Removing a bad background

[zoobie]

I'm stuck rotoscoping a 15 second video clip and was wondering if there were any tips that could save me a bunch of work. I've uploaded a sample pic of what I'm working with. Right now, I'm promoting the image to a layer and using the magic wand to remove the background in a .png format. I thought I'd check in to see if there was a better method. How would you remove this cruddy background efficiently?

[LeviFiction]

What version of PSP are you using? The latest versions include specialized selection tools and an "Object Extractor" command which lets you select the area you want to keep and it'll remove everything else. So to best advise you we need to know which version you have.

[zoobie]

Like my sig says, I'm using a rather old 7.02
I'm getting better results by feathering the magic wand.

[Jean-Luc]

I'm stuck rotoscoping a 15 second video clip and was wondering if there were any tips that could save me a bunch of work. I've uploaded a sample pic of what I'm working with. Right now, I'm promoting the image to a layer and using the magic wand to remove the background in a .png format. I thought I'd check in to see if there was a better method. How would you remove this cruddy background efficiently?

tub.png

Don't remember if the Background eraser tool existed in PSP 7.
If yes, you could try it...
Jean-Luc

[zoobie]

How would it work if I updated to a more recent version?
Thanks

[JoeB]

How would it work if I updated to a more recent version?
Thanks

There are various tools in new versions of PSP that can be used to remove backgrounds from objects in an image, and which one to use depends upon how much detail and contrast there is in both the object to be retained and the background to be removed. This link provides a YouTube tutorial on one way to remove a detailed background from a fairly contrasty foreground object. It's for Corel's Paintshop Pro X6 but would apply equally to the latest X7 which is the version I use. For the type of work you seem to be doing I would suggest that a much newer version than the one you're using would provide you with many more tools appropriate to those types of projects. JMHO, of course.

EDIT: Thought I should add that I'm not connected with Corel and, in fact, until I recently updated to X7 I have been using Jasc's PSP9, which I still have installed on my computer. But I didn't find it difficult to move to X7 for my work and am, surprisingly (given what I thought of the first Corel efforts with Paintshop Pro) quite pleased with the move. I wasn't sure PSP9 would still work once Windows 10 becomes the norm, which is why I took the plunge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nap10h2INNY

[hartpaul]

And why not install a trial version of PSP X7 and test it out and see if you can manage it.
You can still keep your PSP7 running and use it for the work you are familiar with. Then as you become familiar with X7 you should find yourself going to it more and more. You will probably still use PSP7 for some of the older commands that have changed or been removed.
Get the best of both worlds.

[Jean-Luc]

How would it work if I updated to a more recent version?
Thanks

Background Eraser tool :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Si_yWqDyOc

Object Extractor :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQAAvWslcXg

Jean-Luc