Another selection question

[Doc]

I've had an image of the shoulder patch for the ship I was stationed on, the USS Oriskany, for some time. I'd like to use it for one of my web pages but the border of the patch is too jagged for my likes. I had hoped to either create a slightly smaller selection then do a cut to smooth out the edges...or make a selection slightly larger and do a fill.

My problem stems from trying to create a smooth selection on an arc (I don't have the steadiest hands :\ ). Any suggestions on the best method?

Thanks in advance as always.

Doc

 

[ooptea]

can you post the entire pic it might help to determine the best way to get the image

 

[Doc]

That is the entire picture...just the patch on a transparent background. To 'grab' the picture, you can right click on the patch, then select 'save picture as' (using IE).

 

[Doc]

By the way, this is the best I've been able to come up with.

First, I filled in the background with black. Then I found that by increasing the image size by changing the pixels per inch from the default 72 to 150 before I made any selections, the selections were smoother. Using the eliptical marque, inversing and deleting, then reducing the resolution back to 72, I was able to accomplish a fair representation of what I wanted. I just thought there must be an easier way.

 

[Sark]

Doc

There are lots of ways of doing this, but the following may help if you don't have a steady hand.

Open the image in PS and use the magic wand to select around/outside the image. Invert the selection. Then open the Channels palette and save the selection as an Alpha channel.

With the Channel selected apply gaussian blur to the Channel to remove all jaggies. Next open the Levels dialogue and drag the two end sliders together an equal distance to remove the blur.

You can now load the selection and use it to trim the edges of your patch. Just shrink the selection slightly via Select/Modify, if necessary.

Sark

 

[nitrobutler]

All I did was increase my Magic wand tolarance to 50 and was able to get this.
but for a cleaner cut, why not use the Pen tool.
I'm a former squid as well

 

[Doc]

Sark,

Thanks for the tips. Here's my result using your method. I trimmed the ends a bit and there's still a bit of a wave at the top but it looks much better now.

Nitro,

LOL...yes, the USS Nitro. Obviously an ammunitions ship. [confused] Glad to know there is another 'old salt' on the board.