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Cutting from an image without sharp edges

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mondeoman

MIS
Dec 7, 2006
203
GB
Sorry if this is not the technical term. I want to cut the picture of someone from a general picture (see url as an example) so I can place the individual in a better surrounding. However, when I use the lasso or freehand tool for selection and then cut the selection the result is very sharp edges. Is there a better way of cutting and tranposing parts of an image please.
 
What you need to do is "feather" the selection. Select the bit of the image you want using the usual tools, then go to Selections/Modify in the menu (it's someting like that - I don't have a copy of PSP to hand right now) and pick "Feather Selection". Set it to a few pixels and it will blur the edges of the selection, giving a better result when you paste it elsewhere.

Be aware that feathering only really works well when copying between similar backgrounds - if you're cutting somebody out of a light background and pasting them onto a dark one, you can get a halo effect around them.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd
 
Thanks for that Chris. I have indeed tried feathering and as you rightly say this can lead to a feathering effect. I was rather hoping that there was a clear way to use masks where I could roughly surround the area to be cut and then get the package to make some assumptions like a magic wand. Alternatively I understand there is a way of doing this using layers.
 
The way I do it involves a bit more manual effort:

Step 1: Get the best selection around what I want with the tools available. Generally it's the lasso tool set to "smart edge", but it varies.

Step 2: Create a new layer, and use the paint bucket to flood-fill my selection on it with a colour not used in the picture - shocking pink or bright green for example.

Step 3: Dismiss the selection, and set the opacity of the new layer to 50% or so (you need to be able to see both the solid colour fill and the picture underneath)

Step 4: (The tedious bit) Zoom in on the picture and use the brush and eraser tools to fine-tune the selection. When you've finished, you'll have a solid colour area sitting exactly over what you want to cut out.

Step 5: Use the magic wand to select the solid colour block

Step 6: Switch layers to the one with the picture in it

Step 7: Feather the selection, if you need to

Step 8: Cut & paste the selection to wherever you need it.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd
 
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