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Easy Background Removal


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Cry Caine

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Hello,

I've tried a bunch of different methods but outside of sitting there for hours with the eraser tool trying to get things precise (which never works the way you want it too) i've been completely unable to remove a background from an image without getting a halo. I've tried the quick selection tool..I get a halo. I tried the background eraser...still get a halo. Is it something i'm doing wrong or something i'm not doing? Any assistance on the subject, would be appreciated.
 
It really depends on the image, but I typically do cutouts using the Pen tool, since it allows me to be precise with my outlining while still giving me nice lines. It's hard to make suggestions without seeing the image first, but typically I would advise to try cutting out the background with the Pen tool.
 
Cry Caine,
Welcome to PS Gurus.
What version of PS are you using? Are you using Refine Edge on your selections?
 
ALB68 said:
Cry Caine,
Welcome to PS Gurus.
What version of PS are you using? Are you using Refine Edge on your selections?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome. I'm using CS4. I'm haven't used refine edge. I was just quick selecting the background and then deleting it. Every time it made a halo. I was told that if I used the "erase background tool" I wouldn't get that same effect, I tried it and the same thing happened. Also when I was making my selections when I would grab parts I didn't actually want selected, the "subtract from selection option" would leave a white trail where that part used to be selected after deletion. Like Katalicious said, it depends on the image because I don't have the same issue on every image i've tried this with, which is why I'm clueless as to why this is happening. I've never encountered this before, i've always been able to cut backgrounds out by simply using quick selection.
 
Making selections, as Kat said, is often best done with the pen tool, but you would have to learn it. Takes practice and patience but worth it. In the meantime, just about any image you use an automatic tool to select will give you a halo. Sometimes you're better off doing the subject. Still, the best way I know is as Larry said, using refine edge or refine mask. Edge is under Select>refine edge. For the layer mask, right click on the mask and choose refine mask. The first tool there is smart radius, but wait till you learn more about that to use it. Next is smoothing and I would recommend using that first, but not too much or you get feathery edges. Don't use feather unless you are specifically wanting it and that's unlikely in removing halos. Then go to the last option and change the edge -- invert the selection so you can see it against the removed BG and make sure that, up at the top, in view mode you choose black. Since you are changing the edge for the selection you can use a negative number.

Try this and see how it works for you. Then look up some pen tool tutorials and when you have time, give it a go.
 
Does CS4 have Refine Edge? Didn't that come on in CS5? I went from CS3 to CS6, so I don't know.
As Tom says, using Channel masking works well after you learn to use it and it doesn't work that well on everything. I have been using the Topaz (3rd party plugin) ReMask of late and the more I use it the better I like it. Topaz is kinda pricey, so try and learn in PS using the pen tool and the other tools. I also use the Quick Mask feature a good bit.
 
ibclare said:
Making selections, as Kat said, is often best done with the pen tool, but you would have to learn it. Takes practice and patience but worth it. In the meantime, just about any image you use an automatic tool to select will give you a halo. Sometimes you're better off doing the subject. Still, the best way I know is as Larry said, using refine edge or refine mask. Edge is under Select>refine edge. For the layer mask, right click on the mask and choose refine mask. The first tool there is smart radius, but wait till you learn more about that to use it. Next is smoothing and I would recommend using that first, but not too much or you get feathery edges. Don't use feather unless you are specifically wanting it and that's unlikely in removing halos. Then go to the last option and change the edge -- invert the selection so you can see it against the removed BG and make sure that, up at the top, in view mode you choose black. Since you are changing the edge for the selection you can use a negative number.

Try this and see how it works for you. Then look up some pen tool tutorials and when you have time, give it a go.
Click to expand...

I usually do use the pen tool. I'm kind of just test driving other options. I'm trying to learn photoshop inside in out. I went to school for Graphic design, the pen tool is the only way I was taught but It was never explained to me why you don't use quick selection or magic wand or background eraser. I guess this is why. I thought these methods would be easier. Anyway though, thanks for the suggestions. I will try using refine edge and see what happens.
 
Here's another THREAD discussing remnant or contaminated pixels (which is mistakenly called a halo).

Don't forget the Matting options under LAYER.

No matter what selection process you use, you should always use a layer mask! Then the mask can be tweaked.
 
But don't think that other selection methods than the pen tool should be written off. Quite interesting that the pen is what you were taught first. Over that hump! Anyway, I'll use the quick select fairly often for just that, quick select, when the BG is contrasty or the subject is geometric or simple shapes, and so forth. But you're right, it's rare that you don't have to zoom in and clean up or do a global refine on the selection.
 
ibclare said:
But don't think that other selection methods than the pen tool should be written off. Quite interesting that the pen is what you were taught first. Over that hump! Anyway, I'll use the quick select fairly often for just that, quick select, when the BG is contrasty or the subject is geometric or simple shapes, and so forth. But you're right, it's rare that you don't have to zoom in and clean up or do a global refine on the selection.
Click to expand...

I agree. So I'm going to try again with the magic wand again and then i'll let you guys know how it goes :cool2:
 
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