Photoshop: Quick way to remove a background in a jpeg?

[BrianDN]

Hey Guys... So, for the longest time I've been removing backgrounds in photoshop by using a combination of the paint bucket tool and eraser tool. But, this is really tedious and I've always meant to ask someone if there's a better way to do this.

I want to remove the background behind a model so that the edges around him look crisp and clean (such as on magazine covers). See the image I attached below (I want to isolate the model as they've done, with clean, crisp edges). Any suggestions?

Thanks guys :-)

[Lee]

Use the magic eraser set at 5% or something similar or, alternately, use the lasso feature

By far the best way, although the most time consuming is to use the extraction tool which, if memory serves me correctly is ALT+X or CTRL+X

Regards,

Lee

[Xstr8guy]

Hehe, I have a simple solution but it involves PaintShopPro 9.

Use the 'freehand selection' tool and set it to 'smart edge' and simply trace around the object. If you set 'feather' to a value of 2 (or so), the selection will allow a little faded background to show around the edges which is easy to remove with the 'eraser' tool. The smart edge will find and follow most edges pretty well. It also helps if you magnify the image quite large.

Once you're done cutting out the images, select the image with CTRL+C and paste to a new image by hitting CTRL+V.

Now use the eraser brush and clean up the edges. Set the tranparency and hardness to a low value and apply where necessary. And if the smart edge removed something it shouldn't have, just right click while using the eraser tool and the image is magically replaced.

Imo, PSP9 is miles ahead of Photshop in making fast, clean cut-outs. It's for this reason alone that Photoshop sits unused on my computer.

[BrianDN]

Cool... Thanks for the input, guys... I'll give those a try today. I don't have PaintShop Pro though. Is there a trial version or something that I get my hands on to try this?

BrianDN

[EonFilms_Rocky]

I use the magnetic lasso in photoshop and then clean up the edges with a 3pt or 5 pt eraser (depending on the amount of clean up that needs to be done.. typically when I am close to skin, I use the 3pt eraser). Then when I do hair, I use the smudge tool with a 14pt star tool and set at 85%. Then I just trace the outline of the hair and clean it up with the Healing Brush.

Rocky

[Xstr8guy]

I use the magnetic lasso in photoshop and then clean up the edges with a 3pt or 5 pt eraser (depending on the amount of clean up that needs to be done.. typically when I am close to skin, I use the 3pt eraser). Then when I do hair, I use the smudge tool with a 14pt star tool and set at 85%. Then I just trace the outline of the hair and clean it up with the Healing Brush.

Rocky

Is there a way to replace areas that were accidently erased with Photoshop? Is that the 'healing' brush?

[EonFilms_Rocky]

The healing brush takes one part of the picture and superimposes it on another part with varying degrees of opacity. I have erased entire people form pictures using the healing brush and nobody would ever know they were there to begin with.

:-)

Rocky

[Xstr8guy]

Ah, in PaintShopPro that's called the clone tool.

[GPallan]

Brian, i know the easiest way by far using photoshop. just icq me and i'll give you the details (icq 259907392)

Allan

[BrianDN]

I use the magnetic lasso in photoshop and then clean up the edges with a 3pt or 5 pt eraser (depending on the amount of clean up that needs to be done.. typically when I am close to skin, I use the 3pt eraser). Then when I do hair, I use the smudge tool with a 14pt star tool and set at 85%. Then I just trace the outline of the hair and clean it up with the Healing Brush.

Rocky

So, I ended up trying this method first and it worked out very well! Thanks BeachBoi...

[Northstar]

Brian, i know the easiest way by far using photoshop. just icq me and i'll give you the details (icq 259907392)

Allan

Please share your way with us all.