Working with the plugin
You can watch a flash movie demonstrating the technique of using the plugin in its all three modes:
Click here (flash-movie, 6,8 Mb)
Follow this instruction to cut out an object using SmartMask:
- Step 1. Open an image in your photo editor.
-
Step 2. Copy the image to a new layer (Duplicate Layer).
-
Step 3. Call AKVIS SmartMask plugin. For this purpose select
the command Filter > AKVIS > SmartMask in Adobe Photoshop
; in Corel (Jasc) Paint Shop Pro it will be the menu item Effects >
Plugins -> AKVIS > SmartMask; in Corel PHOTO-PAINT call the command
Effects > AKVIS > SmartMask. The plugin will open with the image loaded
into the workspace.
- Step 4. Depending on the type of the object's edges, you can choose
between three processing modes (Sharp, Soft and Complex)
by clicking on the corresponding tab in the Settings panel.
By default the plugin uses the Sharp mode .
-
Sharp mode. This mode
suits for images with a good contrast level and for objects with sharp
edges (buildings, clothes, machines...).
 
-
Soft mode. This mode is
good for selecting objects with not clearly defined edges (hair, fluff,
fur...).
 
-
Complex mode. This mode
is especially good for selecting complex objects - transparent or glass
objects, objects that have the same color range as the background (trees,
dishware, soap bubble...)
 
Hint: | For
some images it is enough to use only one mode, for others you
may need to use all three modes. |
Attention!
| You can start working in any of these three
modes, but to achieve a good result it is advisable to work consequently
(for example, if you start working in the Complex mode and then
try to switch to one of the preceding tabs, the changes will be cancelled
and the image will be processed with the settings of the current tab). |
- Step 5. Cut out the required object in accordance with the instructions
for the chosen mode.
- Step 6. Before you apply the result and close the plugin, you can
save the mask (the drawn strokes, color areas, and the settings) into a separate
file. For this purpose, just click on
 .
In the future you will be able to load the mask from the file (with the button
 ) and edit it.
- Step 7. Click on
to apply the result and close the plugin. The selected object will appear
in the worspace of your photo editor.
| |
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— Working with the plugin