Extracting

[raine_ruby]

I dunno...how do you do it.

[escaflownemoon]

I think there was a topic on this..but I don't remember so here goes. Use the good old eraser tool.

Depending on what program you use, which I use is Photoshop has this extracting feature in the filtre section. This feature does not entitle you to have a perfect outcome but it gets rid of most of the outside negatives around the character. In addition, the magic eraser, lasso tool, and the pen tool are a good help in certain areas that some of the extracting tool can not reach.

[Xian Pu]

Pay attention I'm only gonna do this once. :P


Seriously I hope you're using Photoshop for this. ^_^

Step one:

Select the polygon lasso tool. As illustrated in the image. If you have the regular lasso tool either hold down alt and left click until you get the polygon lasso tool, or right click and select it.

http://www.animeglobe.com/ubb/uploads/post-11-1092626354.jpg

[Xian Pu]

Next you select your area with the polygon lasso tool. Warning: This takes patience and practice-- lots and lots of practice. Follow the curve of the image however it goes and take your time. I can not emphasize that enough. Take. Your. Time.

http://www.animeglobe.com/ubb/uploads/post-11-1092626621.jpg

[Xian Pu]

Now, you have two choices what to do next. I highly reccomend the second choice personally. However, if the image is relatively 'smooth' IE no jpg artifacts or graininess in it then feel free to use this first method-- Magic erase tool.

http://www.animeglobe.com/ubb/uploads/post-11-1092626982.jpg

[Xian Pu]

Or, and this is the method I reccomend you use. Why? Well, it eliminates the need to go back and ensure that you have properly cleaned the image up. The straight eraser tool. ;)

Now, the reason I even mentioned the poly lasso tool is this: When you have an area selected, nothing outside that area will be affected by anything you do. IE erase. However, if you want to do something outside the area, well see the next post. ;)

http://www.animeglobe.com/ubb/uploads/post-11-1092627262.jpg

[Xian Pu]

If, like I said you want to select an area outside what you have highlighted, right click and select inverse. Now, be extremely careful with this because EVERYTHING outside your selected area is affected. So, if you're trying to erase an error close to another area, be careful of that other area.

http://www.animeglobe.com/ubb/uploads/post-11-1092627398.jpg

[RagnarokCo]

Sorry to bug ya Xian but, is there a way to extract an indefinative line? Like smoke or something? I mean, usually there is the background color integrated inside the smoke, so would that make it possible if you spend months getting each pixel of color out?

[EternalBlue]

You'll probably hafta redo the smoke yourself ^_^. Btw I much prefer pen to polygon laso, but I might try it out sometime :D

[Xian Pu]

Originally posted by RagnarokCo@Aug 15 2004, 11:40 PM
Sorry to bug ya Xian but, is there a way to extract an indefinative line? Like smoke or something? I mean, usually there is the background color integrated inside the smoke, so would that make it possible if you spend months getting each pixel of color out?
Smoke?

Eh, there are several ways you can go about that. You can make it yourself, or you can DL a filter for it. I'm sure if you look around you'll find them. That is, if you know where to look. ;) ;)

Also, if there is smoke in the image and you want to keep it? Don't. It's been my experience that pre-made smoke in images does not blend well with any background you're trying to make. Start from scratch.

Ooooor another way to go is the clone brush. That's... a pain in the @ss too, so be prepared to start over. A lot. Especially if you've never used the clone stamp. :) However, another secret to use has already been mentioned. The polygon lasso tool. Yep. Select an area around the area you want to clone and voila! No mess. ^_^ Simple ne?




Also, yeah, the pen is an excellent tool to use if you want to extract-- however, it's a lot more convoluted and a general pain in the @ss. I just was showing the easiset way.

[Xian Pu]

*bump*

Is there any way this one can be made sticky too?

Also left open in case someone else has another method of extraction?

[Gestahr]

I don't think this was mentioned, and most of the time it's best not to use it, but the Magic Wand and the delete key can be handy now and then. Especially when, like the example picture Xian showed, the BG is made of entirely of one stark, contrasty color.

[Xian Pu]

Originally posted by Gestahr@Aug 16 2004, 03:32 AM
I don't think this was mentioned, and most of the time it's best not to use it, but the Magic Wand and the delete key can be handy now and then. Especially when, like the example picture Xian showed, the BG is made of entirely of one stark, contrasty color.
Good point, thanks for mentioning that. ^_^'

[MistressPookyChan]

since this is a common question, it's been stickied! Feel free to add your techniques.

[Cantelope]

Use the freeform pen tool. Push and hold on the Pen tool until the menu pops up, then select the Freeform pen. Then change pen mode from fill or whatever to paths. Then start tracing around the image wanted. The freeform pen correct itself to line on the border of the image, because it can recognise the pixels and actually splits them in half and sticks itself in between. The problem is, the freeform pen will only self-align itself when you draw it near the border of the image and if you draw in small increments at a time.

....Uhhh was that too confusing? :unsure:

[raine_ruby]

How dom you do it with paintshop pro tho

[Cantelope]

eee, Paintshop Pro...Wish I could help you there...

[spX]

Conquer the world in 13 little steps (or delete the bg and leave the character in the same nº of steps in psp 7/8)


1)take off all innecesary bg with the Freehand selection tool, no anti-alias, no feather, no smoothing

2)promote to raster layer
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > Promote Background Layer

//add a layer with contrasting color to see the progress//

3)Add a layer (and put it below the original image)
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > New Raster Layer

4)Flood the new layer with a "neon" solid color, ie:
- r:0 g:255 b:0
- r:255 g:0 b:255

5)Sharpen the image (if necesary)
-in psp8 : Adjust > Sharpness > sharpen
-in psp7 : Effects > ?(i'don't remember) > sharpen

//we're gonna resize the img, so ,after cleaning,we can make a pseudo anti-alias, but do it only if the img it's little less than 1000*1000 px//

6)Resize the image
-in psp 7/8 : : Image > Resize
-Width/Heigth :200 percent
-Resample using : Pixel Resize
-Lock aspect ratio : checked
-Resize all layers : checked

//here comes the fun!//

7)Take a break... visit your girlfriend/boyfriend/etc?, eat something... no drugs/no alcohol... well, just a little (just kidding)

8)Using our handy-dandy Freehand selection tool (in point to point mode), zoom to 200%/250%, and infinite patience, follow the contour of the desired character, trying to keep 3/4 of the pixels, and delete the outside pxs


//several hours later...

9)Once you're done, Re-resize the img to the desired size using the same settings, or in the "resampling Using" box, change to "Bilinear" or "Smart Resize", try the best result.
This should create an anti alias fx.

10)Delete the layer with the solid color

11)SAVE

12)Go & Enjoy the beatiful life outside the pc, run free (naked if you want), drink with your friends, dance, sleep, have sex, run away of the cops (remember, you're naked),etc...

13)Remember-- the wallpaper isn't done yet! (mhuahahaha)

*Sorry about the bad english
**I hope it be useful // espero que les sirva, luego la hago en español, ok?
***how about reconstructing imgs?
**** this is getting too long? ^-^

Byebye friends // Adios amigos

[Xian Pu]

Originally posted by spX@Aug 20 2004, 05:47 PM
Conquer the world in 13 little steps (or delete the bg and leave the character in the same nº of steps in psp 7/8)


1)take off all innecesary bg with the Freehand selection tool, no anti-alias, no feather, no smoothing

2)promote to raster layer
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > Promote Background Layer

//add a layer with contrasting color to see the progress//

3)Add a layer (and put it below the original image)
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > New Raster Layer

4)Flood the new layer with a "neon" solid color, ie:
- r:0 g:255 b:0
- r:255 g:0 b:255

5)Sharpen the image (if necesary)
-in psp8 : Adjust > Sharpness > sharpen
-in psp7 : Effects > ?(i'don't remember) > sharpen

//we're gonna resize the img, so ,after cleaning,we can make a pseudo anti-alias, but do it only if the img it's little less than 1000*1000 px//

6)Resize the image
-in psp 7/8 : : Image > Resize
-Width/Heigth :200 percent
-Resample using : Pixel Resize
-Lock aspect ratio : checked
-Resize all layers : checked

//here comes the fun!//

7)Take a break... visit your girlfriend/boyfriend/etc?, eat something... no drugs/no alcohol... well, just a little (just kidding)

8)Using our handy-dandy Freehand selection tool (in point to point mode), zoom to 200%/250%, and infinite patience, follow the contour of the desired character, trying to keep 3/4 of the pixels, and delete the outside pxs


//several hours later...

9)Once you're done, Re-resize the img to the desired size using the same settings, or in the "resampling Using" box, change to "Bilinear" or "Smart Resize", try the best result.
This should create an anti alias fx.

10)Delete the layer with the solid color

11)SAVE

12)Go & Enjoy the beatiful life outside the pc, run free (naked if you want), drink with your friends, dance, sleep, have sex, run away of the cops (remember, you're naked),etc...

13)Remember-- the wallpaper isn't done yet! (mhuahahaha)

*Sorry about the bad english
**I hope it be useful // espero que les sirva, luego la hago en español, ok?
***how about reconstructing imgs?
**** this is getting too long? ^-^

Byebye friends // Adios amigos
That has got to be the funniest tutorial I've ever read. >>

Good job. ^_^

[spX]

in the step n°8, try this & you will understand better...

1)open a new img, 100x100 px, 16 millons colors, raster layer
2)paint 4 squares , each of a diferent color (covering the whole img, 25x25 px each)
3)with the selection tool, make a circle without antialias (wherever you want)
4)then resize the img to the 75%, bilinear and let the magic be...

nyo, nyo, nyo ^-^

[JoN_mAn32]

well i know this would take ages but i find it comes around with the best results... and i do it for a hobby! this technique would add another 2-4 hours on your wallpaper but the quality of the image is crazy.... vectorize the image with illustrator... or evn freehand(i dont know how well you can do it in free hand 'coz ive never really tried it but its also a vector based program so i assume it should be the same as illutrator) the only problem is i know quite a few people arnt comftble with the pen tool in PS so it might b a lil tough for some. here is a quick job i did of kenshin. i ddint post the color version coz i think my coloring is pretty crapy

[JoN_mAn32]

oppz i forgot to upload it properly :p

[Xian Pu]

This isn't a place to upload images you've extracted-- this is a thread for tutorials--only.

[JoN_mAn32]

sory my bad but that aint a extraction. but sory none the less

[akachan]

This is not only an extraction post, btw:
I'm sorry Pook if not...many people entered the contest, the problem wasn't extracting, but the hue on the pic, but I want to thank you publically ( i dunno if it's the right adverb form for "public" -_-') because I've learned something:
How to remove the hue tone on the img( it's kind of extracting, I guess)
if there's still someone who wants to enter the contest:
HOW TO FIX THE RABBIT GIRL
1.select with a tool(lazo, magnetic...which one do you prefer) the area of the rabbit-girl(like her foot, for example)
2.go to the adjust menu> and select the tool who give you the ability to adjust cyan, magenta, yellow and other primary colors (sorry I dunno remember the name) for light, medium tone and shadow, remove the x on the switch "leave the quantity of light/dark as it is" and move the colors until the selected area has the same colors as the rest of the image
3. now check the others part to fix
4. if there are still little lines of the older colors, you can easily fix them with a clone brush

clear? ^^' I hope so...

[LeapingAlien]

yo ppl really thats how it works soooo....wut else do u guys do around here besides explain things???? yayayayay

Remember i WILL domninate

Dlolmlilnlaltliloln my anti drug:D

:awe: bow down to me

[Xian Pu]

yo ppl really thats how it works soooo....wut else do u guys do around here besides explain things???? yayayayay

Remember i WILL domninate

Dlolmlilnlaltliloln my anti drug:D

:awe: bow down to me


Go away @sshat, this is just spammy and so not cool.

[chIPS3t]

Conquer the world in 13 little steps (or delete the bg and leave the character in the same nº of steps in psp 7/8)


1)take off all innecesary bg with the Freehand selection tool, no anti-alias, no feather, no smoothing

2)promote to raster layer
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > Promote Background Layer

//add a layer with contrasting color to see the progress//

3)Add a layer (and put it below the original image)
-in psp 7/8 : Layer > New Raster Layer

4)Flood the new layer with a "neon" solid color, ie:
- r:0 g:255 b:0
- r:255 g:0 b:255

5)Sharpen the image (if necesary)
-in psp8 : Adjust > Sharpness > sharpen
-in psp7 : Effects > ?(i'don't remember) > sharpen

//we're gonna resize the img, so ,after cleaning,we can make a pseudo anti-alias, but do it only if the img it's little less than 1000*1000 px//

6)Resize the image
-in psp 7/8 : : Image > Resize
-Width/Heigth :200 percent
-Resample using : Pixel Resize
-Lock aspect ratio : checked
-Resize all layers : checked

//here comes the fun!//

7)Take a break... visit your girlfriend/boyfriend/etc?, eat something... no drugs/no alcohol... well, just a little (just kidding)

8)Using our handy-dandy Freehand selection tool (in point to point mode), zoom to 200%/250%, and infinite patience, follow the contour of the desired character, trying to keep 3/4 of the pixels, and delete the outside pxs


//several hours later...

9)Once you're done, Re-resize the img to the desired size using the same settings, or in the "resampling Using" box, change to "Bilinear" or "Smart Resize", try the best result.
This should create an anti alias fx.

10)Delete the layer with the solid color

11)SAVE

12)Go & Enjoy the beatiful life outside the pc, run free (naked if you want), drink with your friends, dance, sleep, have sex, run away of the cops (remember, you're naked),etc...

13)Remember-- the wallpaper isn't done yet! (mhuahahaha)

*Sorry about the bad english
**I hope it be useful // espero que les sirva, luego la hago en español, ok?
***how about reconstructing imgs?
**** this is getting too long? ^-^

Byebye friends // Adios amigos

This IS the best way to do a wallpaper ... if u wana finish it in abouth 10 years or so. I mean ... the only problem is with the redrowing part. In stead of trying to redraw the whole character again in "Free HA ND" manualy(trying not to promote Dream Wav er products :)) ), install the latest "free ha nd" and an use the ... I dono remember exacly the name of the command, but something like "brake apart"(use help to find it, or download some tutoril from the www ).
It will save u that part with the " ... several hours later" :)) . If u take a good look at the caracters of anime, most of them r made from 10 to 15 colors at most. Count the colors (do not forget the eyes, shoos, or other parts that r small and have diferent colors). Exemple: skin of an anime is made most of the times in 2 to 4 colors; light pink(in the light), dark pink(the shades). The same with hair, etc.
Remember that not all the time the program will work as u like, but is a lot easyer to give just the finishing touch. :D

P.S. Remember first to extract just the caracter, do not try to work on the whole picture!(Done this with "pho tosh op")


2ND P.S :D If somebody knows some good photoshop filters do not hasitate to contect me : chIPS3t[at]gmail[dot]com.(looking for background filters mainly)


-----

VIVAT CHIVITAS VARADIENSIS!
chIPS3t

[LeapingAlien]

[B] no i will not shut up and i will have u warned!!

[spX]

what else we do?... mmmm... i don't know, maybe wallpapers? who knows...

[MistressPookyChan]

He was warned a long time ago. Please keep this thread to extraction issues and techniques only. Fighting with idiots will only add to the problem. Thanks!

[Soulreaver13]

Hey....could someone please tell me exactly how to make a wall paper please....I mean with details....thank you

[MistressPookyChan]

Soulreaver, please start your own thread with specific questions. But first... check out the resources thread.

[Jade Lee]

Eh..there's really no need to use the Eraser tool after you've selected it -_-
Just pressed delete

If you're extracting from a plain background (in other words, not an abstract extraction) then you can just use the Wand tool and have done with. Makes things click 1-2-3 done.

There's a wand tutorial here:
http://dragonrain.com/tutorials/index.php?p=ps/wand

[Animousflavista]

Is there any way we can extract lines? erghh, how can I say,

for example, we have a character with long hair (belldandy is a good example), in good quality, no jpeg artifact but the lines "inside" the hair was too blur. how can I extract that so I can make the lines more clearer? I've try hue/saturation/contrast/inverter, but none of them helps.

Dont tell me to select the lines one by one? have you seen belldandy hair?

[Jade Lee]

I know what you mean -
but for that, you will need a different program: Adobe Illustrator.
You'll have to learn how to vector the image, which is an art in itself (known as 'vector art').
You cannot do this with photoshop - photoshop can only help you to enhance the images, maybe try to make the quality better..but it's Illustrator that does the real grunt work when it comes to bringing out the quality in an image.

After that, you can use Photoshop to make it abstract, etc.

[Animousflavista]

Use adobe illustrator? humm..I'll try. anyone knows where to find tutorial for illustrator?

[spX]

if the lines 're too blurred, try selecting (with antialiasing if possible) then sharpen the selection... maybe that works

[Jade Lee]

if the lines 're too blurred, try selecting (with antialiasing if possible) then sharpen the selection... maybe that works
...I don't know about sharpening...that usually makes it all grainy and lumpy at the edges. But eh you could always give it a shot.

[ChibiChibi]

OK, anybody got advice for extracting with either GIMP or Microsoft Picture It?

[spX]

i've trying Gimp lately, and it's like photosh0p, just the keyboard shortcuts 're different... the tools are almost the same

[Ωmega]

Eh..there's really no need to use the Eraser tool after you've selected it -_-
Just pressed delete

If you're extracting from a plain background (in other words, not an abstract extraction) then you can just use the Wand tool and have done with. Makes things click 1-2-3 done.

There's a wand tutorial here:
http://dragonrain.com/tutorials/index.php?p=ps/wandJust though Id let you know that this link isnt working anymore.

[Capernicus]

hah Well I start with the magic wand! I change the....I dunno what it's called....tolerance I think. I keep it huge and delete what I select. Unless it selects something I want to keep. Then I lower the tolerance enough to just get what I dont want. Or you could lightly erase a "wall" around the render and then use the magic wand. Well when I get all that done (time spent depends on how bad the bg is) I take my eraser and do my stuff to the hard parts. Of course, if that doesn't work, you could always just blur the edges. It would make the render blend into the bg more in the future anyway. And a lot of the time I use an airbrush eraser around the edges to blend more, so my mistakes are less obvious.

Of course I am a horrible extracter. XD But that's just what I do.

[Cantelope]

The magic wand tool is something that should be used sparingly with extractions, and then there's the oh-so irksome catch, it can only be used for solid backgrounds. Personally, I've never gotten too handy with the extraction tool in Filters -> Extract, but I use the alternative, the pen tool. Very very powerful weapon in the arsenal of Photoshop.

http://www.tutorio.com/tutorial/vector-mask

Here's a short tutorial showing how to use it to extract. I do it a little differently, but I create the path's using the same method. It goes alot faster when you use hotkeys, so at first, your extractions may take awhile, but with practice, you'll be an extraction machine. Enjoy.

[MistressPookyChan]

Thanks for pointing out the bad link and posting a new link. :) *hands out gold stars*

[Thornwillow]

The magic wand tool is something that should be used sparingly with extractions, and then there's the oh-so irksome catch, it can only be used for solid backgrounds. Personally, I've never gotten too handy with the extraction tool in Filters -> Extract, but I use the alternative, the pen tool. Very very powerful weapon in the arsenal of Photoshop.

http://www.tutorio.com/tutorial/vector-mask

Here's a short tutorial showing how to use it to extract. I do it a little differently, but I create the path's using the same method. It goes alot faster when you use hotkeys, so at first, your extractions may take awhile, but with practice, you'll be an extraction machine. Enjoy.Thank you Ch33zy for pointing out this tutorial. It is absolutely excellent. For anyone who is wanting extracting tips, I recommend using this tutorial! If you guys have seen the extracted characters thread, I'm the only one who has posted ones so far ... o.o and I use the pen tool to do my extractions. The great thing about the pen tool is it leaves you with very smooth and clean lines, thus keeping up the appearence of a very pretty render. The key to using the pen tool is the curves. Curves are your friend to create the best looking renders! So I recommend this tutorial.

AFTER EXTRACTION // cleaning up the render (Photoshop Way) -
If you're using a render that is low quality, there is several simple ways to clean it up. One of my personal favorites, and it's so simple, is duplicate the layer the render is on and put it on top of the original. Change the blending mode to 'Soft Light', which will brighten and soften the image at the same time, increasing quality. I would also change it's opacity to about 75%. Then, I'd recommend messing with curves and levels adjustments. These not only make the colors more vibrant, but makes them more crisp and even.

Hopefully this helps. ^_^

[Tasukiseishi]

I have a question. Would it work much better getting into tight spaces by enlarging the image to about 2-300 percent?

[Cantelope]

I have a question. Would it work much better getting into tight spaces by enlarging the image to about 2-300 percent?
Whenever I do extracting work, I zoom in at 800% and sometimes, 1200% and 1600%. The larger it is, the more accurate the pen path will be, and slimming down the chances of accidentally missing a small section of white border, and whatnot. Just keep your eye on the navigation map so you don't get lost.

[Yugure's Goddess]

Alrighty. This is for the less fortunate kids (like myself) who do not have Photoshop (rich *bad word*) or $600 to waste on something like that...

Anyway, just in case there are others who use this program (there's probably like... none). The program that I use is called Microsoft Digital Image Suite (I only have the starter edition though cause the Suite thingy causts about $70 that my family currently does not have to spare...).

Alright, I've figured out a few things by experimenting with this program and would like to help anyone who needs it. I'll explain how to do extractions with the various tools available. This'll be a while so pay attention, takes notes, don't fall asleep. This took a while and even though it's probably useless since it's a relatively unused program I still put quite a bit of effort into this and would like some one to be helped by it or at least read it, alright?

Ok. There are a few ways to extract an image in this Program, starting with the *Edge Finder* tool. Observe:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpo1.jpg
It's right there for all you who need le help on finding it.

1. Now all that you do is find a picture you want to use. (preferably with DISTINCT lines, but pictures with less visible lines are possible to extract, though it will be more difficult and frustrating.)

2. Copy and Paste it into the little editing zone and stuff (blah blah blah)

3. Now, make sure you have the picture selected and use the edge finder indicated in the picture above. Select a spot along the edge that would be easiest to start on (maybe near a corner of the picture).

4. Follow the edge of the object you intend to extract from the selection. Sometimes it may be necessary to zoom in further or to raise or reduce the width of the hightlighter line you're using to drag around and outline the object.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpo6.jpg

To do this the "Selection" button (indicated by red arrow) must be pressed and adjust the size of the pixel width (place indicated by orange arrow) as needed in the *Selection Window*. You can also use the anti-aliased option to soften the edges of the selection you extract.

EX.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpoEX1.jpg

5. after outlining the whole image you want, you can either cut it out and paste it elsewhere or *Invert* the outline and cut away everything around it. Or simply copy the outlined object, incase you might want to use that object for something else later.


continued in next post...

[Yugure's Goddess]

Info and stuff over options in the selection window:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpo10.jpg
The *Feather* option is to make the edges of the object that you cut (or copy) out softer and semi-transparant (in case the edges weren't smooth as you had hoped or just to simply give it a cool feeling.)

Also, the buttons at the bottom are useful for something, too. The arrow button on the far left is to outline it bit by bit, the "+" is for adding to the selection and the "-" to take away lines from the selection. The button in the bottom right gives the whole editing window a red tint and allows only normal colors the section(s) you highlight and the dotted-outlined oval is what is usually selected and keeps the whole page the correct color. Use which ever options help you most and are easiest for you.

There is also the Magic Wand, which can be used to erase specifically selected areas of similar color.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpo2.jpg
there's the button, right beside the edge-finder button.

Just use this option to highlight areas of similar color. This should usually be used rarely and most preferably when the background or a LARGE portion of the object being extracted is all a similar color. Sometimes this takes less time and work than the edgefinder. also,

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/DaniDude/helpo7.jpg

The option *soften edge*, obviously softens the edge of the selection once extracted. The *contiguous* option, when selected keeps the Magic Wand from highlighting every square of that color (in case the selection being extracted has some of the same colors you are deleting somewhere in it). unchecking it can help in certain situations, too, though.

*Tolerence* measures who much straying there can be from the original color of the spot you click on. The higher the number, the more squares of different though similar spots of color will be highlighted, however, use this option in moderation as well, since this can also lead to highlighing spots you don't want to mess with and annoyingly having to deal with the undo button for a while and stuff. Zoom can be useful here, too.


continued in next post...

[Yugure's Goddess]

EX.





Another option for, well not really extracting, but painting a certain area the same texture, color, as another area. The option is found here:





Other info needed for this option is given when selected. If you need any other help with it, PM me and I'll see what I can do to help.





Aside from that there is the option of cutting diferent objects out with different shape cutters. Above is the *Selection Window* for this option and where to find it. The *shape proportions* is for how the proportions will be when resized when selected. Useful sometimes, not always. And the *Adjust marquee* is for resizing the cut before actually cutting it out.

continued in next post...

[Yugure's Goddess]

After you have extracted the object you can also use the edge softening option which lightens the edges of the object and makes them transparent based on how much you of this option you apply to it.



It can be found by dropping down this menu:





OR





You can find it there after dropping down the *Common Tasks* menu. (this is usually the easiest and fastest way to get to it and several other options. This menu is very useful.)



Well... uh... there... I might type up stuff to help with photoshop if I ever get un-poor and can afford it (don't hold your breath). But until then...I can only help with this, and Microsoft Image Composer if anyone needs it.

((sorry for the multi-post... I couldn't put all those pictures in one post...)


love

dani

dude

[KuroTan]

I figured I'd share my way of extracting. It's probably not the best but it works for me.

1. Take out the pen tool.
2. Zoom in to around 1800. (3200 if it's really difficult to distinguish the bg from the actual image. Or duplicate the image and set the layer blending to multiply.)
3. Painstakingly go all around the image setting up anchor points until you end up where you started.
3 Right click and make it into a selection, then copy, make a new canvas, paste it and you're done.

This process takes me the better part of a half hour but if you're just starting out it'll probably be longer than that. Of course, if you knew how to do the curves that were talked about in previous posts (which I don't. ;_;) then you'll end up doing it faster and most probably cleaner. Well, hope that helps.^_^

[>_o_aiglos_o_>]

Are you using PS? If not then I could not help you there mate.

There are lots of ways when extracting an image and extraction solely depends on what type of background you want the render/character to get extracted out.

For example you could only use the magic wand tool when extracting an image with a monotone background par. white backgrounds.

Lasso tools are for the beginners. If your looking for a quick fix after you've used the magic wand you could eliminate particular jagged edges on your render with the lasso tools. Better not mess with the magnetic lasso if you think your still a beginner coz it might just give you undesired results and waste of time.

Hmm. If you think you could manage the background and you do well with brushing then I suggest you copy twice the image you want to extract and set both to multiply. Then after doing so, go back to your original layer and brush the image you want to extract using a white px soft brush. *Adjust the sizes to fit your needs**

(Eh') before I always use the extracting filter in PS. But now I'm using the pentool. Both are time consuming methods of extraction and requires 80% patience and 20% skill.


^_^ hope this one clears it out.

[Evockzi]

I just use Magic Wand / Quick Select Wand for the most part, Adjust the Sensitive Accordingly, Take out the 1px Eraser for those hard to reach spots, and my Extracts turn out great ^^