Irregular Halo

[margyparker]

Whoop! I have a perfect photo!!!!!!! Thank you kind sir!

 

[IamSam]

OK, there are ways to define the layer mask but for your problem, there's no need for that at the moment.

As I said before I made a selection of the black with the Quick selection Tool.


I then went to LAYER > LAYER MASK > REVEAL SELECTION
This added the selection to the layer mask.


My canvas looks like this....


It's at this point that You may have to make some minor adjustments to the mask with the Brush Tool.

Next I duplicated the layer with the layer mask.


Turn off the first layer masked layer. The one on the bottom!

Then right click on the layer mask of the second masked layer and choose "apply layer mask" from the menu.


You should now have this.


Now select the layer with the applied layer mask.

Go to LAYER > MATTING > DEFRINGE > Select 2 pixels and hit OK.

This should make fast work of the project and solve your BG remnant problem.

 

[margyparker]

Oh that's great! I was doing it differently and it was a bit of a long haul! I am finding that I can't use the clone tool in mask mode is this right? The defringeing doesn't seem to do anything? Also - so many questions - what does applying the layer mask do please?

 

[Jerry D]

I don't know what version of PS you're using, but once you have the clone tool selected
you should have a drop down box on the top tool bar. Your choises are " Current Layer--
Current & Below--All Layers" .If you're working on a mask, choose " Current & Below" to
sample from the layer below the mask.

"Apply Layer Mask" combines the mask and layer to one single layer.

 

[margyparker]

I have CC

 

[Jerry D]

I use CS6 but there shouldn't be much difference. You should have the drop down box on the tool bar somewhere.

Here is a clone stamp tool tutorial....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA1PcPPCsj0

 

[margyparker]

Found it - worked! You guys are amazing - thank you so much!

 

[margyparker]

Funny and informative video too - thank you.

 

[IamSam]

I am finding that I can't use the clone tool in mask mode is this right?

I'm glad Jerry helped you out with the Clone Stamp Tool. Although, I am curious as to what your using it for?

The defringeing doesn't seem to do anything?

The defringe would not work on the masked layer. If you use it on the layer that you have "applied the layer mask", it will work. Are you sure you are using the defringe on the right layer?

Also - so many questions - what does applying the layer mask do please?

A layer mask either hides content from the layer it's applied to or it will reveal the content of the layer it's applied to..........depending on the type of layer mask used.
In your case here, we used the layer mask to hide the layers black background.

Take a look at these videos:
Photoshop:Understanding Layer Masks

Masks: Editable Selection

Layer Masks

How to use layer masks in Phtoshop

Blending photos together: Photoshop layer mask tutorial

 

[margyparker]

The clone tool - I am now using the method above you told me about to remove the background. Before you told me how to do it I was using the quick selection tool and then deleting the background before adding the mask. I did this on one photo with small flowers on it and managed to cut one of the flowers too. Thats what I used the clone tool for.

You said in the instructions to click 'apply layer mask' - It was that I was wondering about.

Great videos although to be honest if I had watched them yesterday before coming on this forum I wouldn't have any clue about the phlearn one for instance. Now I do - yay!

Will try the defringing again - probably right clicked on wrong layer.

Thank you again!

 

[IamSam]

You said in the instructions to click 'apply layer mask' - It was that I was wondering about.

In the instructions I said to select the duplicated layer (highlight that layer)
Then RIGHT click on the layer mask (not the thumbnail) and then select "Apply Layer Mask"
View attachment 72008

Great videos although to be honest if I had watched them yesterday before coming on this forum I wouldn't have any clue about the phlearn one for instance. Now I do - yay!

Great!