To extract an object from an image, choose Filter ->Extract from the menu bar, or press the Alt + Ctrl + X keys. Both of these actions will invoke the Extract dialog box.

 

The Extract Dialog in Photoshop CS is like an application within an application. It has its own interface with a panel of tools, as well as settings for tool options and extraction and preview options.

 

 

To make an extraction, use the Edge Highlighter tool to make an outline around the object you want to extract. The edge highlighter tool looks like a pen and is located at the top of the tool panel on the left of the Extract dialog box. Basically, the edges of the highlighted area will be contrasted against the background for colour and brightness content. This information will be used to extract the selected area accurately.

 

 On the right, you will see an option for Brush Size under the Tool Options heading. If you click the arrow next to the brush size data field, you will display a slider switch that you can use to increase or decrease the width of the highlighting stroke. You may want to use a narrow brush width for detailed work. You can also change the Highlight and Fill colours by using their respective drop lists available under the Tool Options heading. Also under the Tool Options heading, you will see a checkbox labelled Smart Highlighting. This option will help keep the highlighting strokes snapped to the edge of the region that you are highlighting.

 

 

When you have finished highlighting your object, select the paint bucket tool and then click inside the highlighted area to fill the object with the fill colour.

 

 

You can now choose to preview your extracted object by selecting your preview options from the lower right of the dialog box. The extracted object will be the region that you filled with colour in the previous step. After you set your preview options, click the Preview button to show the extracted object.

 

For this example, a black mat was used for the preview display and the Show Highlight and Show Fill check boxes were cleared.

 

 

Here is a preview of the extracted object. If you are not happy with the result you can reset the Extraction process by pressing and holding the Alt key to make the cancel button a reset button, and then click Reset. Then, you can make your highlight strokes over again. You can also click Cancel and start the whole process over from scratch.

 

To commit to the extraction, click the OK button in the upper right.

 

You will also notice an eraser tool, a zoom tool, and a navigation (hand) tool in the Extract dialog box tool panel. You can select the Zoom tool and then click the image to zoom in on it. (Press the Alt key and click to zoom out.) You can also use the Hand tool to drag the image around if it is too large for the viewing area (i.e. zoomed in), and you can use the Eraser tool to remove unwanted highlighting strokes or mistakes.

 

In the graphic that follows, you can see that the duck has been extracted from its background.

 

 

Once the object has been isolated from its background, you can work with it in a number of ways. For example, you can select it with a marquee tool and copy and paste it where you wish. Remember, because the background is gone, you can make a rectangular selection around the extracted object and copy it for pasting. When you paste, only the extracted image part of the selection will be pasted (because there is no background behind the extracted object).