Art peoples...

[Oniya]

I'm trying to lift a figure from the background it's on.  Might put it on another one, might not.  Problem is, the figure and the background are both dark, making my usual 'magic wand' tricks almost useless.

Any advice?  Don't be afraid to go technical - I am strong in the ways of Google-fu. 

[Saerrael]

I'm trying to lift a figure from the background it's on.  Might put it on another one, might not.  Problem is, the figure and the background are both dark, making my usual 'magic wand' tricks almost useless.

Any advice?  Don't be afraid to go technical - I am strong in the ways of Google-fu. 

Have you attempted tubing by eraser? Takes a while, but, depending the control, gives the best results.

Could you show me the image?

[Kuroneko]

Erasing is a great way to make the surounding area lighter, and then you can magnetic lasso it. Or, you can change the entire background color to something lighter first, and then lasso it. 

[Saerrael]

Erasing is a great way to make the surounding area lighter, and then you can magnetic lasso it. Or, you can change the entire background color to something lighter first, and then lasso it.

Laying a coloured layer behind your img would be handier. If you make a mistake then, you can fix it easier. At least, that's how I experienced it.

[jouzinka]

I'm not sure what your PSP can do, Oni.

You can try to lighten the image via Levels or Curves overall, extract the figure from that, then use the extracted thing to make a selection on the dark image with the magic wand.

You can try to find a better quality image via tineye.com (or google) - maybe it won't be so dark. If they're both really dark, I would probably go with either eraser or masks that can be painted and re-painted over in case you make mistakes and sort of estimate where things should go.

[Kuroneko]

Laying a coloured layer behind your img would be handier. If you make a mistake then, you can fix it easier. At least, that's how I experienced it.

Good point 

[Oniya]

Have you attempted tubing by eraser? Takes a while, but, depending the control, gives the best results.

Could you show me the image?

http://www.iballer.com/wallpaper/celebs/n_q/nichols/images/nichols1_800x600_jpg.jpg

The loose shirt looks like the shadows will just take large chunks out of it when I try to muck with it.

Erasing is a great way to make the surounding area lighter, and then you can magnetic lasso it. Or, you can change the entire background color to something lighter first, and then lasso it. 

My concern is that the 'background' color is close enough to the 'foreground' that it might bleed in. 

I'm not sure what your PSP can do, Oni.

You can try to lighten the image via Levels or Curves overall, extract the figure from that, then use the extracted thing to make a selection on the dark image with the magic wand.

You can try to find a better quality image via tineye.com (or google) - maybe it won't be so dark. If they're both really dark, I would probably go with either eraser or masks that can be painted and re-painted over in case you make mistakes and sort of estimate where things should go.

I also have GIMP, and I can be remarkably stubborn with digital stuff (I've been known to work at the pixel level.)  I will be looking for a better contrast pic as well.

[Saerrael]

http://www.iballer.com/wallpaper/celebs/n_q/nichols/images/nichols1_800x600_jpg.jpg

Good God, woman, you know how to pick your challenges.

I'd suggest to roughly mask, first, cut out, work from there with a fine eraser and keep a lightened copy of that image at hand. Either on a low opacity layer or in another window.

[Oniya]

  *nods*  It'll be worth it.  I might still be able to find a better contrast copy elsewhere, but once I can get rid of that background, the rest will require very little changing.  I'll see what effect Levels and Curves have on it as well (just have to reboot before I even get started with it - played with too many memory hogs today.)

[Beguile's Mistress]

Here is the same image but a tad lighter.  I don't know if it will help.

http://www.iballer.com/malecelebs/nichols/images/n3_jpg.jpg

[Saerrael]

Here is the same image but a tad lighter.  I don't know if it will help.

http://www.iballer.com/malecelebs/nichols/images/n3_jpg.jpg

That version is most definitely better. You can actually see his ARM there.

[Oniya]

Here is the same image but a tad lighter.  I don't know if it will help.

http://www.iballer.com/malecelebs/nichols/images/n3_jpg.jpg

Oh, hells yes!

[Psi]

Make sure you mask, and apply any erasing to the mask, with a bright background layer.

As you erase the mask, you are leaving what you want.  If you make a mistake just paint back into the mask to bring back sections.  These may have been erased well past your undo history, or even after you have saved.

[Oniya]

With the updated picture from BeMi, I'm having a lot better luck.  I do subscribe to the 'Sane Early and Often' mantra, and I'd say he's about 90% free from the background at this point.  I'll be sure to post results when it's done.  ^_^  Thanks all!

[Beguile's Mistress]

Good that it's working for you and I'm anxious to see the results when you have them.

[Argleblather]

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