Fanclub Obi-Wan Kenobi: v4 Fan Club a/k/a Appreciation Society

It sounds like maybe you don't have the *magnetic* lasso, maybe. I wish I was with you so I could help! How far apart are we, like 6 hours? Meet in the middle?

 

Elements 6 which is quite old, yes. Yes, the lasso works far better than Magic Wand, so the above is via lasso (after watching an Adobe tutorial) but the fine-tuning is still - um - rough.

I'll try again but I don't "remember' having the option of cutting/pasting, only selecting and deselecting (and I never know which will remove/leave "Ewan" from the rest of the photo). Then as pasting - in Elements I'm not sure about pasting to a new document - you mean pasting to a new LAYER?

So of course eventually you have your two layers and then you have to "erase" one to "combine" them (before flattening)? Now, I totally understand if you could take "Ewan" the cut out and slap him onto another photo, but isn't the photo, how to say this, a rect photo that is blank all around "Ewan," not just the cut-out?

So I guess I need to know (besides if this IS possible in Elements 6):

1. How do you paste your cutout - or is this done via layers?
2. Layers - I've done this with the book sitting beside me and I CANNOT create layers let alone combine them.

BTW I totally understand copy/paste - do it all the time in Word, I just don't quite see how to do it in photos (although, again, the concept is perfectly simple).


Yup: have magnetic lasso for sure, checked. And when I trace "Ewan" I can't get the stupid lasso to STOP tracing and I end up with lines all over the stupid image and have to Undo.

 

I would say you don't really need more layers than the one with Ewan and the background you pasted him onto. I find that layers can help if I want to 'merge' two images or bring a bit of one layer in front of another (like the arm of the bear in my avatar). It looks like you just need to do some 'tidying up' with your image. Unfortunately, even with the magic lasso, there are often bits that have to be done manually. You could try taking an eraser to him if you don't mind doing fiddly stuff - I usually end up doing that.

 

I got Wild Space recently and loved it. If you don't mind Bail Organa, lots of talking, some emotional stuff and Obi having a bad time, it's a winner!

 

...and sometimes he does admit it out loud.

(very loud)

 

I think magic lasso can take some getting used to (I am still having some trouble with it). When you have finished tracing, double click to select (if it doesn't do it automatically) or you will get those extra lines. You know it has selected, when you get little 'marching ants' lines around the bit you want to copy. Then go use the menu to copy it ('edit' section I think) or just use CTRL and C. Don't save the picture yet.

Then you need to have a new document open, with the background you want - go to that document and paste (CTRL and V works as a shortcut). Ewan will then appear as a new layer in front of the background. You only get layers by pasting in new bits or copying an existing layer. When you've finished editing the picture, then you save that document.

Magic wand seems to be 'pants' as they say in my part of the world.

(Oops, that's a lot of posts all in a row. I do apologise)

 

Okay, I've got a pretty good "mouse crawl" around Ewan - hopefully myscreen print will paste. Ok, guess not.

Is "Ewan" now to be cut (leaving a hole where he was) or will cutting remove the background leaving "Ewan" - or do I copy?

My choices:

DeSelect
Select via inverse
Layer via copy
Layer via cut (which did give me the background minus Ewan)

Via copy gives me: Could not make a new layer from the selection because no pixels are selected.

Crap.

Here's new * improved cut-out.

 

Ah! Thanks for the tip.... weary and sleeping. How does one acheive /that/? (Are we in a vicious circle here: must tire out Jedi master in order to subdue... must subdue in order to wear him out... hmmmm.)

 

Definitely 'copy' and paste into a new document, I would say.

'Layer via copy' will give you a new layer in your existing document. Then you would have to bring your background in. It's easier to simply 'copy' - 'edit' and 'copy' will do this, or CTRL + C. Either way, you will need to open the image with the background in Photoshop.

 

Sigh, I have photoshop, cs5, whatever that means :/. No, I never create a new layer, unless I've pasted. All I do honestly is go to file, new - go to edit, paste and there's the Ewan I've selected and copied, just exactly how I would copy and paste with word, same everything. I like having a separate document with just the cut out so it's easier to make small clean ups if necessary and then I select again, copy and paste - that's exactly what I do - slap the cut out Ewan on a different picture, just using plain old copy and paste. If I want to flatten it, there's an option to merge all layers, or I just save as a jpeg and it automatically does it.

 

Get him just back from a long, hard mission of course! That's how I wrote it anyway. The circle works too, though... sounds wonderfully never-ending...

 

lassoed, copied, pasted (slapped on a new picture), saved as a jpg

 

Hmm. Send me that link, sister.
Plus, I think you've inspired me. I'm home with the flu, writing writing writing ... the next chapter does actually call for something like handcuffs - though I think it's going to be a pillory, instead. (!)

You all amaze me with your photoshop know-how, by the way...

 

See my edited post above - this is what I ended up with:

 

A 'long, hard' mission - blast it, I am going to wash out my mind with soap and water...

 

I think I have the special version for dummies.... Because I swear all I do is copy and paste, for the most part. But thank you

Mmmm, handcuffs... sometimes tired Obi has to be... 'encouraged' to receive his comfort. I could send the link, though I don't think I'm allowed to link it publicly
I swear I write normal things too!!!!

 

Don't bother... I never seem to stop...

 

Hope you feel better soon.

On the other hand, if it means you write more... No, that is an unworthy thought.

 

I more or less do the same. It's like:
1. Open photo with Ewan (or whatever) in Photoshop
2. Use lasso (magnetic or polygonal) to select Ewan
3. Copy
4. Open another document (blank or background etc)
5. Paste

 

Forgive the double posting: I cannot just copy and paste. Maybe it's a limitation of this program? If I pull up ANY random photo and try to copy/paste "ewan" from another I get a question about layers or some error about no pixels selected or some such. I shouldn't be so stupid about such things with all the online tutorials and all but I'm sorry - this is like calculas to me. I just cannot get it.

 

Presumably, you are opening both photos in Photoshop. Make sure that you are in the one with Ewan (and you have 'selected' him) when you click on 'copy' and in the other photo when you click 'paste'. Sorry if that sounds obvious but I sometimes forget to choose the right document!

Edited to add: also make sure that the flashy dotted line is around Ewan when you click on 'copy' or it'll tell you that no pixels are selected.

 

Oh, I shall survive, no worries -- but between the "floating above body" sensation induced by "Tylenol Cold nFlu PM Xtra Strength" and this thread, I have been daydreaming about lassos and handcuffs and long hard missions (ahem) and what not....

 

It must be a limitation of the program. Not as user friendly

 

I learned from Obi. When he faces any challenge, whatever long, incredibly hard mission that might come up - he is determined to keep going and going, giving all he can, never stopping until the mission is... complete. The man is dedicated. Truly admirable.

 

Aaah, yes - that man is certainly to be admired. To some people he may seem like a stoic, unemotional Jedi but, underneath everything, he's a real man.