Replacing an Image Background

Issue: Take out/in someone from a photo (or replacing an image background) using the magic selection feature (figure no. 1).

figure no.1

To take out/in someone from a photo or replacing an image background simply follow these steps:

1. Open the desired (the object) picture - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.2)

   

   figure no. 2

2. From the Tools toolbar select the Custom Selection tool -
3. Press F2 or to view the tool's properties dialog box.
4. Select the option Polygon from the Type dropdown list and mark the Magic Selection box (figure no. 3). If this box is marked while performing a selection (Free or Polygon), the selection's lines will fix themselves automatically upon the borderlines (line edges) (figure no. 4)

   

   figure no. 3

5. In order to (actively) select the area within the picture, move the mouse and point the location where you wish to begin the selection. Left-click on the image. Each new left-click while pointing a different area of the image will create a rib. In order to finish the selection (and close the polygon), either right-click the mouse on the image, left-click outside the image or double click on the image (figures no. 4 & 5)

   

   figure no. 4

   

   figure no. 5

6. Click the Copy icon (found on the Shortcuts toolbar) or Ctrl+C in order to copy the selection to the clipboard.
7. Open the desired new background image - (Click on File -> Open menu or Ctrl+O, figure no.6)

   

   figure no. 6

8. For now, we no longer use the object image (the one you opened in step 1). You can minimize it in order to work more comfortably. To minimize the object picture click the minimize icon (found in the title bar of the image window, figure no.7)

   

   figure no. 7

9. Select the background image to make it active (click on the title bar of the image window), then press F3 or to view the layers properties dialog box (figure no. 8)

   

   figure no. 8

10. Within the dialog box click the Create New Layer button - , this will open the Add New Layer dialog box. Within this dialog box type in "Object" for the name, then click OK to confirm and create a new layer.
    At this stage you should have an image with 2 layers (figure no. 9). Select the Object layer (click on the object label) to make it active (figure no. 9)

    

    figure no. 9

11. Use the Paste As Floating Selection option from the shortcuts toolbar - . Now, drag the object to the desired place, click Enter when finished. The object will be fixed and the selection marks will be removed
12. In order to get professional results select the Eraser tool - . Using the Eraser tool fix the object edges until they become smooth (delete unwanted edges using the left mouse button or undelete using the right mouse button).
    * You can control the size/opacity (and much more) of the eraser from the tool's properties window. To view the properties window press F2 or
13. Finally you should get this result - the object on the new background (figure no. 10)

    

    figure no. 10