Cutting Images From Background (part 1)

Paint Shop Pro Image Tutorials | Submited Nov 16, 2007

Written by:

Using the "freehand selection tool" you can cut out any image from any type of
background to be used as an image on its own, or to be placed on another background.

1. Open up your image and take a copy > Ctrl-C Then you can minimise or close down your original image.



2a. On your selections tools choose the "freehand selection tool"

b. By far the best settings, because you have more control, and the settings I use 95% of the time are :

Selection type : point to point
Mode : replace
Feather : 5
Range : 10
Smoothing : 0

Example:

[Tip: the lower the feather number, the more jagged the outside edges will be - the higher the feather, the smoother. I usually use a feather size of between 4-6 (never any higher) depending on the size of image I am cutting out.]

3a. Zoom in on your image so that you can see what you are cutting. Find a starting point on Jennifer and do a single left click.

b. Slowly trace around the image of Jennifer, continually single left clicking the mouse as you trace around her.

c. When you have traced around all of her (ie reached your starting point) double left click.

You should have a marquee (moving lines) surrounding your image of Jennifer. Example :


4. Now copy the image > Ctrl-C and then paste it >Ctrl-L onto the background you want. Example:

5. Using the move tool just move Jennifer around your background until the picture is where you want it to be. Example:

6a. Look at the layers section (press F8 if you cannot see it). You can see that is now made up of two layers - the background & the image of Jennifer. Example:

b. You now need to merge these two layers together so that you only have the one. To do this > right click on the background layer >Merge > Merge All (Flatten).

or alternatively ... Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten).

7. Save your image.

That's all there is to it.