Expert: LizaL - 2/6/2007

Question
How can I clean up a image? I have this logo and some of the edges of the image is rough or jagged. I want to know how can I make the edges of my design more smooth and straight instead of rough along the edges?

Answer
Hi Cliff,

It's kind of hard to say, without first seeing the picture, but generally speaking there are LOTs of ways to clean up rough edges.

1. If your picture has a square border, it's very simple to use the Eraser tool, set to Block, and hold down your Shift key while erasing along the sides, top and bottom of the edges. Then you can use the Trim command (found under the Image pulldown menu) to tighten it up, since you'll have made your picture smaller. (Holding down the Shift key will constrain the movement of any tool you're using -- and in this case, while holding down Shift, the Eraser tool will only make straight movements, instead of side-to-side.)

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/cleanup1.mov


2. But if your image has curves and round spots, you might try using the Magic Wand tool to select and delete pixels.

Here's an example:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/mwand.mov

The higher the number you enter in the Tolerance box (under the pulldown menus at the top of the screen), the broader the range of colors similar to the one you've clicked on with the Magic Wand tool.


3. One of the easiest ways to clean up rought edges is using the Eraser tool with its option set to Brush -- but you need a steady hand for that.


4. Or you could always use the Quick Mask option -- this method will let you go into a masking mode, allowing you to "paint" the areas you want to delete. Then when you exit Quick Mask, you've automatically selected the offending areas and can delete them.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/quickmask1.mov

In that little example, I enter Quick Mask mode by clicking on the appropriate button (right below the fore- and background color swatches). While in Quick Mask mode, I use the Brush tool to paint the pepper you see in the upper right of the picture. When I exit Quick Mask mode (by clicking on the button to the left of the 'enter' button), the pepper I painted is selected. In the example movie I put the pepper on a different layer, but you can just as easily select Cut from the Edit menu and delete it altogether.

So you could essentially use this same technique for cleaning up a picture.


5. You might also use Extract. This is a filter found under the Filter pulldown menu.

When you go into Extract, you'll see your image in the center of the screen, and in the toolbox to the left you'll see a Magic Marker tool at the top of the palette. Select this (if it isn't already selected), and then paint around the image you want to extract from the picture. Make sure your line is connected. Then use the Paint Bucket tool and click on the center of your image, within the Magic Marker lines. Hit OK and your selected image will be extracted from the overall picture.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/extract2.mov

This technique sometimes leaves behind bits of 'trash' and can require cleanup, but it's effective for quickly extracting part of a picture.



Like I say, it's difficult to say which tools and method will work best for you -- but feel free to post your image online and send me the link. I'll be happy to advise you more clearly, from that standpoint.

Lisa