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From: Lunaray on 17 Jun 2007 02:51
I'm tired of fighting with the Magnetic Lasso tool to cut out a section of
an image to place with another image or background, isn't there an easier,
more precise way for doing this?

Thanks all!


From: Lunaray on 17 Jun 2007 02:59
I forgot to mention, I'm using 7.0!


From: Paul Burdett on 17 Jun 2007 03:00



"Lunaray" <lunarayERASE(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:FYGdnTffRe1cRunbnZ2dnUVZ_h6vnZ2d(a)neonova.net...
>I forgot to mention, I'm using 7.0!
>


The pen tool?


From: Infinitech on 17 Jun 2007 03:12
Lunaray wrote:
> I'm tired of fighting with the Magnetic Lasso tool to cut out a
> section of an image to place with another image or background, isn't
> there an easier, more precise way for doing this?
>
> Thanks all!


Quick mask?
--
Infinitech


From: Mike Russell on 17 Jun 2007 03:49
"Lunaray" <lunarayERASE(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:oIOdnUECPqN5ROnbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d(a)neonova.net...
> I'm tired of fighting with the Magnetic Lasso tool to cut out a section of
> an image to place with another image or background, isn't there an easier,
> more precise way for doing this?

Good suggestions from others re the pen tool, which is important for precise
work with hard edges, and quickmask, which allows you use any of the normal
paint tools to define a mask.

I generally do a rough cut with the lasso, paste to a new layer, and use the
eraser tool to fine tune the edges. Or for finer work I create a layer mask
for the new layer, and use the brush tool to paint black where you want it
erased. Edges should generally be partially transparent to avoid a paper
cut out appearance.

With the second method you can go back at any time if you erase too much:
just press the X key, and paint white to get it back again.

The extract tool is important for tough jobs like extracting hair from a
background. If you're going to be doing much of this kind of work, it's
worth a few hours to practice using this tool. Press F1 and look for the
keyword extract, as this command has moved around with various versions of
Photoshop since it became available in version 5.

This only scratches the surface of how to composite objects. This is one of
the oldest and most deeply developed functions in Photoshop. Many people
have perfected techniques over the years involving using channels as masks,
blurring channels to create a more natural edge (for example when replacing
a sky), using a mask to make it look like one object is behind another, even
though it is on a layer above. You can even have something like a picture
of a car, with the windows being transparent allowing the background to show
through.

What really makes all this work is the alpha channel concept, and the
ability to have transparent edges, and transparent or semi transparent
objects.
--
Mike Russell - www.curvemeister.com


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