A question about background removal

[Mark Swanson]

Ok, Thanks for looking in. I am learning how to cut objects out of a photo, and removing a background. I know of a couple different ways to do it, and I am interested in learning the best way....I found a video that helps a whole lot, and shows a very good way to cut and select the object. But, at the end of the video there is a step or two missing, and I can't figure it out! It doesn't help that the video was made with version X2 of PSP... here it is. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzBsaCCU ... 8CDA469D31[/youtube]
I seem to stall after the "select vector object" step at the end. I can delete the background but the object never shows up...it just is not clear. Does anyone understand this?

[LeviFiction]

Let me start off with, there is no "best" way. Different options will always work better with certain photos over others. X6 introduced two new selection tools that may or may not do well. There are some professionals that actually use the image itself to create specialized masks. So there are a lot of options, and depending on the photo and the object you're selecting one may do better than another.

The video definitely has a number of cut out areas but they don't show anything too important.

Once you have the vector and you've turned on the fill. Select the vector with the pick tool. Go to the selection menu and choose "Select from Vector Object" This will create a selection in the shape of your object.

Go ahead and hide the vector layer, then select the photo layer.

With the photo layer selected invert the selection. Selections -> Invert

This selects the background. Hit the "Delete" key or cut the background away.

Then go Selections -> None to deselect everything.

[hartpaul]

Hi Mark,
What version of PSP are you using. From PSPX3 onwards there is a very useful part of PSP called the Object Extractor. it is under Image > Object Extractor
You just have to roughly outline the part you want to keep in green , then fill in red and process.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQAAvWslcXg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBWa6PuHCt4

The vector method with the pen tool is very precise but time consuming. If you are going to step around the kept object with the pen tool, you would be just as well to use the point to point Selection tool which is part of the Freehand Selection tools (associated with the magic wand group).

Another way would be to use a rough selection and mask then make adjustments to the mask.
or Edit mask as shown in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxdQK_lkaiQ

Still another way is to use the background eraser tool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV4v3zqF01A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT0l3T009IU

So there are plenty of ways and videos , just choose the one that you can deal with the voice over.

[Mark Swanson]

Thanks friends...I am using PSPX6, I am pretty new to it yet.
It'll take me a bit to test out all these suggestions, thanks! I'll get back here in a few days or so. This really helps me.