[cindiesue]

If I have a photo of a jewelry piece, let's say. If using Photoshop Elements, How do I cut the bacdkground colors out replace with white only?

[Noyb]

There are several ways …
Can you attach a sample so we can see what we’re working with ?
Which version of PSE do you have ?

One way for beginners ... The basic idea is to erase the unwanted background …

Press Ctrl + J on the keyboard .. This will copy the active layer (the original) to a new layer.
I keep the original .. in case I goof.
Turn off the background layer (the original) … and make the new layer (the copy) the active (visible) layer.

Now you can start erasing the unwanted background.
There are several tricks that can make this erasing easier.
Most involve keyboard shortcuts .. or other selection tools.

Once the unwanted background is erased .. you can create a new (all while) layer - under the jewelry.
You can also do this to start with .. it might make the erasing easier.
Then .. What was erased (now invisable) will show as all white.

If I could see a sample .. we could step our way thru this erasing procudure(s).

[Noyb]

I see we’re a half a world apart, and I’ll be shutting off for the night soon.
Till the next time, Here’s some procedures to practice with.

The General Procedure is to Erase a fine and accurate line around the Jewelry … using the following procedures and keyboard shortcuts.

Using the Bracket keys ... [ or ] … you can increase or decrease the Brush (Eraser) size.

If you click (Erase) on a point .. then Shift + Click on a second point … you will connect the Clicks.
You can continue to hold the Shift Key and keep Brushing (Erasing) a series of straight lines between the clicks.

Many short clicks (with the Shift key) … Will erase around a circle or curved shapes.
Changing the Eraser size .. will do the inside curves.

You can zoom way in to increase your Brushing (Erasing) accuracy - which makes it a lot easier.
At any time … You can Press and Hold the Space Bar.
This will temporarily invoke the “Reposition Hand Tool” … so you can reposition the picture for continued Erasing
When you release the Space bar (Hand Tool) .. you will return to what you were doing.

Edit > Preferences > General > Check … Zoom with Scroll Wheel …
…. Helps in manipulating the picture along with the Space Bar “Hand Tool”

CTRL + Z will undo the last procedure .. if it was in error.

Once you’ve erased a fine line around the Jewelry … The rest is easy.
You can use the Magic Brush – set to 255 and contiguous – select everything outside of the Jewelry .. and delete it … using the Delete Key.

Or, You can use a bigger, less accurate, Eraser.

[cindiesue]

Hi and Thanks for your help.
When I make my layer and adjust the size of the erasing position and press control when I click it does not show the erasing on the piece I am working on. Only on the layer copy over on the right, I can't tell if I am erasing my details or not.
I was able to zoom and all, and finished the erasing only seen on my layer in my viewer on the right. I don't understand what you mean by use the magiv brush.. I the the magic wand?

I don't know how to attach a photo. I need to reside it on the web first?
here is my link to my website, http://www.glamourbeadz.com

I'm using v4
I did the delete and that is cool but I can't see it on wyzywg.??

[Noyb]

Sounds like you need to turn off the visibility of the first layer (background) ....
to see the erasing on the top layer (layer 1) .. in my example.

Click on the eyeball(s) to turn the layer visibility on .. or off.
you need to click on Layer 1 to make it the active layer .. the one you want to work on.
It'll turn dark blue when it's the active layer.

If any layers below Layer 1 are visable .. when you erase .. you'll just see whats under Layer 1 ...
so it won't look like you're doing anything .. in this example.

To attach a photo here ... a 640x480 or smaller is best .. and it must be 200kb or less in file size.

I prefer to use gif image formats ... they're cleaner and usually naturally smaller in size.

[cindiesue]

I think I uploaded a file but I don't see where it says I have an attachment. so I'm sending this email anyway.


I saw the eye and clicked it. and then tried the eraser tool. When I hit the shift and the mouse, an error message comes up saying 'the fill color will not appear unless you show your style'
The layer is selected and the eye is off. gezzzzzzzzz

[cindiesue]

Also, how do I put the background white color in again.? I think I tried it with the fill a few steps ago, and that didn't work. but I have rebooted and the fill thing is stuck.

[hewee]

I think you may have to be a member to see this but it seems like a great way to take away the background in this tutorial.

Masking out Difficult Images in Photoshop

http://www.renderosity.com/news.php?viewStory=13302

[cindiesue]

I think this titorial is for Photoshop and not Photoshop Elements.
I'm a novice and can't seem to find some of the strokes.

[hewee]

Yes it is but it may still help so I posted it.

[Noyb]

For the background … I usually just create a new layer .. click and drag it so that it’s under my primary layer …
Then paint it any color I want. You can have anything on this “fill “ layer.

Attached .. I’ve used the crop tool to straighten your picture, and added a white “new layer”….
and started erasing the background in layer 1 so that layer 2 shows thru.

Actually .. at this point, you can just repaint or replace the original “background” layer and not worry about adding a new “fill” layer.

Not sure what your “fill color will not appear” problem was …
You probably had created an adjustment Layer and was working on it.

Remember .. The dark blue layer is the layer you’re working on…(the active Layer)
And .. If the Eyeball shows .. then the layer is visible.

Is that your reflection I see in the jewelry ?