Selection problem (PSE 4)

[swalkr]

I have a photo of a front porch with a door that has a window. I have selected the door and put it on its own layer. Now I want to get rid of what is in the window and make it transparent behind the window, so I can change the way the door looks like, and add a textured background behind the door that shows through the window on the door. I'm not sure how to delete what is in the window (actually a window pane) and make it transparent, just as the rest of the background is on the new layer. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

[GaryK]

Hi

Maybe I am missing something here. :confused:

Can you select just the window or panes and delete the selected portions?

[swalkr]

When I select the door and put it on its own layer (the background is transparent), the window with the pane still shows up as a window with a pane. I want the window blank, or to put it another way, the transparency showing through the window. I tried using the eraser on the window pane, and although the transparency does show through, it gives it rough edges. That would work if the window were round, but it is perfectly square. After I put the door on its own layer, I tried selecting the window pane, then doing backspace, but then it is white, not transparent. I want that area transparent just as the area around the door is transparent. The goal is to put a textured background behind the door and the window also. Hope I am making this a little more clear.

[Cmcburnett]

Did you try selecting the window using the retangular marquee tool and then erasing. The marquee tool usually makes a smooth selection.

[GaryK]

Hi

I don't quite get why it is white. There has to be a white background behind it. If you have erased the the pane then whatever is behind (layer below) will show through.:)

[Wendy]

Hi ...

Just go into the layers palette and see if you have a background layer ... if so double click on it (to rename the layer).

Once you have done that then erasing will give you a transparent area :)

Do let us know if that works OK ...

Wendy

[swalkr]

Hi ...

Once you have done that then erasing will give you a transparent area :)

Do let us know if that works OK ...

Wendy

The eraser tool works great, and gives me a transparent background, but the eraser is round, and the window is square, so it leaves "stuff" there after erasing it. When selecting the window, then hitting the backspace key, that area of the windowpane turns white, not transparent. I have a workaround - which is making the image very large, use the eraser CAREFULLY, and this works good. I just thought there would be an easier way (silly me!) Thanks for all your help. Maybe I'll stumble across an easier way in the future. For right now, this works.

[Wendy]

Hi ...

As long as you are not working on a background layer then you should be able to use any of the selection tools (like the lasso) ... select the area and then do Edit>Delete.

Try that and see if it works OK :)

Wendy

[Daviskw]

Hi there

I'm not sure what you are trying to do.

Do you want to replace the window...or just make it semi transparent and keep some of the window?

If you want to make the window semi transparent as in the example below then the following may work for you.

Make a selection of the windowpane or panes…. I used the polygonal lasso.

I then press Layer>New>Layer by Copy

This layer will be temporary to make a mask…. We will desaturate this layer by Enhance>Adjust color>Remove color…we now have a black and white cutout of the window panes. The last step is Filter>Adjustments>Invert. Your layer should look something like below.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Y5GOSJCfcB1Hc6mmHy70vMolXWzs0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Y5GOSJCfcB1Hc6mmHy70vMolXWzs0)

Click back on the background layer and press Layer>Duplicate Layer…then OK

Click back on the background layer again then press Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels… then OK

Make no adjustment just click OK again

Now click on the background copy layer and press Layer>Group with previous… we have now hijacked the levels mask and will use it to make the windowpane semi transparent.

Click back on the top temporary cutout layer… hold the Ctrl Key (PC) Command (Mac) and click on the layer again… this will load the selection around the cutout… press Edit>Copy…. Leave the selection active

Click on the mask of the levels layer... the white box to the right… then hold the Alt key (PC) Option (Mac) and click on the mask again… the screen will go white but the selection will still be active… now Edit>Paste… the cutout panes will be pasted into the mask… now click back on the top cutout layer…. We can now delete this temp layer or turn visibility off. Your background copy and levels layer should look something like below.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1qz96aeMSGv8GjHd9Qe518c9XXe22_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1qz96aeMSGv8GjHd9Qe518c9XXe22)

It looks like nothing has changed BUT… any layer inserted just below the levels layer will show thru the mask… check out the layer pallet in my posted example. Yours should look like mine to work properly. I inserted a covered bridge picture just below the levels layer.

You can adjust the opacity of the panes by clicking on the LEVELS MASK and Enhance>Adjust Lighting>Levels... now slide the center slider watching your picture to get just the right amount of transparency.

I know this is a complicated procedure…maybe a little much if you are a beginner… I thought of this ¾ of the way thru but thought I’d go ahead and post … it will still be fun to experiment with and learn new procedures.

This is a great technique to learn and use anytime you need a semi transparent area of your picture. As another good example. I used this technique to let color show thru the veil in the second example below.

Butch

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1vYwKVMhS1Wmk53XOUgJLI8TlaGloU1_thumb.gif (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1vYwKVMhS1Wmk53XOUgJLI8TlaGloU1)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1wpwgBlowjJ4TNLO76Cn0ToniDu33P_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1wpwgBlowjJ4TNLO76Cn0ToniDu33P)