Problem w/extract function

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)

I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.

Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??

Kind Regards,
Wayne

"Wayne" wrote in message

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)
I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.
Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??
Kind Regards,
Wayne

what are you trying to do? remove the black background?? if so make a selection using SELECT>color range
click on the black with the eyedropper
move the slider, hit ok
you can adjust the selection using the magic wand (add to subtract to) at different tolerances
also useful is the magnetic wand or lasso
you can use quick mask to see the edges, and if you want paint on the mask with a brush
to soften the edges use select feather, this will make a nicer blend on the cutout edge

when you have the selection you like use edit clear, or inverse selection and hit copy to get just the birds to paste into a new doc. or layer or set a mask to the selection by click in the layer palette (tiny circle in rectangle)

Katwoman:

Remove black? No. This was just a piece of (apparently useless) info. Probably should not have mentioned as it only added confusion. Right? Sorry! :-)

The article was photographed on a WHITE sheet - thus wish to extract the total, very colorful item from the white sheet .

Wayne

"KatWoman" wrote in message

"Wayne" wrote in message

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)
I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.
Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??
Kind Regards,
Wayne

what are you trying to do? remove the black background?? if so make a selection using SELECT>color range
click on the black with the eyedropper
move the slider, hit ok
you can adjust the selection using the magic wand (add to subtract to) at different tolerances
also useful is the magnetic wand or lasso
you can use quick mask to see the edges, and if you want paint on the mask with a brush
to soften the edges use select feather, this will make a nicer blend on the cutout edge

when you have the selection you like use edit clear, or inverse selection and hit copy to get just the birds to paste into a new doc. or layer or set a mask to the selection by click in the layer palette (tiny circle in rectangle)

Wayne wrote:

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)
I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.
Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??
Kind Regards,
Wayne

Look more closely at the Extract tool. There are additional tools that allow you to paint in edges and reclaim that lost stuff. Also, the smaller the brush you use the better the detail. The more time you spend with it the better result you'll get generally. Smart Highlighting is okay but doing it manually is better.

There are other ways of getting transparency as well, which might be more appropriate.

--
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html
Comics art for sale:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/batsale.html

Extracts, masks, and selections are very much inter-twined in photoshop. Getting a good extraction can be very very easy or very very difficult, depending on the shape / colour / texture / contrast etc of the item.

If you want a GOOD book on the topic then take a look at Katrin Eismann's book on masking and composition ...

http://www.photoshopmasking.com/about.html

Be warned though, it's not for the faint hearted (having said that, if you can master the techniques you could probably just about write your own pay check in the graphics industry).

Good Morning ~ Regarding extraction, edges of the item have straight lines - still keep the tool small?? Also, pls, what, where are the 'additional' tools? Pls point me. Tks, Wayne

"edjh" wrote in message

Wayne wrote:

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)
I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.
Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??
Kind Regards,
Wayne

Look more closely at the Extract tool. There are additional tools that allow you to paint in edges and reclaim that lost stuff. Also, the smaller the brush you use the better the detail. The more time you spend with it the better result you'll get generally. Smart Highlighting is okay but doing it manually is better.

There are other ways of getting transparency as well, which might be more appropriate.

--
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html
Comics art for sale:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/batsale.html

Wayne wrote:

Good Morning ~ Regarding extraction, edges of the item have straight lines - still keep the tool small?? Also, pls, what, where are the 'additional' tools? Pls point me. Tks, Wayne

"edjh" wrote in message

Wayne wrote:

New to this application, I am having extraction problems. Using Smart Highlighting, parts of my edges get through, i.e. become transparent (I suppose you would call it) regardless of extract color (R, G, B)
I cropped and rescaled a 26mb .psd file down to 630k . Can I add this to a post -or- might someone be interested in looking at the image? tell me what is going on here??

FYI, image consists of colorful birds on a black background - those parts work fine. Edges are colorful - here is where the problem is located.
Also: Suggestion of a GOOD book on these and other subjects??
Kind Regards,
Wayne

Look more closely at the Extract tool. There are additional tools that allow you to paint in edges and reclaim that lost stuff. Also, the smaller the brush you use the better the detail. The more time you spend with it the better result you'll get generally. Smart Highlighting is okay but doing it manually is better.

There are other ways of getting transparency as well, which might be more appropriate.

--
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html
Comics art for sale:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/batsale.html

For straight lines, turn off Smart Highlighting, click a beginning point, hold down Shift and click the end point.

After you have used the Paint Bucket, click Preview. Two tools that were grayed out become available in the tool bar on the left. These are the cleanup/touchup tools.

--
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html
Comics art for sale:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/batsale.html

Justg saying Thank You! Extraction worked like a charm using inputs from those more experienced. Used 5 pixel brush to generate the highlighted outline and Shift key for lines.

Also generated three layers for object w/large hole in center - hole one color, overall background another color.

Meanwhile, could not get the Extract finishing tools to work well. Maybe takes??

Appreciative!
Wayne

"C J Southern" wrote in message

Extracts, masks, and selections are very much inter-twined in photoshop. Getting a good extraction can be very very easy or very very difficult, depending on the shape / colour / texture / contrast etc of the item.
If you want a GOOD book on the topic then take a look at Katrin Eismann's book on masking and composition ...

http://www.photoshopmasking.com/about.html

Be warned though, it's not for the faint hearted (having said that, if you can master the techniques you could probably just about write your own pay check in the graphics industry).