ChrisAnn
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 226 
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ChrisAnn on May 28, 2024 16:26:38 GMT
I've been given a line drawing of a hedgehog on which I've been asked to reduce the number of spikes. It is black and white with the body of the hedgehog solid white sitting on a transparent background. I can do it by 'painting' over the black lines with white. But I am concerned that I will remove more spikes than is needed so I thought now is a chance to learn how to use a layer mask. However I've found that when I remove the black lines I also remove his white 'body'. The hedgehog is ultimately going to be sitting on a blue background as a logo for a Hedgehog Hospital so I want his body to continue to be solid white not transparent.
Is there a way I can achieve this without having to extract the hedgehog from a solid white background. The perimeter of the line drawing isn't completely closed so I can't just extract the unwanted surrounding background.
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Post by Sepiana on May 28, 2024 17:39:14 GMT
Hi ChrisAnn, If you just want to remove some of the black spikes, I would suggest the Spot Healing Brush (Shortcut - J). Select Content Aware Type. Choose a brush size that barely covers the black spike(s) being removed. You can also make a selection of the black spike(s) before using this tool. This will limit the area Elements will search for material to use in the repair. |
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Post by Andrei Doubrovski on May 29, 2024 7:02:43 GMT
Hi ChrisAnn, If you want it absolutely non-destructive I' suggest painting on a layer mask: 1) Create a layer mask (fig. 1) 2) Choose a painting tool -- either Pencil or Brush (fig. 2) 3) Choose black foreground color (fig. 3) 4) Paint on the spikes you wish to hide (fig. 4) (To get a spike back, just paint on it with the white color.) 5) If you prefer the masked area of your image to be white (and not transparent) create a white layer behind the "hedgehog" layer (fig. 5)  |
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ChrisAnn
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 226
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ChrisAnn on May 29, 2024 10:07:17 GMT
Thanks Sepiana and Andrei. I've got the hedgehog on a separate file so that I can 'play' with him and I've followed Andrei's instructions but my white Colour Fill layer (5) is square not oval. When I add him to the rest of the logo surely the white square will show behind the pale blue background.
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Post by Andrei Doubrovski on May 29, 2024 11:54:39 GMT
ChrisAnn,
Please, try the following:
1) [Ctrl]-click the "hedgehog" layer's thumbnail
This should load its opaque area as selection.
2) Create new "Color Fill" layer
The "non-selected" area of new layer gets masked.
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ChrisAnn
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 226
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ChrisAnn on May 29, 2024 13:15:48 GMT
Thanks Andrei, I battled for ages then realised that if I followed your last instruction completely it would do the job (I'd omitted 'Ctrl' when clicking the thumbnail) then, of course, it did exactly as you described. Thanks so much, now I can 'play' to my heart's content.  |
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Post by Andrei Doubrovski on May 29, 2024 13:40:52 GMT
ChrisAnn, you are most welcome!
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Post by Sepiana on May 29, 2024 16:30:37 GMT
Hi ChrisAnn, If you want it absolutely non-destructive I' suggest painting on a layer mask: Andrei, thanks for coming to the rescue! This is exactly what ChrisAnn needed. Kudos to you! |
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