Magic Wand to Shape

**Sheff** · 12 February 2010, 05:51 PM

When I bring bitmaps into Xtreme and cut out custom shapes, I find the method of choosing point by point nodes to be tedious, especially on complex images. It would be awesome to have a 'Magic Wand' tool, that when you're finished using it, it becomes a vector shape. Then you could use this vector shape to punch a hole in the bitmap or apply a mask to it.

I used to import channels into Xara and trace them, but that takes a long time. If in Xtreme, we could see the alpha channels of bitmaps that have transparency and edit them, that would be awesome.

**Albacore** · 13 February 2010, 03:52 PM

Sheff my answer is the same as Steve's was on levels! You have the mask tool that you have asked for if you upgraded. Have a look on the top menu bar right next to the Magnetic " Snap to Objects Tool. Then use the Freehand and Brush Tool to draw around your bitmap and if you want to be accurate mover your slider down to give more nodes.

**MarcT** · 14 February 2010, 01:16 PM

It would be handy if the freehand tool would 'snap' to contrasted edges, a bit like the magnetic lasso in PS.
Maybe if you turn snap on in Mask mode?

Marc

**Sheff** · 14 March 2010, 04:07 PM

Let's say that you have someone with a big afro or a tree with sky coming through the branches. Would you do this a mask in Xara?

I don't think the mask function in Xara is easy or intuitive.

It's still easier to use either a clipping mask intersect shapes.

**jvila** · 14 April 2010, 01:05 AM

I agree with sheff,
I'am very skilled with shape and freehand but many, many, many people asked and ask how to remove background constantly and I think wand tool is a much easier tool to do this.