Create a Circular Image

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I have elements 6 & NX2 I have a show I'm re-vamping and have a rectangular picture of the moon and a picture of the galaxy. In the O&A window I want to animate the moon picture, can I get a circular moon????? I've tried for about 4 hours by using the circular marque tool cropping inverting and deleting but i've failed, can anyone put me right.

Yachtsman1

[Lin Evans]

Hi Eric,

You must first create a transparent layer, copy and paste the moon image on this then erase the parts you don't want to show and save the file as a PNG.

Rather than learn now, why don't you post a link to the image of the moon and I'll quickly do it for you then you can practice with the original and learn the process?

If you like, just use this one:

http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/eric/ericmoon.png

Best regards,

Lin

I have elements 6 & NX2 I have a show I'm re-vamping and have a rectangular picture of the moon and a picture of the galaxy. In the O&A window I want to animate the moon picture, can I get a circular moon????? I've tried for about 4 hours by using the circular marque tool cropping inverting and deleting but i've failed, can anyone put me right.

Yachtsman1

[fh1805]

Eric,

To create the moon image proceed as follows:

• Create a new image in Elements 6 ensuring that "Background Contents" is set to "Transparent"
  
• Open the moon image
  
• Select all of the moon image (Select...All)
  
• Copy the selection to the clipboard (Edit...Copy)
  
• Switch to the new image
  
• Paste the clipboard contents (Edit...Paste)
  
• Use the Magic Wand Tool to select the moon
  
• Invert the selection (Select...Inverse)
  
• Delete the selection (Edit...Cut)
  
• Save this image as a .PNG file
  

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks Lin & Peter.

For the time being I have used Lins moon, however Peter, I think I got the proceedure correct but was saving as a JPEG not a PNG file. I will have a go later and report back. Thanks again to both.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[fh1805]

Eric,

You have to save as a .PNG in order to preserve the transparency of the background. A JPEG will convert the transparent part to whatever your default background colour is in Photoshop (usually white).

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

You have to save as a .PNG in order to preserve the transparency of the background. A JPEG will convert the transparent part to whatever your default background colour is in Photoshop (usually white).

regards,

Peter

Hi Peter

Had a couple of tries using your instructions but I am still coming un-stuck somewhere. The magic wand, I haven't used before, read the instruction in the elements help, which didn't say much so I have assumed that I just select the wand, place it on the moon part of the image an click? Also in the final save stage I got the attached message, which I left as shown. The result did not delete the background, why I still don't know.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[JRR]

Hi Peter

Had a couple of tries using your instructions but I am still coming un-stuck somewhere. The magic wand, I haven't used before, read the instruction in the elements help, which didn't say much so I have assumed that I just select the wand, place it on the moon part of the image an click? Also in the final save stage I got the attached message, which I left as shown. The result did not delete the background, why I still don't know.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

Eric:

Did you do the INVERT selection and DELETE as per Peter's instructions (second and third last points)?

I click on OK when I get the dialogue box you attached to your post (leaving it at NONE)

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi JRR

Yes I followed it to the letter, but for some reason I can't make it work. I'm now wondering if it's due to my base image which has been messed around with in elements by using the crop, & eliptical marque tool. I'll find another & give it a try again.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Had another try with a new image, failed again, original background still present.

This is the instructions given that I'm guessing, but could be guessing wrongly, these are the instructions and what I am actually doing.

1 Create a new image in Elements 6 ensuring that "Background Contents" is set to "Transparent"

2 Open the moon image

3 Select all of the moon image (Select...All)

4 Copy the selection to the clipboard (Edit...Copy)

5 Switch to the new image. (Here I am going to FILE NEW IMAGE FROM CLIPBOARD which I'm unsure is correct?

Paste the clipboard contents (Edit...Paste)

Use the Magic Wand Tool to select the moon. HERE I'M SELECTING THE WAND, PLACING IT OVER THE MOON & CLICKING???

Invert the selection (Select...Inverse)

Delete the selection (Edit...Cut)

Save this image as a .PNG file

Can someone spot where I am fouling up?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[JRR]

Had another try with a new image, failed again, original background still present.

This is the instructions given that I'm guessing, but could be guessing wrongly, these are the instructions and what I am actually doing.

1 Create a new image in Elements 6 ensuring that "Background Contents" is set to "Transparent"

2 Open the moon image

3 Select all of the moon image (Select...All)

4 Copy the selection to the clipboard (Edit...Copy)

5 Switch to the new image. (Here I am going to FILE NEW IMAGE FROM CLIPBOARD which I'm unsure is correct?

Paste the clipboard contents (Edit...Paste)

Use the Magic Wand Tool to select the moon. HERE I'M SELECTING THE WAND, PLACING IT OVER THE MOON & CLICKING???

Invert the selection (Select...Inverse)

Delete the selection (Edit...Cut)

Save this image as a .PNG file

Can someone spot where I am fouling up?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

Eric:

I think you are going wrong at step 5

You should be making the new transparent file you created in step 1 active and then doing the edit paste into it.

That will put the moon picture as layer 1 on a transparent background

Then carry on as you describe

[fh1805]

Spot on, Jim!

Eric, sorry my instructions were unclear but I thought you would have the necessary understanding of Photoshop Elements. As Jim says, at step 5 you need to activate the image created at step 1. In this way you are then working with an image that is based upon a transparent background.

regards,

Peter

[Esc]

Hi Eric!

Ha!!!

I am as bad as you on Photoshop. But this time I can help you.

What is missing in 5. is the way to get rid of the moon.

After copying to the clipboard just Close the moon pix and you will see

your new transparent pix. Then Paste.

/Lennart

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks for all the replies, I will have another go later and report back.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Had another go, but only partial success. When I use the magic wand on the moon pic it ony highlights part of the image. The background has gone but obviously it still isn't correct. Have attached original pic & PNG image.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[JRR]

Eric:

The magic wand selection will only be partial if you click only once, you have to click a number of times to get the selection (with the magic wand set to add to the selection. I can't tell you how to that in Elements as I don't use Elements)

Each time you click the WAND it will add pixels within a range of the value that you click on, you have to work at it to select it all.

You may run into issues when clicking on the darker parts in that it will then select outside the moon. so you have to remove that selection by whatever tools you are familiar with.

If the magic wand doesn't give you the results you want by multiple clicks, you could try the elliptical marquee tool

There are many ways to skin a cat in PhotoShop (Elements) as with any software. Peter's recipe is a very good one.

[davegee]

/

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric:

The magic wand selection will only be partial if you click only once, you have to click a number of times to get the selection (with the magic wand set to add to the selection. I can't tell you how to that in Elements as I don't use Elements)

Each time you click the WAND it will add pixels within a range of the value that you click on, you have to work at it to select it all.

You may run into issues when clicking on the darker parts in that it will then select outside the moon. so you have to remove that selection by whatever tools you are familiar with.

If the magic wand doesn't give you the results you want by multiple clicks, you could try the elliptical marquee tool

There are many ways to skin a cat in PhotoShop (Elements) as with any software. Peter's recipe is a very good one.

Hi Jim

I used the eliptical marque tool before the wand and couldn't get a result, I'll give it another go later when things have quietened down.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[JRR]

Eric

In PhotoShop when I use the ELLIPTICAL MARQUEE tool, I find it very hard sometimes to line up the tool exactly with the round selection I am trying to make, so I go SELECTION > MODIFY and that brings up a rectangle around the selection with "handles" at the corners (and along the edges) to allow you to squeeze/drag whatever until I get the selection the way I want.

I am not sure of you can do that in ELEMENTS

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I have two books on elements, suppose I should read one or the other to see if I can spot where I'm going wrong. I've just finished the show with the moon shot using Lin's moon, so now that's out of the way I'll read up on the subject.

Off to bed now. Night Night.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[fh1805]

Eric,

If you do come to the AV group meeting on Friday, bring the image on a USB stick and I'll show you how to manipulate it.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

If you do come to the AV group meeting on Friday, bring the image on a USB stick and I'll show you how to manipulate it.

regards,

Peter

Thanks Peter, looking OK weatherwise, M has a regular appointment at Darlington eye dep't Friday where they put drops in her eyes which blurs her vision for up to 12 hours, hopefully she will be OK.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I'm back again

After much fiddling & faddling I have come up with this solution, following the previous instructions with the following variation click the wand onto the black background not the moon, don't click inverse just delete which leaves the moon on the transparent layer, admittedly, one edge is a little ragged but I think the wand didn't like the original moon as no matter how many times I clicked on it holding the alt key down, it always left some transparency. Thank you to all who helped, hopefully my time left on this earth will be sufficient to learn a little more.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[JRR]

Eric

Glad you worked it out

As I say, there are many ways to skin a cat in PhotoShop Elements (and the full version). It is a matter of sorting out which one works best for your situation and your comfort level

I am sure Peter explaining things face to face tomorrow will make life much easier