How to Extract an Object Using Photoshop
When working with graphic design projects, there are times when you will need to combine elements of different images into one. Using the simple cut-and-paste feature, you can highlight a specific section of an image and copy it to another image. Although this works for many uses, it doesn’t allow you to copy a single element without copying the area around the section selected. This article will walk you through the steps necessary to extract a single element from an image using Photoshop.
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Instructions
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Open a sample or text image in Photoshop. Be sure to select an image that contains several elements or objects with which to work.
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Select the layer that contains the object that you want to extract. Using your mouse, click on the "Window" option located on the toolbar. Click on the "Layers" option to open the Layers box. You can also open this box by pressing the "F7" key. In the Layers box, click on the layer that contains the object that you want to extract. If this is a single layer image, simply click on the "Background" layer.
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Select the object to be extracted. Select one of the Marquee or Lasso tools from the toolbox to use in selecting the object. The Marquee tool offers the option of Rectangle, Elliptical, Single Row and Single Column, while the Lasso tool offers Standard, Polygonal and Magnetic features. These various options are explained further in the Help section of Photoshop. Use the tool that best suits your needs.
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Use the Quick Mask mode to highlight your selection. Click on the Quick Mask mode, located on the toolbox, which will cover the non-selected area of the image in a red mask.
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Refine your selection. Select a brush from the toolbox and set the brush to an appropriate size. Select black as the foreground color and white as the background color. Using the brush with the color black will add to the mask, while using the color white will subtract from the mask. When the selection looks complete, switch from the Quick Mask mode back to Standard Mode. In this mode, the selected object will appear with a dotted line surrounding it.
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Manipulate the selected object. Select from the following options to utilize the selected object: On the main toolbar, click on "Edit" and then "Cut" or press "Cmd + X" to remove the selected object. On the main toolbar, click on "Edit" and then "Copy" or press "Cmd + C" to copy the selected object to the clipboard. On the toolbox, click on the "Move" button and drag it to a new location. On the main toolbar, click on "Select" and then "Inverse." Press the "Delete" button to erase the selection.
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Tips & Warnings
When refining your selection, a soft brush will offer a more natural selection.
When adding to or subtracting from the mask, use the "X" key to easily jump between the foreground and background colors.
Never work with the original image. Always edit on an image copy in case of mistakes.
