Extraction - Best Way to do?

[nkeevers]

Help, I searched about this on this site but couldn't find anything.

I'm trying to extract Jodie from the background. I've used various methods and can't find one that will do a great job. Any suggestions on what will work better? I've used the magic want, the lasso tools, the magic extractor, a mask. I can't seem to get it right. Any suggestions?

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1tvtY75EFx7d9fndEZt35dSwzv3v0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1tvtY75EFx7d9fndEZt35dSwzv3v0)

[billd2]

Norma, This is a good subject for the magic wand. Set the tolerance about 20 and hold down the shift key and click on the background. When the selection is made just click on delete. Keep doing this until you get the wanted results. Lower the tolerance to about 10 when you get to the areas around the hair and repeat the above. Use the eraser tool to clean up a few areas and click control J to put the selection on it's own layer. As usual duplicate the original before beginning. It only took me 3 or 4 minutes and I had a good result. Have fun....Bill

[Tina_B]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Ns48aScEJcOCNzvlrF9c46XV2r0u1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Ns48aScEJcOCNzvlrF9c46XV2r0u1)
Is this what you want to do? I used the Essentials for Photoshop elements cut it out tool. I didn't take much time with it and it could be cleaned up a bit.
Tina B

[nkeevers]

Thanks Bill!!

Tina, what is the Essentials for PS?

[Juergen D]

This was done with a combination of the Magic Wand and the Selection Brush. It did take more than a few minutes, though... :)

Juergen

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1GCDZN9EeNnnkgqUANyuGzR1NEjHWC1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1GCDZN9EeNnnkgqUANyuGzR1NEjHWC1)

[Tina_B]

Thanks Bill!!

Tina, what is the Essentials for PS?
It is a program that I got for Christmas from my kids. It has make it better, cut it out, Frame it ,and make it bigger. It is by OnOne if you google the name you can find it and the web site will show you how it all works.
The cut it out part is pretty neat for getting close to hair and leaves and trees etc. You can save the colors you want to keep and list the colors you need to get rid of and then just move a brush around the edges to remove what you don't want. If you remove to much you switch brushes and add back in what you need. I have been playing with it since Christmas and am finally getting the hang of it. I don't know how much it sells for and I think the kids got it from Amazon.com

[Tina_B]

http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=11
Norma
go here and look to the left on the page and there is a place to see how it works click on that and there is video tutorial there.
Tina B

[nkeevers]

Thanks Tina! I'll check it out.

Juergen....awww, she looks so cute and you did great! And I agree...it does take a while!

[msbrad]

She looks sooo cute!!! Does she miss me?
Great work on the extractions everyone.
m

[nkeevers]

Mich, yeah, she asks about her and wonders when you are coming over again...woof, woof!

[Lesa]

I'd try using the Magic Extractor on anything that has hair. Between the cleanup tools and the defringe option, I usually get very good results.

Though admittedly, I will duplicate the original layer first, and then create a selection of the extracted layer which I then plug into a blank Levels adjustment layer's mask. Last step is to group the adjustment layer with the original layer so I can cleanup the mask in case the Extractor missed anything.