PS7 techniques for isolating subject from background

[rudolf hucker]

Hi guys, I'm a newby here who doesn't pretend to do technical. Does anyone have any easy to follow /quick & effective methods for isolating the main subject matter from the backgrounds, please?

Thanks in anticipation

Rudolf

 

[Garry79]

I think you'll find that 'quick' and 'effective' are mutually exclusive terms when it comes to this!

For quick try using the extract function (is this in PS7? I can't remember) or magic wand if there's enough of a difference between subject and b/g.

For effective try mastering the Pen tool for making selections.

There are also loads of 3rd party plugins that try to make extracting (or masking) easier. Fluid Mask being one of the better ones.

 

[Notts_Dave]

I have a problem with this in paintshop too....using the pen tool, i get part way round and either run out of mouse mat or need to release the mouse button for some reason and end up starting again if you follow me.

So can i select it in parts and add them together to form the selection. Am i making sense?

(Sorry to butt into your thread by the way)

 

[Gerods]

Try the magnetic lasso tool, I find this very easy.

 

[rudolf hucker]

Thanks guys, & Gary, you've summed the problem up in a nutshell. I've seen loads of suggested solutions but they are invariably both complicated & time consuming - to the point that using them on anything approaching a commercial basis would not only take the fun element out of it but render the whole process non-viable. Hence the need for something both quick & effective, which beginning to sound like utopia.

 

[Ugs]

I have a problem with this in paintshop too....using the pen tool, i get part way round and either run out of mouse mat or need to release the mouse button for some reason and end up starting again if you follow me.

So can i select it in parts and add them together to form the selection. Am i making sense?

(Sorry to butt into your thread by the way)

Thats because you are using the "Freeform" pen tool. Just use the "Pen Tool" and there is no need to keep the mouse button pressed in. You just click to make and join up anchor points and can also change the curvature of the resulting lines. See the "Help" in Photoshop for more details.

 

[Garry79]

I have a problem with this in paintshop too....using the pen tool, i get part way round and either run out of mouse mat or need to release the mouse button for some reason and end up starting again if you follow me.

So can i select it in parts and add them together to form the selection. Am i making sense?

(Sorry to butt into your thread by the way)

You can usually press the space bar to get the 'hand' tool for panning.