Same old question...remove BG from Photo

[Kelley Rao]

Greetings --

I've yet to master that darn ole pen tool. The magic wand is too erratic.
Any recommendations from you FW pros on getting rid of the background in the
picture below? I want it to look like a catalog item ultimately.
Appreciate your suggestions.

[url]http://www.web-eze.com/bg_remove.html[/url]

Kindest,
Kelley Rao, Webeze
[url]www.web-eze.com[/url]

[:::Kevin French:::]

Kelly:

Any time I have to separate a subject from the background, I use the Polygon
Lasso Tool with the edge set to feather with an amount of 1.

I have found this technique to be very precise and smooth.

--
Kevin French

Team Macromedia Volunteer for Fireworks



"Kelley Rao" <krao@lightsoffweb-eze.com> wrote in message
news:bhav74$d7e$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Greetings --
>
> I've yet to master that darn ole pen tool. The magic wand is too erratic.
> Any recommendations from you FW pros on getting rid of the background in

the

> picture below? I want it to look like a catalog item ultimately.
> Appreciate your suggestions.
>
> [url]http://www.web-eze.com/bg_remove.html[/url]
>
> Kindest,
> Kelley Rao, Webeze
> [url]www.web-eze.com[/url]
>
>

[Linda Rathgeber]

On 8/12/2003 11:58 AM, :::Kevin French::: wrote:

> Since I am usually working with photos in these cases, transparent gifs are
> not a problem.
>
> I have attempted the same feather technique with the pen tool, but it has
> yet to produce the same results.
>
> Anyone know of a step by step tut available for this?

Here's one that shows the user how to make selections with the Polygon
lasso tool.

[url]http://www.projectseven.com/tutorials/fw/p_montage/index.htm[/url]

You use the same stitching technique with the pen tool.


Best regards,
Linda Rathgeber
----------------
Victoriana | [url]http://www.projectseven.com/dpacks/vic/index.htm[/url]
Theme Pack 03 - Club | [url]www.projectseven.com[/url] |mm2| themes
Contributor *PVII Foundations* [url]www.projectseven.com[/url]
Co-author *Playing with Fire* [url]www.playingwithfire.com[/url]
Team MM Fireworks Volunteer | [url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
-----------------

[Stéphane Bergeron]

:::Kevin French::: wrote:

> Since I am usually working with photos in these cases, transparent
> gifs are not a problem.
>
> I have attempted the same feather technique with the pen tool, but it
> has yet to produce the same results.
>
> Anyone know of a step by step tut available for this?
>

I don't know of a step by step tutorial myself (maybe I should write
one) but if you check the file at the URL below you will see how I
created a mask for Kelly's bottle. It took me about 10 minutes and that
includes reinstalling Kleanthis' Anchor Power Tools which I think are a
must to work with paths in Fireworks (more on this below).

If you look at the PNG file below you will see how I've drawn the shape.
I started by simply plotting the points at key places and not bothering
about curving them at first. You fininsh by clicking on your first point
to create a closed shape. I didn't have to do much tweaking to the
position of individual points later and you can see that I used a
minimum of points. After I moved individual points that needed moving
with the subselection tool and the keyboard arrow keys (at about 400%
zoom), I used the Pen tool to drag out control handles on the points
near where I needed curved paths. You do this by clicking and dragging
on an existing anchor. Fireworks extracts both handles from points when
doing that so that is where the Project Fireworks "Anchor Power Tools"
come in handy. You can select an individual anchor and use one of those
commands to retract (or extract) individual control points. FreeHand has
tools for this directly in the interface but you can do the same with
Kleanthis' Anchor Tools in Fireworks. Adjusting individual curves is
quite easy that way at 400% zoom.

Once I was done drawing and tweaking the path I copied it (just so you
can see the basic path in the PNG), filled it with white and removed the
stroke. I then simply selected both the shape and picture and went to
Modify>Group As Mask. To me the antialiasing is perfect even on a black
background which is quite different from the original bottle's
background. If you needed stronger anti-aliasing, simply ungroup the
mask and feather or blurr the white mask shape individually. I don't
think the mask I created here needs it but depending on the picture it
might help.

The masked image (editable PNG)
[url]http://www.webfocusdesign.com/test/water_bottle.png[/url]

Project Fireworks older commands (including Anchor Power Tools)
[url]http://www.projectfireworks.com/Lab.aspx?show=extension_fw_3_4.html[/url]

HTH!

Stéphane Bergeron

[Marlon De Jesus - MMTS]

Hi Kelley,

Stéphane is right, masking and using the pen tool is the best way to do
this. If you have TAMED the pen tool, you will be its master and it will
follow all your commands. =)

I have tried removing the background of the image that you have posted.

[url]http://www.geocities.com/deejaymarlon/njb_water_bottle.png[/url]

its kinda rough though. =)

--
I hope this helps.

Regards,

Marlon De Jesus
Macromedia Technical Support
Fireworks / Flash


"Stéphane Bergeron" <lists@webfocusdesign.com> wrote in message
news:bhb1ea$h7v$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> :::Kevin French::: wrote:

> > Kelly:
> >
> > Any time I have to separate a subject from the background, I use the
> > Polygon Lasso Tool with the edge set to feather with an amount of 1.
> >
> > I have found this technique to be very precise and smooth.

>
> If you're going to go through all that trouble then using the Pen tool
> to draw a mask shape makes a lot more sense. A bitmap selection is a
> fickle thing and is hard to tweak. The Polygon Lasso tool isn't very
> good at drawing the rounded parts of objects either so the best way to
> tackle this task is still the Pen tool IMO. It does take practice to
> master it but it is well worth it and at least you don't have to start
> from scratch everytime you make a mistake.
>
> Stéphane
>

[Marlon De Jesus - MMTS]

Ngark!... i guess i exceeded my limit in Bandwidth... i will post in on
another site in a while. =)

--
I hope this helps.

Regards,

Marlon De Jesus
Macromedia Technical Support
Fireworks / Flash


"Linda Rathgeber" <lightly@sc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3F39263D.3020203@sc.rr.com...

> I don't see anything if I try to access your home page, Marlon. We wanna
> see more! We wanna see more Marlon stuff! :-)
>
>
>
> Best regards,
> Linda Rathgeber
> ----------------
> Victoriana | [url]http://www.projectseven.com/dpacks/vic/index.htm[/url]
> Theme Pack 03 - Club | [url]www.projectseven.com[/url] |mm2| themes
> Contributor *PVII Foundations* [url]www.projectseven.com[/url]
> Co-author *Playing with Fire* [url]www.playingwithfire.com[/url]
> Team MM Fireworks Volunteer | [url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
> -----------------
>

[Marlon De Jesus - MMTS]

i hope it will show this time...
[url]http://deej.topcities.com/njb_water_bottle.png[/url]

--
I hope this helps.

Regards,

Marlon De Jesus
Macromedia Technical Support
Fireworks / Flash


"Marlon De Jesus - MMTS" <supportinfo@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:bhb989$1it$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Ngark!... i guess i exceeded my limit in Bandwidth... i will post in on
> another site in a while. =)
>
> --
> I hope this helps.
>
> Regards,
>
> Marlon De Jesus
> Macromedia Technical Support
> Fireworks / Flash
>
>
> "Linda Rathgeber" <lightly@sc.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:3F39263D.3020203@sc.rr.com...

> > I don't see anything if I try to access your home page, Marlon. We wanna
> > see more! We wanna see more Marlon stuff! :-)
> >
> >
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Linda Rathgeber
> > ----------------
> > Victoriana | [url]http://www.projectseven.com/dpacks/vic/index.htm[/url]
> > Theme Pack 03 - Club | [url]www.projectseven.com[/url] |mm2| themes
> > Contributor *PVII Foundations* [url]www.projectseven.com[/url]
> > Co-author *Playing with Fire* [url]www.playingwithfire.com[/url]
> > Team MM Fireworks Volunteer | [url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
> > -----------------
> >

>
>

[Linda Rathgeber]

On 8/12/2003 2:19 PM, Marlon De Jesus - MMTS wrote:

> i hope it will show this time...
> [url]http://deej.topcities.com/njb_water_bottle.png[/url]

I saw the water bottle last time. I'm nosy and wanted to see more stuff
by Marlon DeJesus. :-)



Best regards,
Linda Rathgeber
----------------
Victoriana | [url]http://www.projectseven.com/dpacks/vic/index.htm[/url]
Theme Pack 03 - Club | [url]www.projectseven.com[/url] |mm2| themes
Contributor *PVII Foundations* [url]www.projectseven.com[/url]
Co-author *Playing with Fire* [url]www.playingwithfire.com[/url]
Team MM Fireworks Volunteer | [url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
-----------------

[Kelley Rao]

Thanks Stéphane (you da man -- literally)!

Kelley

"Stéphane Bergeron" <lists@webfocusdesign.com> wrote in message
news:bhbh8d$cse$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Kelley Rao wrote:

> > Stephanie,
> >
> > I could not access your "work of art" and would like to review along

with

> > your well document tutorial. Did I miss the window of opportunity?

>
> No, the file is still there. I think my server went down for a few
> minutes earlier so you may have tried during that time. Try the link

again:

>
> [url]http://www.webfocusdesign.com/test/water_bottle.png[/url]
>
> Right click on the image and Save As (about 835k)
>
> HTH!
>
> Stéphane (I'm a guy... ;-) )
>

[Stéphane Bergeron]

Kelley Rao wrote:

> Stephanie,
>
> I could not access your "work of art" and would like to review along with
> your well document tutorial. Did I miss the window of opportunity?

No, the file is still there. I think my server went down for a few
minutes earlier so you may have tried during that time. Try the link again:

[url]http://www.webfocusdesign.com/test/water_bottle.png[/url]

Right click on the image and Save As (about 835k)

HTH!

Stéphane (I'm a guy... ;-) )

[Marlon De Jesus - MMTS]

hahaha... sure more to come... =) but i guess your better than i am... i
can't beat the author of my favorite book, Playing With Fire. =)

can't wait for Playing With Fire 2... =)


Regards,

Marlon De Jesus
Macromedia Technical Support
Fireworks / Flash


"Linda Rathgeber" <lightly@sc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3F393DB9.3040000@sc.rr.com...

>
>
> On 8/12/2003 2:19 PM, Marlon De Jesus - MMTS wrote:

> > i hope it will show this time...
> > [url]http://deej.topcities.com/njb_water_bottle.png[/url]

>
> I saw the water bottle last time. I'm nosy and wanted to see more stuff
> by Marlon DeJesus. :-)
>
>
>
> Best regards,
> Linda Rathgeber
> ----------------
> Victoriana | [url]http://www.projectseven.com/dpacks/vic/index.htm[/url]
> Theme Pack 03 - Club | [url]www.projectseven.com[/url] |mm2| themes
> Contributor *PVII Foundations* [url]www.projectseven.com[/url]
> Co-author *Playing with Fire* [url]www.playingwithfire.com[/url]
> Team MM Fireworks Volunteer | [url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
> -----------------
>

[Peter R :.WIZZO.:]

"Kelley Rao" wrote in message ...
: Greetings --
:
: I've yet to master that darn ole pen tool. The magic wand is too erratic.
: Any recommendations from you FW pros on getting rid of the background in
the
: picture below? I want it to look like a catalog item ultimately.
: Appreciate your suggestions.
:
: [url]http://www.web-eze.com/bg_remove.html[/url]
:

A little late in the day, but thought I'd throw it into the mix. I just
can't resist these little challenges. Method on the png

[url]http://www.fasterthanu.com/drinkbottle_link.html[/url]

I'm also a little wiser now.

Peter R.

[Kelley Rao]

Impressive, Peter!

Kelley

"Peter R :.WIZZO.:" <flash@reclusivebillionaire.com> wrote in message
news:bhbis6$gs2$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>
> "Kelley Rao" wrote in message ...
> : Greetings --
> :
> : I've yet to master that darn ole pen tool. The magic wand is too

erratic.

> : Any recommendations from you FW pros on getting rid of the background in
> the
> : picture below? I want it to look like a catalog item ultimately.
> : Appreciate your suggestions.
> :
> : [url]http://www.web-eze.com/bg_remove.html[/url]
> :
>
> A little late in the day, but thought I'd throw it into the mix. I just
> can't resist these little challenges. Method on the png
>
> [url]http://www.fasterthanu.com/drinkbottle_link.html[/url]
>
> I'm also a little wiser now.
>
> Peter R.
>
>