Making Background Only (in a B/W Logo) Transparent in Photoshop 4.0 1

[know22]

Hi all..help
I have a scanned logo in tif format(black background, white letters) in photoshop 4.0 and want to make the background transparent, then save the new image, then Place it into a Pagemaker 6.5 file. I cant figure out how to do it.
I think it involves the making the image RGB, then using the Magic Wand to outline the logo, but after that I'm lost.
I guess I'm a hair above beginner so please try to keep your explanations in laymans terms. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[gollyg]

When you say you need to make the background transparent, does that mean that it is going to sit over the top of another element in pagemaker, or are you just trying to get rid of the black background? If you simply need the background a different color then it is far more simple!

I'm not sure about pagemaker but I think that for transparency it probably requires the use of a clipping path (even though TIFF supports transparency). This will have major implications for how you create the transparency. I'll check it out.;-)

 

[papajoe]

I'd Also like to get in on the solution for isolating a photo (say a face) from background and then insert my own background (Please). you mentioned the wand? I'm having some difficulty with the wand. Photoshop 5.0 LE And, I also have Pagemaker 6.5. Papajoe32@aol.com

 

[jaybirdxkj]

Hey papajoe, I have just the thing for your face proposition... Go to this page and it will explain about using paths and the pen tool to super-impose layers onto different images:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Way/9571/tip1.html

Check out the rest of the website for some really great tips and tricks with photoshop.
Hope this helps you out!

 

[papajoe]

Thanks jaybirdxkj: these are excellent tips for me to incorporate into my newsletters. I have printed out those that apply and will definitely be giving them a try in the near future. Again, thanks for sharing your skills. Joe Coppinger/Perris CA <PapaJoe32@aol.com>

 

[papajoe]

jaybirdxkj

I have Photoshop 5.0--and your solution at

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Way/9571/tip1.html

is with 5.5 Any other suggestions on how to do this with 5.0?

Papajoe32@aol.com

 

[zefir]

Gollyg: PageMaker doesn´t support (identify) transparent
pixels (not in TIF, not in GIF).
Transparency is indeed expected by clipping paths.
This works for TIF and EPS. ----Gernot

 

[papajoe]

Zephir:

Thanks. Once a photo is changed (e.g., background color or format) It can then be saved in TIF format and imported into Pagemaker 6.5... Even Photoshop 1.0 will perform the basic pen tool to crop out the main photo and superimpose it onto a new background. However, to touch up the borders of the origianl photo you need to go to Adobe Photoshop. It seems this feature should be avaiable on Photoshop 5.0 as well.

PapaJoe32@aol.com

 

[zefir]

Papajoe: referred to the original question:
&quot;transparent background&quot; for placing in PageMaker:
I am not able to describe the creation of a clipping paths in English.
Once the clipping path is created, and the transparency is defined
inside or outside (something like &quot;invert selection&quot, the image
can be exported by Help/Export for Transparency as an EPS.
The import in PM requires (that´s funny) a small rotation of
0.01°, otherwise the background is not shown transparent.
(this is a slope of 0.17 pixels for 1000 pixels width, not disturbing) .
I know, this is not a precise answer, but I have tested this workflow
today once again - the only reliable one. --Gernot

 

[papajoe]

Gernot...

I'm sorry--I meant to write &quot;photo deluxe 1.0&quot; and not photoshop 1.0. I've already used the pen feature to outline bust of a recently departed fraternal brother--and then I placed in over a clouded background. However, it still need some touching up that could not be effected via photo deluxe...So, I saved in to a TIF file and then imported it into Photoshop 5.0 and used the smudge tollo to blend clouded background around bust. It came out really great. I then imported it into Pagemaker newlsetter--along with obituary text. I also changed the preference code to 300 dpi and 85 lines per inch. It printed via my HP 3200 Postscript Laser perfectly.
I was wondering why 5.0 doesn't have this pen feature for croping and pasting over a different background? I downloaded the Photoshop 6.0 Trial Propgram--almost 50 MB. However, it won't let you copy or save any of your work--so I deleted 6.0--why keep such a large file that prohibits one from getting full use?

Thanks.

Joe Coppinger/Perris CA