cropping tool??

[dkb]

Is there a user friendly cropping tool available in any free program
that could crop a couture of a picture (not a rectangular crop)?

 

[David Candy]

Microsoft Paint. Look on the Start menu. Top of the toolbar next to square one - looks like a star. Select and copy to new picture rather than cropping.

 

[David Candy]

Paint does have a help file too.

 

[dkb]

Microsoft Paint. Look on the Start menu. Top of the toolbar next to square one - looks like a star. Select and copy to new picture rather than cropping.

Thanks for the guidance. I do not know how to cull-out only the exact
image portion that I want from the big image. Using the tool gets some
portions of the background of the picture also. My marking of an exact
portion fails me.

Recently I was in a photographic lab. I was watching a technician in
front of a monitor and he with a few clicks took out the portion of the
image that I gave him on a floppy drive. I think he did not use a tool
to select that portion.
My question: is there any program that could do it?

 

[Yves Alarie]

Free software for cropping to anything you want:

www.faststone.org

 

[dkb]

Free software for cropping to anything you want:

www.faststone.org

Probably I am not explaining my problem properly--- I shall replete it
again---- I have a picture which shows two persons? Out of the picture I
want to extract only one person from the picture --- cropping crops a
rectangular picture---- the MS paint ‘star tool’ copies for me not an
exact portion inside the contour of the picture that I want (because of
my limitations in the smooth hand drawing) and thus I am not in a
position to extract it with these programs?

 

[John Inzer]

Probably I am not explaining my problem properly--- I
shall replete it again---- I have a picture which shows
two persons? Out of the picture I want to extract only
one person from the picture --- cropping crops a
rectangular picture---- the MS paint ‘star tool’ copies
for me not an exact portion inside the contour of the
picture that I want (because of my limitations in the
smooth hand drawing) and thus I am not in a position to
extract it with these programs?

===================================
Sounds like you are trying to make a cutout.
Try the free 60 day trial version of MS Digital
Image...(I've added instructions on making
the cutout below)

This is a downloadable trial version with much
of the functionality of MS Digital Image Suite
2006.

Once your 60 day trial period has ended, the
program will de-feature to minimal functionality.

Microsoft Digital Image
Starter Edition 2006
http://tinyurl.com/8x6ea

Be aware that it's a 109 MB download....


How to save a cutout as a separate object:

First, choose the Freehand Selection Tool
and carefully outline your subject by Left click
/ Dragging your Pointer. Just think of carefully
cutting out a paperdoll with scissors.


After you define your selection (cutout), copy
the selected object by typing...Ctrl+C...
(Also...you can add the cutout as a separate
layer to the original image by typing...Ctrl+D)

Now... open a blank canvas by left clicking
the "New" button (or Ctrl+N)...and Paste the
cutout...Ctrl+V...the blank will autofit the cutout.


You can smooth the edges of your finished
cutout by going to...Effects / Edges / Soft...
one or two points should do it.

So the simple steps are...

1) Define your selection with the
Advanced Selection tools...
2) Ctrl+C
3) Ctrl+N
4) Ctrl+V

Now you can open the image that you wish
to add the cutout to and drag the cutout onto
it. The cutout can be resized by dragging the
corner handles and repositioned by dragging
the 4-way arrow. Also...a selected object can
be nudged into position with your arrow keys.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP
How to ask a newsgroup question:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Jim]

Thanks for the guidance. I do not know how to cull-out only the exact
image portion that I want from the big image. Using the tool gets some
portions of the background of the picture also. My marking of an exact
portion fails me.

Recently I was in a photographic lab. I was watching a technician in front
of a monitor and he with a few clicks took out the portion of the image
that I gave him on a floppy drive. I think he did not use a tool to select
that portion.
My question: is there any program that could do it?

It seems there must be otherwise the technician could not remove things that
easily. A person at one of the local print shops remarked that they have a
very advanced and comprehensive version of Photoshop at his place which is
far more capable that CS2. Maybe that is what they were using. He did
mention that their version of Photoshop cost $100,000. It ought to be much
more comprehensive that CS2 at that price.
Jim

 

[dkb]

===================================
Sounds like you are trying to make a cutout.
Try the free 60 day trial version of MS Digital
Image...(I've added instructions on making
the cutout below)

This is a downloadable trial version with much
of the functionality of MS Digital Image Suite
2006.

Once your 60 day trial period has ended, the
program will de-feature to minimal functionality.

Microsoft Digital Image
Starter Edition 2006
http://tinyurl.com/8x6ea

Be aware that it's a 109 MB download....


How to save a cutout as a separate object:

First, choose the Freehand Selection Tool
and carefully outline your subject by Left click
/ Dragging your Pointer. Just think of carefully
cutting out a paperdoll with scissors.


After you define your selection (cutout), copy
the selected object by typing...Ctrl+C...
(Also...you can add the cutout as a separate
layer to the original image by typing...Ctrl+D)

Now... open a blank canvas by left clicking
the "New" button (or Ctrl+N)...and Paste the
cutout...Ctrl+V...the blank will autofit the cutout.


You can smooth the edges of your finished
cutout by going to...Effects / Edges / Soft...
one or two points should do it.

So the simple steps are...

1) Define your selection with the
Advanced Selection tools...
2) Ctrl+C
3) Ctrl+N
4) Ctrl+V

Now you can open the image that you wish
to add the cutout to and drag the cutout onto
it. The cutout can be resized by dragging the
corner handles and repositioned by dragging
the 4-way arrow. Also...a selected object can
be nudged into position with your arrow keys.

Thanks for your detalied guidance. I shall download this file later at
the time when there is lean Internet traffice at this time in this part
of the world.
I am sorry not to have defined the problem properly---yes it is the
cutout (proper word) that I am in need of. I shall try it and see
whether later I can afford it to purchase.

 

[John Inzer]

Thanks for your detalied guidance. I shall download this
file later at the time when there is lean Internet
traffice at this time in this part of the world.

=========================================
You're welcome. BTW, what part of the world
are you posting from?
=========================================

I am sorry not to have defined the problem properly---yes
it is the cutout (proper word) that I am in need of. I
shall try it and see whether later I can afford it to
purchase.

=========================================
Let us know if you require further assistance.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP
How to ask a newsgroup question:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[dkb]

=========================================
You're welcome. BTW, what part of the world are you posting from?
=========================================


=========================================
Let us know if you require further assistance.

Thank You very much. I have downloaded the file and used it. Yes this is
what I needed. I am from India.
Thanks again.

 

[John Inzer]

Thank You very much. I have downloaded
the file and used it. Yes this is what I needed.
I am from India.
Thanks again.

==================================
Excellent! Thanks for the update.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP
How to ask a newsgroup question:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Michael J. Mahon]

Thank You very much. I have downloaded the file and used it. Yes this is
what I needed. I am from India.

In Photoshop (and Photoshop Elements) this is called "selection", and
can be done either by free drawing, assisted drawing (magic wand), or
by color range. For many photos, color range provides a very good start
at a mask, which can be easily touched up by drawing in quickmask mode.

For difficult cases (like fine or blowing hair against a background)
there are great (but expensive) add-ins for Photoshop (like Knockout)
that create extremely detailed masks quickly.

For most people, who rarely have a difficult case, the ordinary
process is best, but may require some patience in detailed areas
with little color contrast.

-michael

Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."

 

[dkb]

In Photoshop (and Photoshop Elements) this is called "selection", and
can be done either by free drawing, assisted drawing (magic wand), or
by color range. For many photos, color range provides a very good start
at a mask, which can be easily touched up by drawing in quickmask mode.

For difficult cases (like fine or blowing hair against a background)
there are great (but expensive) add-ins for Photoshop (like Knockout)
that create extremely detailed masks quickly.

For most people, who rarely have a difficult case, the ordinary
process is best, but may require some patience in detailed areas
with little color contrast.

-michael

Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."

Thanks for yet another guidance. I do not have Photoshop.Whenever I am
in a position to purchase it, I would love to try this too. For the time
being this Microsoft Digital Image Starter edition has done my job and
I feel it is a user friendly program and has a very simple procedure for
the item that I wanted and besides has a 60 days trial period and then
the cost $69.95.

 

[robert]

Hi your first step Should Be Make A Copy never work on the original.

 

[Michael J. Mahon]

Hi your first step Should Be Make A Copy never work on the original.

Or just learn to *always* use "Save as..." and rename your
derivative files with derivative names.

-michael

Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."