Pen tool - too much selection

[Tom Mann]

djdancer: In this thread, you have used the term "choppy" several times, but I can think of several meanings of this word. To try to help you, it's important that we get to the bottom of this.

For example, when some people say, "choppy", they mean that sharp edges have a staircase-like look because one can see individual pixels (as in your first post). When Sam or someone mentioned "aliasing" artifacts this is what he was talking about. Another term for this type of problem is "the jaggies".

In contrast, when other people use the term, "choppy", they are talking about the curves that make up a shape being lumpy and/or irregular on a scale of many pixels, or a part of a curve is flat when it should be slightly curved or visa versa, etc. etc.

When you use the term, do you mean either of the above, or perhaps something else?

Thanks,

Tom M

 

[IamSam]

This is why I've been asking for a screenshot!

@Tom Mann This is the image he's using.


He was poorly instructed to use the Pen Tool to make short "choppy" straight Pen Tool clicks like this.


The Elephant in the room is that the image is entirely too small to be used. Any enlarged version, no matter what method is used to remove the background, will produce (EXPECTED) aliasing, which is what I think he's referring to as "chop"!

 

[djdancer]

@djdancer: In this thread, you have used the term "choppy" several times, but I can think of several meanings of this word. To try to help you, it's important that we get to the bottom of this.

For example, when some people say, "choppy", they mean that sharp edges have a staircase-like look because one can see individual pixels (as in your first post). When Sam or someone mentioned "aliasing" artifacts this is what he was talking about. Another term for this type of problem is "the jaggies".

In contrast, when other people use the term, "choppy", they are talking about the curves that make up a shape being lumpy and/or irregular on a scale of many pixels, or a part of a curve is flat when it should be slightly curved or visa versa, etc. etc.

When you use the term, do you mean either of the above, or perhaps something else?

Thanks,

I've attached a picture of what I call choppy.

 

[IamSam]

This is the best it's ever going to get. You welcome to use them.
They are PNG's.



Here is one with a transparent background, don't be fooled by the white.

 

[djdancer]

Use the pen tool to outline the object then go to Layers, Vector Mask, Current Path. Adjust the path on the vector mask, add or delete points, etc. as required.

Hawkeye I did not see this post until now. I came back to look over the post responses to see if I missed something because I'm still struggling. I will try this. Thanks!!

 

[djdancer]

The perfect Tool for shaky hands
http://lazynezumi.com/

I tried the pen but couldn't figure out what everything was. I am going to try to find someone here to try to cut them out for me if I'm still having issues. If not, I'll have to take another look at the pen. I just think I'm not photo designer savvy enough to know what any of the tools in the nezumi do or even are. At some point I'd like to take another look at them when I have time to work with it a bit. I'm pushing a deadline right now.

 

[djdancer]

I was able to use the pen tool to get an existing picture onto another background that will blend in with my website. I would like some direction with taking the glare out of the glasses and notice the green tint on his shoulders. That came from the lighting in the room reflecting the green curtains onto his shoulder. Also, when I'm done I need to get this to fit into a background of the same color only W=418px x H=331px and don't know whether or not to do it before or after making any other changes to the picture. I do realize that I will lose part of the lower half of this picture and that's okay with me. I hope I am being clear about what I'm asking for?
Thank you!

 

[djdancer]

This is the best it's ever going to get. You welcome to use them.
They are PNG's.

View attachment 65037

Here is one with a transparent background, don't be fooled by the white.

View attachment 65038

IamSam thank you so much!! After going through this post one-by-one I am just now seeing this again. I was just in here a little bit ago and have never seen these and only saw the post above it despite reading through all 3 pages?? I don't know when you posted these but they look fantastic!! I can't thank you enough!!

 

[IamSam]

Can you upload the PSD file for this image? It would be nice to have the layers so that we could test the image without the BG.

As far as fixing the glare, the Brush Tool works nicely for removing the glare.
Set a rather hard brush to about 90% hardness, the Opacity to 100% and the flow to about 10% or lower.
Sample colors often. Work slow.

 

[Tom Mann]

...I would like some direction with taking the ... green tint on his shoulders. ...

Minimizing the green backlight spilling over his shoulders is easy. In this case, I just made a selection of the background, inverted it, and then used a small clone tool (set to "color" blending mode) to clone the color from his jacket up into the spill light area.

However, IMHO, there is one quite serious problem with your image that you may not be aware of if you are doing this work on a laptop or other system without a calibrated monitor: There is a very strong orange cast to the subject's skin.

This is way beyond the usual person-to-person variation in skin color. To verify what I am saying, just go to Google Images, search {studio portrait african american man}, and browse through a page or two of the images. I don't think you will see a single good quality photo that has such an orange cast. It looks like it was taken under either indoor tungsten lighting or orange sodium-vapor street lamps. I used ACR to partially correct this.

HTH,

Tom M

 

[Tom Mann]

I also see that you want the final result to be 418 x 331 px. I presume you meant portrait orientation, although you specified landscape configuration. Here it is both ways.

Tom M

 

[djdancer]

Sam I can't post my .pst. It's not in my "allowed file types". Do I need special permissions to post?

 

[IamSam]

Sam I can't post my .pst. It's not in my "allowed file types". Do I need special permissions to post?

Please take a look at my post: https://www.photoshopgurus.com/foru...tool-too-much-selection-3.html#post1533735131

Can you upload the PSD file for this image? It would be nice to have the layers so that we could test the image without the BG.

I did not ask for a .pst, I asked about your .PSD file. It is definitely a approved file.

Having said this, there is no need now for you to post your .PSD file as Tom Mann has answered your question in post #30.

 

[djdancer]

IamSam I will try to upload again. I'm sorry if I wrote .pst but know that it's PSD. A pst is a mailbox file. lol That's what happens when you stay up working all night. Check out the attachment I added here. I do not have permissions to upload PSD files.

 

[djdancer]

Tom I replied to this last night but don't see it here either... I definitely wanted landscape so it fits into it's space on my website. That's about as much of the pic as I can use as the space in the header is limited. You did a great job!! Thank you for the instruction!!

 

[IamSam]

Check out the attachment I added here. I do not have permissions to upload PSD files.

Please listen, a .PSD file will upload unless it's too large...........you have to trust me. Just because it's not listed in the insert image file list, does not mean it will not upload. I have been uploading .PSD files using the "insert image" window since 2012.

There is NO LONGER a need for you to upload the .PSD file.

 

[djdancer]

Hi Sam. Yes I understand that there isn't a need for me to upload the file anymore. I compressed the file, zipped it, disabled my virus software and nothing would let me upload the file?? I am very computer literate and used to be a Network Admin so not dumb about files or uploads. I haven't had any issues uploading anything else but have had a hard time with replies not showing up. I also don't get notifications when anyone replies to me. My account is set for instant email notification. Not sure what's going on but for now it's water under the bridge.
Thank you!!

 

[IamSam]

I understand. It seems that you have had troubles with your account since the beginning. I will notify admin to check it out.

 

[Tom Mann]

Tom I replied to this last night but don't see it here either... I definitely wanted landscape so it fits into it's space on my website. That's about as much of the pic as I can use as the space in the header is limited. You did a great job!! Thank you for the instruction!!

You are quite welcome. Let us know if you have other problems.

On a different topic, a bit of advice: Don't get too carried away with removing all the reflections from eyeglasses -- doing so can make them look unrealistic -- like there is no glass there. I will certainly remove glass reflections if they cover the iris/pupil, but if they are in corners, I often will just reduce them partially (either in intensity or area - like in Sam's example) to make them less obtrusive, but never completely remove them.

Cheers,

Tom M

PS - BTW, may I ask why was there so much of an orange cast on your image? By any chance, was this a photograph of a photograph, or was the original that orange?

 

[djdancer]

IamSam I wanted to let you know I'm still working on the glare in the glasses. My brush stopped making any changes so I'm trouble shooting that at the moment.

Tom Mann I'm not sure why it was so orange. I don't know if it was a picture of a picture but I don't think so. I think the picture was taken with a cell phone then sent to me.