easy task for those in the know - unfortunately I am not such a person.

This is as easy as
Opening the Image
markig what you want to keep
Shft/Ctrl/I (Inverse Selection)
and Delete.

Opening the image and follow up with 3 steps.
If it is a common selection, less than 1 sec. thus.

Maybe I should have explained
'marking what you to keep' by using the Lasso tool
2 icons higher than the crop tool on CS3's Tool Bar

"Duane Lee" wrote:
(clip) Can you help me remove

that white area so that I looks like I took a pair of scissors and cut out the article prior to scanning it?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I can tell you a couple of things I would do (using Photoshop Elements.) Select the white area you want to eliminate and fill the area with black.

Another way to make it look okay on the screen would be to select the headline part and make it narrower, so it fits in 3 columns, instead of 5. Then position it directly over the text, which is also 3 columns. If the headline letters took too tall this way, you can reduce in both directions to get back the right proportions.

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:47:22 GMT, "Duane Lee" wrote:

Dave thanks for your help - I'm half way there.
I have followed your instructions and yes have eliminated the unwanted material. I have saved the file and when I view it I now have a "white" space in the area that had the unwanted material. Can you help me remove that white area so that I looks like I took a pair of scissors and cut out the article prior to scanning it?
Thanks,
Duane

It is a pleasure Duane.
I do not have Elements installedl, but are using CS3.
Do you have the Background Eraser Tool on Elements?
If yes, that is what to use.

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:14:56 +0200, Dave wrote:

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:47:22 GMT, "Duane Lee" wrote:

Dave thanks for your help - I'm half way there.
I have followed your instructions and yes have eliminated the unwanted material. I have saved the file and when I view it I now have a "white" space in the area that had the unwanted material. Can you help me remove that white area so that I looks like I took a pair of scissors and cut out the article prior to scanning it?
Thanks,
Duane

It is a pleasure Duane.
I do not have Elements installedl, but are using CS3.
Do you have the Background Eraser Tool on Elements?
If yes, that is what to use.

To the rest of this group,
after all my answers to duane, thìs is his comment on another group:

#3 In a group there is always one that "stands out" - in this group that person - is you - Dave. Please look at all the postings once again- EVERYONE has tried to help - EXCEPT YOU, DAVE. Obviously, you are different from the rest of this group - you seem to receive your pleasure from berating others - rather than helping. You have made it very clear of the fact that you lack empathy (quite possibly intelligence, as well ). I know that you never thought to ask, "do you know that you are "top posting" and then try to offer something positive and constructive enabling me to correct it..

This is what he said at 'alt.graphics.photoshop' today.
He is obviously a twatich newbie and that is what he will keep on being. Your help will not be appreciated. He will even accuse you of not being help full.