removing non-essential background in PS

[csonni]

I need some quick help here.  I can't seem to find the right tools, etc. to do this.  I scanned an image and can't figure out how to get rid of the white background so that the circular image will only show.  I scanned an image that is round (mostly).  How do remove the square background (the marquee in scanning requires you to crop the image in scanning which gives me a square background, which is what I want to delete).

[Paddy]

Csonni, first change your image from background to a layer (double click on the lock on the layers palette) - you can't move bits of the background. You can name it if you wish, or just leave it as "Layer 0". Then use the marquee tools (click on the drop down menu and select elliptical), hold down the shift key to get a circle rather than an ellipse and select your image, then once it is selected, open a new photoshop file and using the Move tool, drag it into the new document. With the new document, make sure that your background is set to transparent. Then use the Trim command to get rid of any unnecessary background. There may be another way of doing this (like removing everything around the marquee selection) but this works and it's pretty fast. I don't pretend to be a PS expert - I muddle through, learning as I go!

[csonni]

Paddy, I can't seem to get a "circle" tool other than the ellipse.  When i select the logo and drag it over, there is no logo showing.  My logo is mostly a circle, yet with extra sticking out of the bottom.  I think I need a bit more to go on.  Such a newbie!

[Xairbusdriver]

By saying you want to 'remove the background', I'm assuming you want to have a transparent background. If the current background is pretty much a solid color (black or white, whatever the lid of your scanner is), then the easiest way may just be to use the "magic wand" tool. Click it anywhere on the 'background' of the layer and it should become 'selected' (with the marching ants). Now just tap the 'delete' key lightly (if you hit it too hard the keyboard may complain!) and the 'background should disappear. If, instead, it bacomes another color, it may be that you have not converted the image into 'RGB'. Back up one step, make the conversion and see if that works.

Be aware, also, that there will always be a background unless you save the image as a GIF, PNG-32(?), PSD, or maybe TIFF. If displaying on the web, GIF may be the easiest, but PNG will work when supported by the browser. If you are importing the image into a page layout program, it might be better to use a TIFF (with at least 150dpi resolution).

Of course, I don't have any experience with the 'real' PS, but the above works great in Elements!

BTW, to make the elipse a cirle (or the rectangle stay a square) try holding the shift key while dragging the mouse.

Jim C.

[Paddy]

Csonni, read the steps I laid out carefully - you're getting an ellipse because you're not holding the shift key down, and I assume that you're not getting the logo to drag over because you haven't changed the layer from "background" to an actual layer. Make sure that the layers palette is visible - you'll see a little lock symbol beside your image layer (which will be called background) - double click on the lock and you'll get a dialogue box that will ask you if you want to name the layer etc. (You can simply leave it as "Layer 0") Then do your selection - and you should be able to move it.

Or you could try Jim's alternative, which may not give you a very clean edge (there are lots of ways around that too, but don't know all the settings to tell you how to do it quickly).

As for image type - always work in a non-lossy format, such as Photoshop, or TIFF and THEN save it to whatever you want. TIFF for print, JPEG for photo online, GIF for artwork with solid color masses online. (Don't use GIF for photo's - you won't be happy with the results!)

Hope that helps - if not, tell us where you're getting stuck!

[csonni]

Sorry Paddy, but holding down the shift key does nothing for me.  All I can do is either right click on the marquee menu or ctrl-click.  Either way, all I get is rectangular, elliptical, single row or single column.  I'll now try going from background to layer.

[Scott]

Csonni... grap the eliptical marquee... then as you draw the elipse... hold shift down and it will create a perfect circle. That's what Paddy is referring to.

Sincce yor'e new at this...follows paddy's instructions to unlock the background layer then..... it might be easier to simply hit "q" on the keyboard, grab a brush and paint (it'll be red) away everything you DON'T want. When it's all painted, hit "q" again. Then hit the delete key. It's not the optimum way of working but it's generally more intuative for inexperienced users.

[csonni]

Great!  Looks like holding the shift key while dragging the mouse to select did it.  I guess that's what you meant, Paddy.  I thought you meant while selecting the tool itself.  I followed the rest but the white background still shows up when importing the image over top of the other image.  Maybe there's a better way of getting the logo in rather than "Import- PICT Resource"?

[csonni]

Finally got it working. Even embossed the logo which looks real nice. It jumps out at you. I got the logo into my image by simple dragging. Now I need to know how to resize it. I saved the file as a .psd, and also did a "save as" into a .jpg for my presentation (my program won't recognize .psd files). So, how might I resize the logo which I dragged into place.

[csonni]

One other thing I forgot to inquire about.  How does one remove an image after dragging it onto another image, such as my logo?  How do you go about selecting the logo in order to delete?

[Scott]

If the logo layer has no background and you want to make a selection of it's shape, simply hold down the command key and click the layer in the layers palette.

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

...How does one remove an image after dragging it onto another image, such as my logo?  How do you go about selecting the logo in order to delete?

Do you have the Layers window open? Is it tall enough to see that these is more than one layer? At least, in PE, when one drags or pastes an image, it automaigcally creates another layer to place it in. So, to remove that image, all you have to do is drag that layer into the little trash can or just press "Delete". Of course, dragging it to the trash will require that you actuall select that layer. You must also select it before pressing Delete. To select the layer, just click it in the Layers list.

As for re-sizing, it should probably be done before transferring to the other image. However, enlerging may not make you happy, as it may create a less than smooth image. You can also select the image with the Direct Selection tool and then scale it or drag the 'handles'.

Hope that helps.