Let’s take a look.
Right click your Background Layer in your Layers Palette, and choose Layer from Background…
It automatically renames as Layer 0.
Your Layers Palette should only have a single layer, your newly unlocked Layer 0.
Press
to go for the Lasso Tool.
Check your options on your Control Palette near the top of your Photoshop screen.
see to it that yours looks like this screenshot.
Most importantly, be certain that Anti-Alias is turned off.
Use your Lasso to draw a rough selection around your image.
Dont worry about being precisewere going to cut it out with more precision later.
you could safely delete Layer 0 and work only in your new layer.
to bring up the eraser tool, or find it in your Toolbox.
Visit your Control Palette again and set your Mode to Pencil.
This ensures your eraser has a hard edge.
Use the eraser to mouse around and delete the parts you dont want.
Get close to your image, but be careful when cutting into it.
You dont need to remove every bit at this point.
Heres where it gets a little advanced.
Hold
and click your Layer 1.
This will load a selection around your entire roughly cut out image.
launch the Channels Palette and grab the icon
to create a new Alpha Channel.
Select this Alpha Channel (likely Alpha 1) by clicking it.
It also lists a shortcut to it.
A simple
in an RGB file will jump right to it.
Your Alpha chanel should fill with white in the shape of your roughly cut out image.
Click and hold on the Gradient Tool to bring up the Contextual Menu.
Pick the Paint Bucket Tool.
Ensure your Foreground Color is Black.
Simply click in the areas you dont want to fill them with black.
If any of your superfluous areas touch your image, it will fill as well, so be careful.
and punch your Alpha 1 Channel to load the new selection you have just made.
to return to your RGB.
The Tilde key is located to the left of your
on a USA keyboard.
Return to your Layers Palette.
Press
to move your selected image to a new layer.
you’re able to safely delete your old layer or simply choose to hide it.
Your image is now precisely cut from your background.
I usually poke the
to add a Color Fill style Adjustment Layer at the bottom of my Layers.
This helps me check my work for halos and mistakes.
Image byCareyjamesbalboaviaWikipedia, in Public Domain.
