Selecting Hair?

[jebus314]

Any tips on how to select hair? There are some people around here that are pretty awesome at it.

[Hypertaf]

There are many ways to do that depending on how intricate the background is. I generally use channels to create a selection mask. Here is a good tutorial that explains that technique. For more intricate backgrounds you may have to use a combination of different techniques to get a clean mask but for the most part channels work well.

Here's a good vid, you can apply the same technique to mask all kinds of very detailed subjects.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/tj-SjDE1ldg&rel=0" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/tj-SjDE1ldg&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/tj-SjDE1ldg&rel=0</a></a>

Hope it helps!

[Hitspinner]

Nice tut!
Generally I just capture the bulk of the hair that is available without any background showing through.
Then I paste it down and expand it out far enough where I can select three or four of the primary color pixels such as  dark, mid tones, and highlights and draw in the individual strands. Then I take the smudge tool and rub over the newly illustrated areas at 5-8% until a blend is achieved.

[JannaR]

Real nice Taf! But unfortunately, it don't work for me. I don't have PS3 I have PSP8. I usually use the technique HS uses.

[oblomov]

Being the proud owner of Photoshop CS WTF, I think the choice of models is important ; I have a soft spot for Telly Savalas, Britney Spears and Yul Whatshisname.
In the animal kingdom, you may have noticed that reptiles are very popular in PS contests ?
Avoid spiders, insects and bicycles

[JannaR]

I hear ya! Them bicycles give me the heebee jeebees! 

[Hitspinner]

I believe the three toughest chops in the craft are spider webs, shattered glass and tall ship rigging. I have tortured myself attemnpting all three several times. Hair is child's play in comparrison hahahahah
Bicycle spokes I believe are a firm fourth.

[JannaR]

Agreed! Although, ya can't leave out suspension bridges, and those massive electrical towers.

[oblomov]

It's easier to put hair on balds and reptiles than masking out fluff dried rastas. (ie with brushes)
There are spiderweb and piliferous brushes, I've yet to find a bicycle wheel brush

[Hitspinner]

Agreed! Although, ya can't leave out suspension bridges, and those massive electrical towers.

Oh yeah, have not tried suspension bridges or electrical tower. I have chopped an oil derik (sp) or two and those were challanging. I guess anything with thin diagonal lines are probably going to cause headaches in masking and better erassed and reillustrated..

I was talking with Funkwood a while back about a new pixel design that is a diamond centered in a square with the primaries R-Y-C & Black that fill the remaining quadrants and are unchangable. The only changable parts of the pixel is the diamond which can change to any of the three primaries whereas the 4 quadrants provide stable saturation. It's an interesting concept but would require a total different processor.
 But I think redesigning the pixel to be an hexagon is the solution for eliminating that jagged diagonal line problem to a marked degree. 30% more space would be filled thus eliminating much of the stair staggering effect.
 Ahhh if only it were a perfect world LOL

[JannaR]

Hex pixels wouls be soooooooooooo cool.Then we could call them hexels!

[Hypertaf]

Hex pixels wouls be soooooooooooo cool.Then we could call the hexels!

I'm all for the hexels! Should we start campaigning? 

[JannaR]

Why, yes.....I do believe we should!

[Hypertaf]

[JannaR]

LOL! Yea!....Pixels are for squares!