What's new
By:
Photoshop Gurus Forum

Welcome to Photoshop Gurus forum. Register a free account today to become a member! It's completely free. Once signed in, you'll enjoy an ad-free experience and be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Long Hot Road - composite


ALB68

ALB68

Dear Departed Guru and PSG Staff Member
Messages
3,020
Likes
1,332
I have been working on masking technique. The significance of this is the tree. It was extracted using the color channels to make an alpha channel mask. This technique works pretty well when there is a lot of contrast and you have a complex image to pull out. Freebie StocksView attachment 32656
 

Attachments

  • Long Hot Road.jpg
    Long Hot Road.jpg
    136.3 KB · Views: 2
  • file0001188212248.jpg
    file0001188212248.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 2
  • file0001618675507.jpg
    file0001618675507.jpg
    427.3 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
Looks great Larry!

I prefer to use alpha channel separation techniques, they seem to work the best. But I like to try out other techniques as well, there always seems to be many ways to skin the cat with Photoshop.
 
The tree is growing out of the middle of the road mate?
Great concept though, reminds me of the David Bowie video for ashes to ashes.
 
Note matey,that is in a drought stricken area. The view is from behind the tree :)

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
 
Actually I was inspired by a tut I watched where a guy was sitting in a chair in the middle of a highway. I already had the road and the tree...so..why not?

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
 
OK, so I know what you were thinking. Symbolically, the tree sends a message to the traveler: take care, beware. It isn't really there physically (after all, what would a moss laden tree be doing in the desert? unless it is conversely a message that there is water ahead, lol)

I'm sure that's what you meant! :idea:

Nice work. Is this your first time using alpha channels? That is possibly the best way for this complicated an edge. It is still difficult to remove all the halos without sacrificing detail, but this background is forgiving since it has white and light color to absorb light toned halos. I am one who gets to a point with refining edges, then uses brushes to replace some details. After a point, you have to say, enough already. Anyway, most of my artwork is for personal use. Different story if I'm doing it for commercial use. But even then, I don't shy away from touching up with a brush.
 
Hehehe...you are soooo kind to me. To be perfectly truthful, I had no symbolic intent at all. I had the tree and was working on those extractions and then it occurred to me that I had this great looking old dry looking road. I saw a tutorial where a guy dropped a man sitting in a chair into the middle of a highway, I was inspired as you artists say. When I put the two together, I thought it looked pretty neat, so I dropped a different sky in, a sun and let her rip..LOL.

ibclare said:
OK, so I know what you were thinking. Symbolically, the tree sends a message to the traveler: take care, beware. It isn't really there physically (after all, what would a moss laden tree be doing in the desert? unless it is conversely a message that there is water ahead, lol)

I'm sure that's what you meant! :idea:

Nice work. Is this your first time using alpha channels? That is possibly the best way for this complicated an edge. It is still difficult to remove all the halos without sacrificing detail, but this background is forgiving since it has white and light color to absorb light toned halos. I am one who gets to a point with refining edges, then uses brushes to replace some details. After a point, you have to say, enough already. Anyway, most of my artwork is for personal use. Different story if I'm doing it for commercial use. But even then, I don't shy away from touching up with a brush.
Click to expand...
Thanks
No, I had kicked it around a bit, and was looking at different masking techniques. I just decided to do one with this tree since it was well suited to the process. Yes, I don't think there is a technique where one can completely eliminate the use of the brush. I saw another pretty good technique where the person just used the Quick Mask, drew an outline around what he wanted to extract. Once that was done, he used the paint bucket to fill the area outside the outline. Remove the QM, Invert and then apply a layer mask and you have the background removed. Then Refine edge and that makes a pretty clean extraction, but it will still have to be tweaked. (that is the same thing that Topaz ReMask does). Pen tool would work well too.
 
So very true. I think one has to consider the image though before deciding on the masking technique. Alpha channels work great on some things as you know, some not so hot.
IamSam said:
Looks great Larry!

I prefer to use alpha channel separation techniques, they seem to work the best. But I like to try out other techniques as well, there always seems to be many ways to skin the cat with Photoshop.
Click to expand...
 
I should have put a wink instead of a light bulb, lol.

Pen tool would be a difficult chore for this extraction. And would still require refine mask and other touch-ups. I think you chose well to use the alpha channel method.
 
Yes, but it still required some cleanup.
Reply With Quote
ibclare said:
I should have put a wink instead of a light bulb, lol.

Pen tool would be a difficult chore for this extraction. And would still require refine mask and other touch-ups. I think you chose well to use the alpha channel method.
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top