Extracting an object

[preyssler]

Hi,

I need to extract an object form a pictures. Any recommendation on how to proceed?

Thank you!

TCP

[Wendy]

There are quite a few ways to do this .. one of them is:

Select the lasso tool, go to the top of the screen and set it to "add to" ... hover over the boxes and you will see the options.
Zoom in on your image (use the zoom tool) then use the lasso to draw the outline .... that will select it.
Anytime you want to stop just join up to where you started then when you are ready you can start again and add more to your selection.
Once you have select the whole of the object do Edit>Copy then Edit>Paste.
You will now have a copy of your object on a separate layer ....


Wendy

[Wendy]

I have just had a thought ... when you said "extract an object" do you mean remove it from the image and cover up where it used to be. So that it isn't in the image anymore ....

If that is what you are trying to do then it really depends how big it is and what sort of background it is on. You could use the clone tool and clone something else over it ... or bring in something in from another image to cover it ...


Wendy

[preyssler]

Hi Wendy,

Thank you for the feedback.

I try the lasso technic but it doen't completely answer my need. In photoshop CS, the filter menu has an option named"extract". The contour of an object is painted and then a tool extract the object from the rest of the picture.

To give you an exmaple, I try to extract a plane from the sky that surround it, then compose an image with this plane.

Hope this give you a better idea of what I'm trying to do.

Regards
--
TCP

[Wendy]

I know about the Extract tool and how it works but I'm afraid that it isn't available in Elements ... so you will need to use another method of selection. As long as you have the options set to "add to" you will be able to use more than one of the tools to add to your selection:

It you are having difficilty with the lasso ... try the other lasso options. Some other selection tools you can use are Magic Wand, Selection Brush.

Try starting off with the Magic Wand then refining your selection with the Selection Brush.


Wendy