How to separate text from the background

[hawkeye]

From the channels palette duplicate the channel with the most contrast, in this case red. Adjust the levels to make it black and white. Ctrl+click the channel to make a selection.

 

[John Smith]

Thank you for telling me what to do.

Once I have the copy of the red channel selected (CTRL + click on the channel) what should I do to erase the background? Please, give me the details.


Thanks,
JS

 

[hawkeye]

You can do anything with the selection you wish, erase the background, invert it then make a new layer and fill, etc.

 

[John Smith]

By holding CTRL key and clicking on the channel I am actually selecting the white areas in my channel representation of the picture. These white areas are the background in fact. Once the background is selected I choose Edit -> Cut from the main menu.

 

[Hoogle]

or just press delete if you want to just select the text go to menu bar choose >select>inverse then it will be the text you have selected not the background

 

[John Smith]

Well, the problem is I cannot neither delete nor select inverse in the RGB channel as long as the alpha channel is present. I have to delete the alpha channel first than I can do whatever I want with my selection. Isn't that strange?

Sincerely yours,
John Smith