Hey guys, It's Lee. How's everybody doing today. This is a sorta win-win outcome question. Is there anyone having difficulty with ANYTHING in Photoshop? I am not claiming to know it all, but after 6 years of countless hours, I'd love to see just what I do know. So I am putting myself out there to see if I can answer a question you may have. This will serve as a where I stand with myself and could learn you up something as well. Thanks. -Lee
OK here goes: what is the best way to remove a background from an image, say a headshot of an individual. I tend to use the magic wand and play with the tolerance and do some blur/sharpening on the edges to make them look better. This only works well with solid backgrounds. The background eraser tool is OK also but only i situations where there is a clear distinction between BG and FG. I have problems when there is a lot of colors or objects in the background.
jrd I use 2 different techniques when removing part of an image. For a nice, crisp, clean removal, I use quick mask (q) and a brush (b), reset the colors to default (d) and flip back and forth between Black and White (x) as I paint a mask to select the object or background to delete. You can increase or decrease your bush size with ([) and (]) so you get a very precise selection. If I can get away with erasing the background, I open the brush pallet, get a reasonable size brush (Again use [ and ] to adjust) and I bring the brush hardness to about 25 (sometimes more and sometimes less, but 25 is good) which makes the eraser brush very soft, and just start erasing. That way, you get sort of a soft edge around what you leave in the picture. Email me for an example of that last one.
Eruct, When you are designing, you need to be aware of your output capabilities. When you design for Web, for example, you use RGB mode. You will get very rich colors that show more vibrant than the CMYK. The reason for this is that all monitors are RGB. When designing for print, you use CMYK or spot colors. If you are designing for offset printing (Lithography) or stickers, lablels....(Flexography), you use mainly CMYK because the presses are built with a unit for each color. Presses build the colors you see on drink bottles, potato chip bags, and almost ALL of your consumer package goods off of CMYK. There are some instances where a spot color is used. Coca Cola has a Coke-Red that they have coined so that no matter where you see coke, the red will be the same, thats part of their brand recognition. (ramble ramble ramble) Screenprinting is most often spot colors (mainly pantone's color book) and not much is built (but some is). Hope that helped.
Come on, bring me some heat. I'm feeling alot better than i wanted to, i wanted to get one i have to research and can give an answer for, but can't just shoot an answer. Challenge me some.
Thanks for the reply, but I should have specified more. (I too am a PS 'expert' ) What is the best color setting specifically . I know rgb and cmyk but in the color setting menu there are many versions to choose from ie. Apple, Apple 1998, sRGB, etc. as well as a slew of other options including dot gains. A follow up question would be what are, and how to use embedded color profiles...
this is good stuff. I have learned as I go with all of this and managed to squeak my way into small time graphic design jobs. I use CMYK all the time unless specific pantone colors are required for branding. Also you can save some cash for people if you can get away designing in two or three spot colors rather than a full scale cmyk print. I amn a newbie so I like to read about this stuff to learn more. Here is a good one, what is the best way to design on an RGB monitor for CMYK colors?
As far as color profiles, I have an G-M I-1 profiler, so i have all my stuff calibrated to be my own profile. As far as designing for the web and what not, in chosing a color profile, I decided to use the default for the sole reason that If all of my stuff is calibrated and profiled to look one way, thats awesome, but for anyone not into designing and that sort of thing, and the red that i have on my monitor set so vibrant and nice is only going to be red on someone's computer. Hope that helps.
jrd, in that instance you will want to profile your monitor to your output device. That's really the only way to be totally accurate in your design. Also, you have to realize that what you see on screen is going to be alot different from your hard copy because of your lighting. You have a back light monitor and are depending on the light above to show your colors on print. It's a fun time getting all your equipment calibrated, but when you do, it saves headaches
And eruct, if memory serves me right, its been a while since i had the class on profiles, but the embedded profile is the one that the image was captured with and the best way to work with it is to open without assinging a new profile because that damages the information stored up or something. The best thing to do is to go into edit and then convert to profile. This is a non-destructive edit like assign new would be. I do all of my work with non-destructive edits.
thanks for the advice, I do use Adobe Gamma and also have my foru color laser printer which gives a general idea of final product. Yes I need to spend some time calibrating. I have lots of questions but dont want to drown out other posters or pick your brain for my benefit I will save them for later.
Okay Eruct, one for you. Just a general question. What was the hardest thing for you to learn in PS and how did you figure it out jrd, its not any inconvenience, as you can see, theres 3 people tuning in, lol You got any how to's or you just need setup help?
I know you replied to my thread but I still have a specific question what are some fonts that are very commenly used for templates. I know tahoma is one, but what are some others? also I heared to almost always use strokes for each layer when makin templates, what do you think?
I think using stokes as a rule is wrong. If your design looks good with a stroke, go for it, but not all templates need to be bound by a stroke. If you do that, your stuff can start to look like those peolpe that offer the "10 graphics for only $7) or something and when you open them, they are the same thing with a different color scheme. Yes, it is different, but at the same time, it's the same thing, only colored different. I use a wide variety of fonts in my work, Tahoma is one of them, and i like it because it is clean, but to give a font list is sorta difficult. I like the clean, San-serif fonts myself, just because they look more professional. If you are pressing me for the fonts, to name a few, I like BlairmdITC-MM (Gotta buy taht one) AvantGarde Bk BT Tennessee Century Gothic and Theres alot more, but to many to mention. Just scroll through your font library until you find a clean, simple but effective looking font.
Nice thread we've got here! I like it a lot! I've said this before in a different section today. Try to chose the fonts that you will use in the template AFTER you design it. Font's should come after. I don't have a specific list font that I use, I just try some of them out until it feels right. I'll take a look at those Maybe I'll find something out. Thanks. That's the best thing to do . Now I have a question. This might sound a bit silly/hard but it's my question. Does any of you know any tutorial that shows how to make a great orb effect. For some reason I rarely make a good looking orb. You know, first a circle, then some styles, then burn/doge tool. Any hints? Anything will be welcomed. Thanks.
What kind of orb do you want, Are you wanting just like a gloss orb like on www(dot)WMDPros(dot)com or something else. I can tell you how, just show me an example If you will email me at with an example of the one you are wanting, ill tell you how to do it.
I was looking for some sort of effect done that would make a glossy orb shine. I know how to make it look like a sphere, how to make it glow outside, I am interested in the Inside Glow. How to add the glass effect inside the orb . I don't know where I've saved the file, but I did find a really nice orb that I wanted to learn how to do.. I shall post it here if I find it.