Outline around an image

[apasskey]

Is there a way to do an automatic thin black outline around a selection such as a cartoon figure?

I drew a Panther figure and scanned it into my computer but the outline was not solid enough on the scan. It is to be a t-shirt design. I selected the outline of the panther with a combo of the magic wand and magnetic lasso and then put it on its own layer ( ctrl J).

I was hoping I could do that "stroke selection but I couldn't get it to work. I ended up printing it and outlining it by hand and then rescanning it, which worked for me but it sure would look better to have it done with tools in Elements!

Thanks - Anne

[Byron Gale]

Anne,

With the selected outline on its own layer, you should be able to CTRL-click that layer's thumbnail in the Layers palette to load the matching selection.

Then the Stroke selection should work.

Is this what you tried?

Byron

[apasskey]

I honestly don't remember exactly what I tried. I know I had marching ants around the selection - just where I wanted to make a thin black outline. The selection was on its own layer. I went to the edit menu and tried to do the stroke selection and it didn't do anything.

I'll try your suggestion tomorrow. Too tired tonight -

I'm a HS counselor in a gang-riddled neighborhood and one of our kids was murdered on Sunday ( 15 years old - shot 4 times in the face - it is so awful!). These these types of events really take it out of us counselors!! The forum really helps me relax. Everyone is so nice and the activities are such fun. Thanks!!!!

Well - on that pleasant note ( sorry about that!!), I am going to go to bed.

[Shari]

Anne, its wonderful that there are people like you to counsel and help the kids. It has to be hard but I hope you get lots of rewards too. I really hate what is happening with young kids these days. I know how a camera and this programme can take the stress away and give a feeling of accomplishment when a tutorial finally goes right. I tried the embossing tutorial on a Christmas card and it worked well.
Shari

[Daviskw]

You are a Saint Anne…It must be a frustrating, tough and under appreciated job.

I’m sure it has its rewards as well especially when you see one of your kids succeed.

I know I don’t have the patience or the strength of will for a job like that.

The world needs more like you.

Butch

[mom to 4]

Anne:

Oh My God, Anne, that is just terrible. It seems we have a generation of kids that are so angry.....it is terribly sad. I must say, I could NEVER do your job and am just grateful that there are people like you who do it. Keep your chin up!

[jo]

Anne, bless you for the things you do for those kids. I hear about some of the things teens do these days and wonder why. Fifty years ago we had "bad" kids, but I don't remember this much violence!

About the stroke selection -- when it doesn't work the way I want it to, it's usually because I have the wrong layer active, or because there's another layer above it that's hiding the stroke I just made.

[mom to 4]

You know, I had never thought about using the stroke to outline a FIGURE, I have always used it just to make and outline (rectangle or circle) outside a photo as an edge............the longer I am on the forum the more I am learning!!:)

[Pauline]

Anne you have a very difficult job. I guess the only thing that helps keep you sane is remembering the kids you do manage to save and unfortunatly they can't all be saved. It is so sad.

Sometimes when something isn't working I hit the ESC key. You might have something else selected and that's why it doesn't work. The odd time too, I've found there is a quirk and nothing is working and I close and reopen and I'm okay. Doesn't happen often but it does happen.