|
This tutorial demonstrates how to extract an element from a single coloured (or uncluttered) background using the Magic Wand Tool. To work along exactly, you are welcome to download the Start Image Here. Unzip the file and open it onto Elements’ workspace ready to utilise.
Note
The background of my image is solid white; however, this tutorial is suitable for any single coloured, or uncluttered background.
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
1/
Open your Start Image onto Elements’ workspace; File then Open: Ctrl then O.
Tip
Centralise your photograph by snapping it to the top menu’s orange horizontal line.
2/
Now, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose New then choose Layer from Background. Reply OK to the New Layer dialogue box, then click OK. This unlocks the Layer, (removes the padlock), changing its name from Background to Layer 0.
3/
Enlarge your image, by, from the top menu, choosing View then choosing Zoom In.
4/
Then from the left-side Toolbar, activate the Magic Wand Tool.
And set the following New Selection, Tolerance of 20, Contiguous and Anti-alias attributes into its Options Bar.
Then left-click once outside the object, as illustrated below.
Both the dragonfly and the outer border will now be surrounded by a Selection Marquee.
Note
Your object needs to be completely surrounded (isolated) with a Selection Marquee; therefore, when working with the dragonfly image, one click is enough to isolate it. However, when isolating less straightforward elements - for example, the following windmill, you need to change the Magic Wand Tool’s Mode from New Selection to Add to Selection. You do this by clicking to activate the following Add to Selection Mode.
Now repeatedly left-click over each (sky) segment to isolate all of them with a Selection Marquee.
Tutorial Continued
After the dragonfly (or your object), has been fully isolated with a Selection Marquee, you are ready for the next step.
5/
It is time to shrink the Selection Marquee, so it fits tightly against the dragonfly: therefore, from the top menu, choose Select then choose Modify then choose Expand. From the Expand Selection dialogue box, type 1 (Pixel) into the Expand By menu, then click OK.
6/
To smooth the Selection Marquee, from the top menu, choose Select then choose Modify then choose Smooth. From the subsequent Smooth Selection dialogue box, enter a Sample Radius of 1 Pixel, then click OK.
Feather Selection Optional Tip
To further smooth the your object’s edges: from the top menu, choose Select then choose Feather. From the subsequent Feather Selection dialogue box, enter a Feather Radius of approximately 1 or 2 Pixels, (or select a Radius that is suitable for your object), then click OK.
7/
After you have Expanded, Feathered and Smoothed the Selection Marquee: from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Delete. Alternatively, tap your Keyboard’s Delete Key. This deletes the dragonfly’s background, revealing the underlying Chessboard Background Transparency - as illustrated below.
8/ Remove The Selection Marquee
From the top menu, choose Select then choose Deselect: Ctrl then D.
9/
Congratulations, you have extracted your object from its background. Now, to discover whether you have produced a clean extraction, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose New Fill Layer then choose Solid Colour. Accepting its default settings, click OK to the subsequent New Layer dialogue box - Create A Fill Layer Tutorial Here.
Now, from the Pick a solid colour dialogue box, change the (fill) colour to a solid colour that contrasts with the original white background by left-clicking over a colour: (in this instance, I am choosing Solid Black), then click OK.
Your canvas will then be filled with your selected colour.
10/
Now, from the Layers Palette, left-click over the Dragonfly Image’s Layer, and drag it above the Colour Fill 1 Layer. Then ensure the Dragonfly’s Layer remains active - as illustrated below.
11/
Hopefully, your dragonfly’s edges will be clean, and devoid of a white halo.
12/
However, should the Magic Wand have missed areas, as illustrated below.
13/
Reactivate the Magic Wand Tool, and left-click inside the white area, or areas, to surround them with a Selection Marquee.
14/
Then press the Delete Key - Edit then Delete.
15/
And press Ctrl then D to remove the Selection Marquee.
16/
Your dragonfly should now have clean edges, and you are ready for the next step.
17/
From the Layers Palette, right-click the Colour Fill 1 Layer, and choose Delete Layer from the subsequent drop-down menu.
Congratulations, your extracted object should now have a clean edge. To return your image to its original size, from the top menu, choose View then choose Zoom out.
Transparent Gif
If you prefer, you can save your extracted object as a Transparent Gif. However, bear in mind, saving your work as a Gif may degrade the overall effect. This is because (although both saving options compress images to reduce their file size), Gifs are saved with a maximum of 156 colours; whereas Jpegs are saved with a maximum of 16 million colours.
 
Understand Colour Models
Optimise And Save Images
18/ Create A Fill Layer
Link Here to learn how to fill the Transparent Chessboard Background with either a Solid Colour, Pattern or Gradient of your choice.
19/
Alternatively, open a second image of your choice onto Elements’ workspace, then activate the Move Tool.
Then left-click and drag the Transparent Dragonfly onto your second image, as demonstrated in Chapter 3 my tutorial here.
20/
Congratulations, your extracted object is ready to incorporate into your artwork.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
|
|
