Cutting Image Backgrounds for better eBay Pictures | Photoshop

We need the following to complete this tutorial. The image manipulation may not be a walk in the park but it's not that hard either. In the end, you'll be smiling thinking... not bad. Hopefully.

• A notebook/laptop or personal computer running on Windows XP or better.


• Any image which you want the background removed. Or you can use the example here.


• Adobe Photoshop 6 or above


• A mug of coffee or can of soda

LOAD PHOTOSHOP: Double click on the Photoshop icon on your desktop or windows menu.

OPEN IMAGE TO EDIT: Use the shortcut key, CTRL + O (press and hold the ctrl key down then press letter O). Locate and select the file you want to edit. Then click the OPEN button.

And your Photoshop screen should look more or less like the picture below.

Dat was very easy... right? See your done with step 2.

CREATE A DUPLICATE LAYER: From the Menu Bar, click Layer then Duplicate. Then Click the OK button.

Lower right corner of your Photoshop screen should look something like this image.

On that same corner, click on the lowest "eye" icon. This would disable the background leaving you with the duplicate layer.

Now maximize the duplicate image. This will provide as with a bigger canvas to work in.

Easy wasn't it? I told you it just looks hard.

Select the Pen Tool from the left panel border menu. You won't miss it because it looks like the head of an old fashioned fountain pen. Aptly named. OR you can simply press "P" (quotes not included). This is the shortcut for activating the pen tool.

Engage the paths option. It's located below the overhead menu. I'm afraid I don't know the shortcut for it. Click on the icon which is a square with a pen head inside. you won't miss it. See the picture below... yup that icon the cursor is pointing at. Click that baby!!!

Too easy? Of course it's easy. I know you can do it. I'll be with you every step of the way.

ADD AN ANCHOR: You have your pen tool ready? Cool. Notice the image and visualize an outline. Imagine the major points in that online. A point in the sharp corner... a point here... a point there. So that when this points are connected you get a rough outline of the image. So using your pen tool click on your first anchor point.

DOTS... think of it as connect the dots. Once you have clicked the first anchor or dot... click on the anchor on your imagined outline. Take note that we do not have to get the exact outline, just a ROUGH outline.

Do the anchoring or dot thing around your imagined outline until you return to your originating point. This would result into a fine rough outline enclosing your image.

What we are about to do is to fine tune the rough outline you created to enclose the true image outline as close as possible.

The image should be zoomed or enlarged. It's easy... press Z and a magnifying glass pointer appears. If it has the negative sign on it then look at the upper most left corner and click on the magnifying glass icon with a plus sign on it. When the magnifying glass pointer has the plus sign, use it to click on the image.

Ugrade your pen tool into an Anchor Point Tool. Do this by clicking on the pen tool button on the left border menu and expanding it to show different pen tool upgrades. Choose the Anchor Point Tool from the options presented. (Hey!!! Don't forget to zoom you image, okay?) Better see this image.





Now we go back to your hopefully zoomed image. Let's start near your point of origin (remember Step 5). Find connected dotted lines that do not hug the image. Click on it using your Anchor Tool. A small square point will appear. Also your entire rough outline will resolve into movable anchor points.










Ease that point close to the image. Click on the point hold and drag it as close as possible to the image. Take note that you can add as many points across your rough outline. Use this anchor points by dragging them close to your image.











Use the control lines of each anchor point you add to bring a little more fine tuning on curves. This control line is the one that appears with each anchor button It is a line with points on its tip. You can drag this point anyway you want... up down, left, right, stretch... every move affects the outline. Try and it and get the hang of its effect.













Please repeat until you have the entire image covered. Your rough outline should hug your image very closely by now. Adjust the anchor points where needed. Accuracy would result into a better output. Piece of cake? A BIG CAKE. But a cake nevertheless.

Look at your outlined image. Are you satisfied? Or do you still need a little more fine tuning? Granting your ok with every thing... position your cursor inside the image and right click.

In the options provided choose "Make Selection". Then click the OK button on the dialog box that appears. This should make your entire outline into a some sort of moving "worms". I don't have the words OK? So see for yourself. " :-)














Finally, use the shortcut key CTRL+C (yup just like copying text) to copy the everything inside the "moving outline". Then create a new photoshop file. Use the shortcut key CTRL+N. Click the OK button on the dialog box that pops up. You will be presented with a clean photoshop canvas (all white). THEN (music please...) click on that white canvas and paste the image. Using the shortcut key CTRL+V (yep just like pasting text) would be much easier.

Then save this new image first in PSD format. Then save it or export it into another format say JPG, GIF, PNG... or whatever you think is suitable. Now it's ready for an eBay listing.

End of tutorial.. well that went well, I think. Did it? Well I left out a few details on this tutorial. And I intentionally chose this image to give you a little bit of a hard time. This way you'll be forced to learn or discover a few things on your own. I believe things gleaned this way are hard to forget. My apologies.

Now don't ever limit yourself on a white background. Imagine the possibilities this trick has. Use it on images of people and you can change the background to almost anything. Change the background of your picture to that of a beach in Hawaii.. or in the company of celebrities. Only your imagination limits the possibilities.

Develop this skill and you may even earn from it. I myself have earned a little bit just changing backgrounds of images by clients. The greatest work I've done was a family portrait for an Australian that included people who have passed away. :-) HOW? That would be on another lens.