Remove White background - the final solution?

[Markzebra]

You can merge with a blank layer underneath - this renders the transparent pixels in a blend-if layer to transparency - it also takes the the blend-if sliders to their default.

[Swampy]

Originally Posted by Markzebra

You can merge with a blank layer underneath - this renders the transparent pixels in a blend-if layer to transparency - it also takes the the blend-if sliders to their default.

After merging down, it doesn't matter if the sliders are reset. After merging down, I load the selection and apply it as a mask to another duplicate of the original. Then delete the merged BI layer.

[cricket1961]

Swampy

Its odd that you are unable to pick the transparent pixels after doing your blend-If.

I just tried and had success using the magic wand to select transparent or using command-tlde and selecting just the results of that selection with the magic wand or saving it as a channel and selecting the areas needed.

Chris

[Swampy]

Chris, if you are going to use the magic wand tool to select transparent, why not just use it to select whites to start with? It kind of defeats the purpose of Blend if which gives you much more control in the amount of selection.

Then what do you do when you have very complex selections such as palm fronds, or detail in trees? Especially when the luminacity of the white area varies from one area to the next?

Just easier for me to do the blend if, Command/Control E to merge to the transparent layer, Command/Control click on the merged layer to reload as a selection, go to a copy layer below and click the mask button then refine the mask if necessary.

[cricket1961]

Because with the magic wand used on the transparency you are getting a more accurate mask than when used on the white. You should get the same if not extremely close to the selection when doing your layer merge.

Only mentioned it because you had earlier said you could not get a selection from the layer by command clicking on it. This would give you the same as if you did.

"There is something odd about Blend If. When you do it, you can't load a selection from it by just Command/Control clicking on the layer thumbnail in order to generate a selection to make a mask. It must be because the Blend If is tied to that layer in some way that makes it impossible to manipulate further. I just happend to discover that by merging the BI layer down into a blank transparent layer things corrected themselves and I could then load the selection."



Chris

[Rydiant]

Originally Posted by cricket1961

Stroker

Anyway you can create a Mac version of Transparent SHades?

Chris

Chris (and other Mac users,)

Have you tried Bergdesign Inc's Peel Off White? It's Mac-specific and seems to produce similar if not identical results to Transparent Shades.

http://bergdesign.com/plugins/

I hope this is helpful. And no disrespect to Stroker's work whatsoever.

[cricket1961]

Thanks for the info Rydiant.
Greatly appreciated.

Chris

[Swampy]

Rydiant! Thanks for the link...

I have downloaded the plugins and find them "iffy". I only spent a few minutes playing, but can see this plug in needs work.

The Peel off white works, but goes way too far and requires too much retouching of the mask.

The other two both crash CS3 on my PPC G5 Mac.

[Rydiant]

You're very welcome, Chris. That suggestion is just a crumb next to all the wisdom I've gleaned from your posts here.

And Swampy, sorry to hear about the crashes! The plug ins are basic. Maybe you'll find a later versions more useful.