Selection with irregular edges

[tony]

Hi,
I'm brand new to PhotoLine. Thanks OldRadioGuy for mentioning this software. I've searched the forum and help file but don't see an answer to my question.

I'm coming from having used PaintShop Pro for years but am shopping for an alternative. Many times I want to use the curves tool to adjust tones. For instance I may have a mountain range in the background and I want to isolate the mountains and adjust the curves. I tried the lasso and automatic lasso but it's hard getting the right edge around the tree tops in the foreground through which I can see the mountains. In searching reviewis of PhotoLine, I thought I saw that it had a tool for easily selecting objects? Another application is clipping a person from the rest of a picture an wanting to keep his/her hair but not the background that can be seen through gaps in the hair. Paintshop had an extractor tool which separated fore ground from background based on contrasting colours.

Thanks,
-Tony

[bkh]

I'm coming from having used PaintShop Pro for years but am shopping for an alternative. Many times I want to use the curves tool to adjust tones. For instance I may have a mountain range in the background and I want to isolate the mountains and adjust the curves. I tried the lasso and automatic lasso but it's hard getting the right edge around the tree tops in the foreground through which I can see the mountains. In searching reviewis of PhotoLine, I thought I saw that it had a tool for easily selecting objects? Another application is clipping a person from the rest of a picture an wanting to keep his/her hair but not the background that can be seen through gaps in the hair. Paintshop had an extractor tool which separated fore ground from background based on contrasting colours.

Welcome to PL and to to the forum!

I don't know Paintshop and its extraction tool well enough, but I guess it is something in the spirit of "roughly paint along the edges of your object, and I'll do the details for you"?

If so, then the bad news is that PL doesn't have such a feature (yet - but enough people already asked for it).

There are alternatives, though. You could use the Automask tool ("magic wand", circled green in the image below) to select your object - there are modifier keys to enlarge and shrink your selection, and you'll find useful controls in the Tool Settings palette as well. (It might be worth consulting the manual/online help: PL has so many options and features available via keyboard shortcuts that one cannot possibly discover them all in the UI. And/or ask the forum, of course!)
In order to see and use the mask you are creating, make sure that the mask settings in the toolbox (circled red) are correct:

Screen shot 2011-02-11 at 09.05.22 .png

Since you are new to PL, maybe it's helpful to know that in PL's lingo, a "mask" is basically the area in an image which you have selected (but a layer mask is something completely different!), while "selection" is the part of the image in that area, and the lasso is the line around it (for soft edges, it is where the intensity is 50 %). A "layer mask" is something completely different …

Depending on how familiar you are with layers (not sure if Paintshop has adjustment layers at all), there are other methods available.

Cheers,

Burkhard.

[greenmorpher]

Hi Tony

The Topaz Remask plug-in might be the answer to your prayers. http://www.topazlabs.com/

It's $69.99 but it looks as though it can do an incredible job. I actually lust after it because I used to do a fair bit of work where it would have been a godsend. However, I would be an idiot to buy Remask now because I don't do that work any longer.

Normally, I'm a bit chary about adding plug-ins -- I like to think a complete program should do everything an ordinary person wants to do, and extracting bits and pieces certainly something lots of people want to do -- but given the price of PhotoLine, it seems to me that it is fair that there are one or two very tricky things that it can't do and we have to lay down our money for a plug-in.

Best regards

Geoffrey Heard
Business writer, editor, publisher
The Worsley Press
Buy "Type & Layout: Are you communicating or just making pretty shapes?" -- the world's ONLY scientifically based guide to type and layout, and receive a free 140 page guide to advertising for small business: "How to make great ads for (small) business: 99 real world advertising ideas to kickstart *your* business today".
Amazon or http://www.worsleypress.com

[OldRadioGuy]

The Topaz Remask plug-in might be the answer to your prayers. http://www.topazlabs.com/

It's $69.99 but it looks as though it can do an incredible job.

Tony, Geoffrey is right about Topaz Remask. I bought it after testing. Right now it's priced at $49.99. http://www.topazlabs.com/remask/

The layer you use for applying Remask must have Transparency on. (Right click on the layer and select Properties)

Regarding the curves use you described, if curves are used accurately, often there's no reason to apply a selection first. Don't forget to try PL's Adjustment Layer Curve option. Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves. Experiment with blending by changing from Normal to one of the other blend modes.

Even though it's several years old, there's a good and concise explanation of the use of curves at http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototip ... urves.html.

And don't let the unconventional GUI of PhotoLine discourage you. Customize to suit your needs and customize the keyboard shortcuts. Edit>Options>Usage.

PhotoLine is one of the best software deals for the money I've seen. It's unfortunate it appears to be a well-kept secret here in the states.

Bob

[greenmorpher]

...about Topaz Remask. I bought it after testing. Right now it's priced at $49.99. http://www.topazlabs.com/remask/

OMG -- I sense a moment of bargain shopping madness coming on. Back, back, you temptress!!! That's getting towards the price level where I would buy it and /invent/ work for it!

Thanks for the heads up, Bob. Or not!

Warm regards

Geoffrey Heard
Business writer, editor, publisher
The Worsley Press
Buy "Type & Layout: Are you communicating or just making pretty shapes?" -- the world's ONLY scientifically based guide to type and layout, and receive a free 140 page guide to advertising for small business: "How to make great ads for (small) business: 99 real world advertising ideas to kickstart *your* business today". Amazon or http://www.worsleypress.com