Saving a partially completed EXTRACT

"W.G.D." wrote in message

Maybe it’s obvious to the more experienced; however, I cannot find how one saves a partially-completed EXTRACT.

How is this done? Can it be done?

Regards,
Wayne

Are you talking about saving a selection? because you can save a selection, however to save it, it needs to be an enclosed selection of some sort, you can then re-open it as a selection, and change it to a mask, add to it and change it back to a selection again!

I am not sure how to answer your question, i.e.referring to a selection. As I work my way through an extract, one that has yet to be closed (closed meaning allowing for a fill ??) is there a way to put the partially completed extract (again, not closed) away/save and come back to it later?

From your answer, I need to understand MASK and SELECTION. I think you may have put me on the right trail. Thanks!

Wayne Dengel

"Harry Limey" wrote in message

"W.G.D." wrote in message

Maybe it’s obvious to the more experienced; however, I cannot find how one saves a partially-completed EXTRACT.

How is this done? Can it be done?

Regards,
Wayne

Are you talking about saving a selection? because you can save a selection, however to save it, it needs to be an enclosed selection of some sort, you can then re-open it as a selection, and change it to a mask, add to it and change it back to a selection again!

"W.G.D." wrote in message

I am not sure how to answer your question, i.e.referring to a selection. As I work my way through an extract, one that has yet to be closed (closed meaning allowing for a fill ??) is there a way to put the partially completed extract (again, not closed) away/save and come back to it later?
From your answer, I need to understand MASK and SELECTION. I think you may have put me on the right trail. Thanks!

Wayne Dengel

It depends on your method of selection actually! some methods are closed selections in themselves! the magic wand tool and all the marquee tools, once used, can be saved as is!! whereas the pen tool and the lasso tools all need to be enclosed one way or another before they can be saved! Once you have a selected area it is easy to press ‘Q’ to convert to a quick mask, which can be fine tuned and by using a soft edged brush can even have graded (gradient) edges, If I am extracting something complex I can go backwards and forwards between a mask and a selection numerous times to get things right! The more you use masks the more natural it seems!

Harry

On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:37:54 GMT, "W.G.D."
wrote:

Maybe it’s obvious to the more experienced; however, I cannot find how one saves a partially-completed EXTRACT.

How is this done? Can it be done?

You are using filter -> extract, right?

AFAIK there is no way to stop mid-way on any of the filter tools.

Before you start filter -> extract, copy your layer so you are working on a copy for the extraction. Then if you need to stop partway thru the extraction, just close the area you are removing with a quick line that doesn’t include any of the area you want to keep. For example, if you are extracting a person from the background and you have done the left side of the person only, close the extract area by going to the top, along the top and left sides and back to your starting point, and then fill the rest of the image (the person and the other side of the background) to complete a partial extraction.

Your resulting layer will have the left side of the background removed. Later you can do filter -> extract on this layer again to work on the other side.

If your extraction has many small individual areas (like a window pane) to keep, draw your extraction lines around the areas to remove rather than the area to keep, so that if you need to stop you only need to finish the one area you are working on.

jc

—

"The nice thing about a mare is you get to ride a lot of different horses without having to own that many." ~ Eileen Morgan of The Mare’s Nest, PA

Yes, using filter>extract.

Will pay attention to your advice and attempt method at next extract need (which will be later today!). Thank You!

Extracts have worked out exceedingly well so far – wrought iron filagree, lacy so to speak – but have been done at one sitting.

Wayne

"JC Dill" wrote in message

On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:37:54 GMT, "W.G.D."
wrote:

Maybe it’s obvious to the more experienced; however, I cannot find how one saves a partially-completed EXTRACT.

How is this done? Can it be done?

You are using filter -> extract, right?

AFAIK there is no way to stop mid-way on any of the filter tools.
Before you start filter -> extract, copy your layer so you are working on a copy for the extraction. Then if you need to stop partway thru the extraction, just close the area you are removing with a quick line that doesn’t include any of the area you want to keep. For example, if you are extracting a person from the background and you have done the left side of the person only, close the extract area by going to the top, along the top and left sides and back to your starting point, and then fill the rest of the image (the person and the other side of the background) to complete a partial extraction.

Your resulting layer will have the left side of the background removed. Later you can do filter -> extract on this layer again to work on the other side.

If your extraction has many small individual areas (like a window pane) to keep, draw your extraction lines around the areas to remove rather than the area to keep, so that if you need to stop you only need to finish the one area you are working on.

jc

—

"The nice thing about a mare is you get to ride a lot of different horses without having to own that many." ~ Eileen Morgan of The Mare’s Nest, PA