Photoshop: Extracting a Digital Image from the Background

Did you ever want to remove part of an image from the background and place another background behind it? The Photoshop "Extract" utility makes this task relatively easy. For example, you may have a product image that you want to isolate and place on a simple colored background to use in an advertisement.Or you may want to extract part of an image to place on another layer in Photoshop to prepare in the making of an Animated Gif. This tutorial is for the beginner to intermediate Photoshop user.

In this tutorial we will extract the head of an elephant from both the body and the background. We will then be able to copy and paste the extracted head into the original image, on a new layer. In a subsequent tutorial we will use it to create an animated gif of the elephant shaking his head. For this example I took a digital photograph of one of my paintings and opened it in Photoshop. Be sure to save your original image before you begin your extract.

Step 1: Open the Extract utility. From the menu bar at top, select "Image" then "Extract...". ( you can also use the keys Alt+Ctrl+X on a PC; Alt+Cmnd+X on a MAC)

Step 2: The Extract window opens. On the right are option settings: set your brush size to 10 to start. You may later adjust the size in relation to your image. Use the other defaults for highlight (green) and fill (blue), but check the box for "Smart Highlighting"

Step 3: From the toolset on the left, select the first tool, which looks like a felt-tip marker. Trace along the outside edge of the image or portion of the image you want to extract. (refer to attached picture # 1) As you trace, the highlighted line should be half-on the edge of the image and half-on the background. Complete the tracing all the way around until it meets and closes the extract. Take care not to leave gaps in your tracing. If you make a mistake, use the eraser tool (third one down) to remove the mistake and begin again.

Step 4: When the area of the image has been completely traced around the edge, use the fill tool (second one down, shaped like a paint bucket to fill the area. If the resulting blue transparent area is over the area you want to extract, click "OK" on top right. Voila! Your extracted image appears.(refer to attached picture #2) Save it with a different file name than your original image. ( If the blue transparency bleeds out from your extraction, you have left a small gap in your tracing. If so, undo the fill, zoom in and find the gap and trace over it. Then try the fill again.)

Step 5: From the menu bar at top, choose "Select", then "All". Then, again from the menu bar, select "Edit" then "Copy". You are now ready to paste the extracted image back onto the original or onto another background. (refer to attached picture #3) Another option would be to create a layer underneath your extract and give it a solid fill color or gradient as a background. This is a common technique used in print advertising.

Picture #4 show an animated gif created using the extraction from this example. In a subsequent tutorial I will show the process of making the gif.

A few additional tips:

The extract tool works best when the background is a different, contrasting shade or color than the area you want to extract. If you set up to photograph products, choose a simple, light-colored background when possible, like beige or light gray.

To touch up the edges of the extracted image, use the eraser tool set on "brush", not "block". I usually create a layer underneath and fill it with white or black to check and refine the edges, when a really precise image is needed. It is also a good idea to use an air-brush setting to re-paint or fill in any missing gaps or areas of color. Use the magnify tool to zoom in on the edges.

After you extract an image, it is a good idea to crop out the extra transparent portion of the image to save file size and allow ease of handling.