It is possible to change the background of an image to make it look different, or to call attention to certain elements of the picture.It's easy to remove the background.
Step 1: The Quick Selection tool can be used to quickly select elements in an image.
The tool has a small dotted-line blob at the end.The fourth tool should be at the top of the toolbar.You can add edges to your selection with Quick Selection.If you can't find the tool, you will see it in the small menu that pops up.
Step 2: The things you want to save are near the edges.
If you want to save things other than the background, click and drag through the image.If you want to save everything, click until it's in its own selection.Click on the area you don't want to remove it if you make a mistake.The two keys make your selection tool bigger or smaller if the background is one color or small.It's gone!The strategy of selecting the important parts of the image is much simpler.
Step 3: To perfect your selection, go to "Refine Edge."
You can see what your image will look like without a background by using this menu.There are several options from here.Select "On White" from the view box at the top of the menu.The tools allow you to shrink the edge.It's usually not noticeable if you come in 1-2 pixels.You have a more rounded selection if you take out hard edges.Blurs the edges will allow you to eliminate rough edges.Makes edges and points harder.Opposite of "Smooth".The selection is shrunk or grown based on percentage of the original.
Step 4: Click on the selection to remove it from the background.
Hit the "OK" button on the Refine Edge.To separate the image from the background, select "Layer Via Copy"When you click, make sure you have a selection open.If you don't, hit "V" and then right-click.
Step 5: The background layer should be deleted.
You can do whatever you want with the background layer.You can either do this in pieces, slowly chipping away the background and creating new layers via copy, or you can do it all at once.Either way, you have an image and no background.
Step 6: If you want to create a duplicate of your image, make sure to include the important elements.
You have a picture of an elephant in the desert.The goal is to remove the background so that you can add a new one behind the elephant, but the quick selection tools erase part of it as well.You have a lot of tools and techniques for difficult areas.
Step 7: The Lasso tool can be used to get small areas.
After you trace your mouse back to the beginning, the Lasso tool will make a full selection.It is difficult to use for larger images, but it is a great way to get precise selections.If you want to remove small sections that the bulk tools like Quick Selection missed, you can use Alt/Opt-Click.
Step 8: To remove single-color areas from the background, use the "Color Range".
This tool can easily pick out large swaths of the same colors.If the image is similar in color to the background, it won't work.The eye dropper can be used to select what color you want.The "Select Color" menu at the top allows you to find specific colors.
Step 9: The Pen tool can be used to make precise selections.
The most robust selection tool is the pen tool.It takes some time to learn.The program will connect the dots if you click around the image.Click and hold the pen tool and select "Free Form Pen" for curved lines.Click the line and make selection after you've finished.You can copy out of the background when your line is turned into a selection.If you mess up a point, you can adjust it later.A point is removed from the line.Shift-Clicking draws a straight line from your last point.
Step 10: To make the background invisible, use layer masks.
Layer masks allow you to adjust the image, but still keep the original image information.Use the techniques above to remove the area you want.Click "add a mask" in the layer pallet.It is near the bottom of the layer pallet and has a circle in it.There is a black and white thumbnail in the pallet.Use the Paintbrush or pencil to draw over the layer mask to fine tune the image.Black marks are added to the background.To make the image reappear, draw over the mask in white.