Using Magic Wand Tool

[CJ Max]

I'm trying to use the Magic Wand tool to select and then remove a background. I want to keep the image of a boy and move it to a new background.

My settings are Tolerances 32, Anti-aliased, and Contiguous. As I'm working on a duplicate image before any retouching, layers are not involved.

When I make the selection with the Magic Tool on the background, the boy's image is fairly well selected. Then, when I depress Alt and point to the background to delete it I get the following message:

"Warning: No pixels are more thn 50% selected. The selection edges will not be visible."

When I click "OK", basically nothing happens.

OK, question: What does the warning mean in plain English and how do I go about correcting it?

Thanks,

Cliff.

[mistermonday]

You should not be hitting the Alt key. Hit the Backspace key to delete the selected area.
Regards, Murray

[CJ Max]

Murray,

Thanks. I guess I found an error in the PS CS Classroom in a Book...lol...I could have done without that honor...

Later...whoops, I'm still getting the same Warning and lack of results...

Cliff.

[Xaran]

I think you'll find you cannot use this method on the background - convert the background to a layer before deleting the area.

Christine

[mistermonday]

CJ, that is separate from your 1st problem. When you make a selection of a small area and you feather it with a size that is too large a % of the small width, then that part of the selection becomes so faint that its edges are invisible. In effect you have nothing to delete or paint or copy etc. If you get that message, decrease the amount of the feather or increase the size of the selection. BTW, the is no problem using the wand on the background. When you hit the backspace key to delete it, the colro of the space left will be the color that your background base is set to (white, black, other color, or transparent if you converted the background to a layer)
Regards, Murray

[byRo]

This is what is happening...

1) With the Wand selected, you clicked on the background and got the desired selection;

2) At this point, like Murray said you should simply press <Backspace> (or <Delete>), but instead of this you pressed <Alt>;

3) The effect of the <Alt> key is to change the wand into a deselection tool, take a look at the wand cursor and you'll see there's now a little "-" sign attached to it. When you click on the background you will deselect some parts previously detected by the wand.

4) So, you selected the background in step 1) and then in 3) deselected the same background. End result no selection.

Why did this happen? Probably because you understood that the <Alt> key would delete the image selected when, actually, it deletes part of the selection.

OK, now?

Rô

[CJ Max]

Ro,

OK, I'll attribute my misunderstanding to the book author's ambiguous use of the English languish and not being able to figure it out. I believe that you hit the nail on the head squarely with your explanation...I'll give it a go after breakfast.

Later: Hey! It worked just great. Many thanks to all!

Wishing the best for you & yours,

Cliff.