graphics app question

Forum Moderators: not2easy

Message Too Old, No Replies

graphics app question

how to select bckgrd of a porous object

sssweb

3:11 pm on Jun 27, 2009 (gmt 0)

I'm not sure if this is an appropriate question for this site, but I'm trying to find a shortcut for a repeated task I perform with my graphics app (I use GIMP, which is a lot like Photoshop).

How do I quickly select the background of an object that has small gaps in its border (imagine a circle with dotted line as border)? The wand tool doesn't work because the color is the same inside & outside the object, so the selection spills inside.

I've taken to copying the layer, filling in the gaps with the pencil tool, selecting the background, then switching back to the original layer -- but that's time-consuming. Seems like there should be an easy trick.

akmac

10:23 pm on Jun 29, 2009 (gmt 0)

If the color of the subject and the background is indeed identical, then I'm afraid some manual tracing will be necessary. If there is a difference, you can tune the magic wand or (photoshop) magnetic lasso tool to make it a bit easier.

Using the magnet lasso tool to trace your subject, then inverting the selection might save you a bit of time.

If you can give a more detailed description of the image(s) you're working with, someone here may be able to give you a better answer.

sssweb

6:39 pm on Jun 30, 2009 (gmt 0)

Thanks -- yes, the colors are identical.

I don't think GIMP has a tool comparable to the magnet lasso. It has 'intelligent scissors' but I haven't found them to be better than the simple path tool.

Sounds like the easiest thing is to keep doing what I'm doing -- plugging the gaps on a copied layer, and selecting with the wand on that layer.