need help on a photoshop technique

[kohlenklau]

I know this is a simple thing but I always screw it up. I have done some searches for tips and tutorials but still it seems to not come out correctly.

 

I find a nice image of some soldier, like from Ron Volstad art for models or books.

 

Then I want to magic wand it I guess and delete off the unwanted part and then resize it then slap it on a pink background so that the PzC game can make it onto a unit counter.

 

But I do something wrong and unwanted half pixels travel along and let the pink bleed through.

 

What is the trick to scrub those off during the process or somehow go back and find them and trim them away automatically.

 

So many other guys stuff looks so great. Mine sucks and I need some help. THANKS!

 

Edited July 5, 2015 by kohlenklau

[MikeyD]

The trick is to click off the 'Anti-Alias' block for the magic wand (al the top) . Then it won't try to feather the edges. To get all the pink (or whatever color) either increase the 'tolerance' number (also at the top) or hit 'Grow' under the select menu.

[kohlenklau]

Thanks MikeyD. I will go and give her a try....

[NPye]

To cut out objects in PS you really need to use the pen tools then make a path make a selection then invert the selection and delete the background. It isnt easy at first but once you get the hang of it you wont look back, also if the bg colour is all one colour then you can use the select colour in the image menu this can be quite good but youll never beat the pen tool, i promise.

 

Cheers

[kohlenklau]

Cutting with the pen tool? Sounds like hammering with a wrench or scissors can be screwdrivers!

I will try it next time. Thanks.

[ridethe415]

Magnetic lasso tool is great, background eraser works when the background is a solid color

[benpark]

You could also try to "Select Color Range". In the selection box, use the eyedropper to select the Pepto- magenta color. You can use the slider to select like hues, but that color is used due to it being not very likely to be in anything actually...useful. That should select the entire range of magenta. You can then delete it (if it is in a Layer other than the original, base Layer).

 

If you have to do any clean up of the edges, use the Pencil tool, not the brush. You need to get those pixels entirely, or they show up and ruin the fun.

[kohlenklau]

Thanks Ben. I also saw that when I changed image size it often would redo all the edges and add semi-transparent pixels. 

EDIT: lowest block to check is "resample image" Then it has a dropdown menu and I now use "Nearest Neighbor (Preserve hard edges)"

Maybe that is part of this after all I followed all your tips?

The little image on the unit counters is quite small and when I changed the size maybe THAT was the point it regained transparent pixels.

 

My last one turned out real nice.

Edited July 9, 2015 by kohlenklau