Photoshop 911 FAQ and Short tips

How do I pull an image out of a complicated background?

(from a workshop attendee...)

With all the razzle-dazzle tips and tricks for Photoshop these days, sometimes the basics are forgotten.

In a recent workshop I was called aside during a break by one attendee having a problem isolating an image from the background. This is a common problem any time there's an antialiased image on a white background in a single layer document. The trouble comes in when you want to change that background to a color, black, or even another photo.

This Photoshopper discovered that a fringe of bad color will be left around the primary image at its edges. Using the Magic Wand is sometimes, but not always the answer.

Selective Color

One of Photoshop's most powerful tools is Selective Color. I use this quite a lot for all kinds of cheats, and tricks. It would do everyone good to play with this feature a bit to see its hidden powers.

In our problem above, the challenge is to divorce a complicated, multi-color subject from a white background. Optimally, it would have been best to create the file in layers to begin with, but that's not always an option.

If the background is a uniform color (like white) you could use Selective Color to select everything white, then simply invert the selection (to grab the graphic), and move it to a layer. If you play with the range of colors selected and add in the lower three levels of white/gray, you may have the solution. (Note the "fuzziness" setting.)

This could also have it's penalties since there will most likely be some of the white/grays contained in the actual image. Not good.

Magic Wand

Next opportunity is simply making the magic wand selection, then (under the Select menu) experiment with the "Matting - Defringe" commands. Sometimes this will work on more simple images, but usually you'll disturb the edges too much to do a good job. You'll discover that the haze just won't go away without taking some of the image along with it.

An extended solution...

First you need to turn your image into a layer. Make a copy of your image and place it in a new layer under the original. Now create a third layer and color it to the desired background color. Move this (third) layer to the bottom of all other layers in the Layers Palette. Do this by simply dragging the layer icon to the desired slot in the Layers Palette)

At this point hide your original image. (Click the eye icons in your layers palette.) Double clicking the copy of your image will bring up the Composite options dialog. Adjust the top slider toward the left and carefully watch the white background begin to disappear.

While you're there, take a few moments and experiment with the various features of this palette. It's a powerful one.

Merge the background color with your copy of the original background. Now you ask "what about the original image?"

I included this step as a good measure of insurance*. If there are areas within your image that were filtered out you can now select those areas from your original image, and paste them into your new image.

You could also use the Rubber Stamp tool to "clone" areas from the original layer back into the newly created one. You do this by opening a new window and making your (Option/Click) clonning selection. Remember, the Rubber Stamp tool works across windows, right? Experiment with different brush settings for the feather and opacity you desire in the clonning tool.

Another good reason to save the original is for making visual comparisons. By putting it on the top (layer) you can quickly toggle it on and off to compare with the new image. When you are satisfied toss the original, merge the layers and...
go get'em, Tiger!

*Remember:"The mark of a true craftsman is not so much in the craft, but in the ability to correct or hide your mistakes!"

*** There is another letter regarding this tip in the "Letters@" department

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