Extraction 2

[sallybode]

There are some great free filters that make this type of extraction possible so long as the background is pure white or pure black, they are called Transparency Eliminate White and Transparency Eliminate Black. Easy to find with a Google search. What each filter does is to tell all pixels which are black (white) to become transparent. They work only in RGB and a selection is required depending upon the program. Before beginning I duplicated the layer to be extracted and left the layer for preserving the original on top and turned off visibility and editability. Before using the filter, I duplicated the orignal 6 times, turning off the visiblity until I needed that layer.

But the filter leaves the strength of the color weak. I used eliminate black filter. And then duplicated the origianl, (unaltered), using layer modes as shown to increase the amount of color. I made a background layer of zebra hide, dragged below the filtered layer.

Best to understand the layers in involved and the list goes bottom up like on a layers palette.

7. Original (to be used for comparison)--OFF • Normal • 100%
6. Original Duplicate # 5--OFF • Color (Legacy)• 100%
5. Original Duplicate # 4--ON • Hue (Legacy) • 100%
4. Original Duplicate # 3--ON • Lighten • 100%
3. Original Duplicate # 2--ON • Difference • 100%
2. Original Duplicate # 1--ON • Difference • 100%
1. Filtered Layer: Transparency Eliminate Black • Normal • 100%
0. Background Layer: Filled with Zebra flood-fill • Normal • 100%

Note: for the sample I posted the top two layers were turned off. The top layer (6) turned on would show no change, for convenience, it is easier to have a copy of what you are changing on top then turn it on and off for comparison. I know many people leave this on the bottom but there is no reason to do so. Layer 5 I also turned off because it brings the hues back to
exactly what the file was originally, but with a transparent background. With the zebra background, I found the more intense colors more eye appealing, suited the subject matter.

Unfortunately, in PI, Eliminate White and Black do not work, but it works in PS, PP and PSP. I did all this in PaintShopPro primarily because I knew there was a zebra background to use.

Probably could have imported the file into PI, saving as a .psd and did the other layers as shown above, but PI does not have the Hue (Legacy) just like Paint Shop Pro, and neither does Photoshop. PS's colors are somewhat different.

The Photoshop layers would be as follows for the same result:

7. Original (to be used for comparison)--OFF • Normal • 100%
6. Original Duplicate # 5--OFF • Hue • 100%
5. Duplicate Layer #2--ON • Screen • 63%
4. Duplicate Layer #1--ON • Screen • 63%
3. Original Duplicate # 2--ON • Lighten • 100%
2. Original Duplicate # 1--ON • Difference • 100%
1. Filtered Layer: Transparency Eliminate Black • Normal • 100%
0. Background Layer: Filled with Zebra flood-fill • Normal • 100%


The PhotoImpact layers would be as follows for the same result:

7. Original (to be used for comparison)--OFF • Normal • 0%
6. Duplicate Layer #1--ON • Addition • 71%
5. Original Duplicate--ON • If Lighter • 0%
4. Original Duplicate--ON • Colorize • 0%
3. Original Duplicate # 2--ON • Lighten • 0%
2. Original Duplicate # 1--ON • Difference • 0%
1. Filtered Layer: Transparency Eliminate Black • Normal • 0%
0. Background Layer: Filled with Zebra flood-fill • Normal • 0%

Note also, PI views transparency like PhotoPaint with your transparency values inverted from Photoshop. Note also that because I was not able to use the Eliminate Black filter in PI, this must be imported from any program that can do this.

However why stop there? Since the above descriptions render the same approximate graphic output, lets add what PI can do that the others well, will have a hard time to do and why I love PI even if it has to sometimes rely on other programs.