Cropping related help

rohan709 · **Joined:** Aug 27, 2015 **Posts:** 2

GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: Windows XP
GIMP Experience: New User
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Hi,

I am new to GIMP, have been using it only for a few days.
I am required to extract a lot of objects from images and I have been doing so using the Free Select tool and have been fairly successful in doing so

I select the object using the Free Select tool, then Invert the selection and delete the selected part.

But there have been many times when I am halfway through the selection and it automatically connects to the starting point..thereby selecting only half the object. I have to then start again from the beginning and that's driving me nuts!

Is there a way by which I can undo the selection and continue again to complete the whole object.

I have attached an image for what exactly happens. I am supposed to select the entire squirrel. I started at the tip of the ear and when I was at the end of the tail it automatically got connected to the first point. Is there a way by which I can undo this?

Thank You

sallyanne · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:00 am **(#2)**

Only way i know of is to start all over again and just hope it goes well for you this time. I fimd I have that problem when trying to outline with paths sometimes.

Just Go to select . select . none and start again. Hopefully someone has a better way to deal with this problem.

By the way. Welcome to Gimp Chat!.

david · **Joined:** Nov 15, 2014 **Posts:** 875

Have you tried the G'MIC filter "Extract foreground"? It may be quicker and more effective for what you are trying to achieve.

david.

Issabella · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:20 am **(#4)**

Welcome to the forum rohan709

About your problem, perhaps it'd be easier for you to use "Quick Mask" = Shift+Q. It will give to your pick a red mask and you have to use eraser tool and apply it on the object to be selected, when you finish it and remove the red mask (shift +Q) you have the selection on.

jazzon · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:29 am **(#5)**

Issabella I've been trying to figure out how to use that tool forever. DO you know of good tut on the subject?

Issabella · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:41 am **(#6)**

jazzon, it's only to put the mask which is at the left bottom of the screen (a very little square) and let yourself good visibility if necessary zoom too. and using eraser you have to apply on the object. After doing that when you remove the mask you have on the selection. I don't have any tutorial, sorry. and my English no very good either to make myself understood.

Erisian · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:32 am **(#7)**

When I use the free select tool, I use it to cut away small parts of the background at a time, saving as I go. So don't select the object, select parts of the background then CTRL-X to cut and CTRL-S to save.

happydays · **Joined:** Feb 09, 2015 **Posts:** 110

Welcome rohan709

I would agree with david and suggest you try the GMIC filter.

Check out the following tutorial.

Video from : www.youtube.com

(The GMIC filters are a plugin)

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:45 am **(#9)**

Hi Rohan709 and welcome to Gimp Chat.

This can sometime occur inadvertently while using the Free Select tool.
It happens when you double-click the left mouse button on the canvas, or if you're using a tablet, when you tap twice on the canvas. What happens when you inadvertently do this, is that it will connect both end points of your selection with a straight line. As shown in your attached image.

There is no need to start over. Merely selecting the Add to current selection icon in the Tool options dialog of the Free select tool and continue your selection. You can also remove unwanted parts from your selection by clicking on the Remove form current selection Tool options icon. This way there's no need to start over with your selection.

Note: Remember to deselect the "remove for current selection" icon form the Free select Tool options dialog, before continuing to add any further selections to your image.
Also, the Gimp default Tool option for the Free select tool is set to Replace current selection in the Free select Tool options dialog.

david · **Joined:** Nov 15, 2014 **Posts:** 875

A bit more information on the G'MIC filter "Extract foreground".
The video from Ronounours is an excellent starting point. However, if you set the Output mode (on the right side) to: RGBA foreground+background (2layers) and output (on the left side) to: New layer(s) - thanks happydays - you will have three layers; the original, the background, and the foreground.

Any tidying-up that is necessary can then be done quickly with the clone tool in registered mode. This mode makes it possible to clone between layers or even different images. The erase tool will then remove anything not required.

This is a technique it took me some time to learn (and only with a great deal of help from this message board). I now use it very frequently.

david.

rohan709 · **Joined:** Aug 27, 2015 **Posts:** 2

Hi

first of all thank you everyone for the replies

I tried the G'MIC filter, but since the images I am working on have very high resolution (4200 x 2900) and me having an outdated computer....its taking forever for the process to get done. Around 25 - 30 mins for one image. But I would agree the results were pretty amazing!

The red mask option isn't working that accurately for me.

I am continuing with the free select tool with the addition of 'add to current selection' option and that's helping a bit

Thank you again for the help

Wallace · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:58 am **(#12)**

rohan709 wrote:

Hi

first of all thank you everyone for the replies

I tried the G'MIC filter, but since the images I am working on have very high resolution (4200 x 2900) and me having an outdated computer....its taking forever for the process to get done. Around 25 - 30 mins for one image. But I would agree the results were pretty amazing!

The red mask option isn't working that accurately for me.

I am continuing with the free select tool with the addition of 'add to current selection' option and that's helping a bit

Thank you again for the help

I'm happy that we were able to help.
Here's another way you might go about removing the background.
.....

Attachment:

squirrel.png [ 566.18 KiB | Viewed 1311 times ]

The screenshot above shows the use of a Layer Mask to help remove the background form the image.
This was quickly done in just a few minutes.
If more attention to detail is given to the layer mask painting, the better the end product will be.
.....

I duplicated the main image of the squirrel and inverted it's color.
Then using the Fuzzy Select tool :fuzzsel

to selected the squirrel.
After I had as much of the squirrel selected that I could with the Fuzzy Select tool.
I then created a new layer and filled the selection on the new layer with white.
Created another new layer and filled it entirely with black and merged both the white squirrel and the black layer together.
I added a Layer Mask to the original image and copied the Black and White squirrel image into the layer mask.
.....

Here's a video below, that can show you a basic way to do this.
The video does differ form the way that I did it, but it also shows how you can use a layer mask to remove the background form an image.

Video from : www.youtube.com