Isolating drawings

[Lexa Gray]

Thanks Damien, I didn't realise this part of your website existed! 

So I think where we left off, you asked me to remove the binder and fix the leaves....Firstly...thankyou for making me do the right thing and do it properly. 

Here it is after that. While I have been waiting to get back onto FB to contact you I had tried the process again from here and still had the same results with it not staying black. You can see from the screen shot that the moment I click on Layer mask it ends up being lighter in sections.

Thankyou!

[Damien Symonds]

Could you send me the file?  (Saved as PSD to preserve the layer and mask)  https://spaces.hightail.com/uplink/BellePhotography 

[Lexa Gray]

Yep done

[Damien Symonds]

Okay, I don't know why it's making a lighter version, but I think I know a way to fix it.

Single-click on the mask thumbnail in the layers panel.  Then press Cmd L to open a Levels window.  Grab the middle slider and move it ALL the way to the left.

[Lexa Gray]

Okay, that seems to work for now. I have a heap to do so I'll just keep doing it that way. As always, you're a champion. 

Out of curiosity, I feel like I read years ago that you are not a photographer and only edit? If so.... how did you get so proficient at editing without being photographer?

[Damien Symonds]

https://www.damiensymonds.net/bio.html

[Lexa Gray]

Okay....new issue....well same issue actually. 

So originally when I sought your help it was because I was hoping there was a much more efficient way to isolate my drawings rather than using the "wand tool" and to try to eliminate some of the white outline that was being selected around the drawings.... And you are brilliant and omg what you showed me is so much quicker! And it selects pretty much ALL of my little black stippling dots with out me having to manually do it.its brilliant.

So screen shots show.... your method and how it good it looks on the red background (rephrase...red background looks shit but to show how clean the selection is) 

And then I had the issue that it was leaving areas of the drawings grey and light  not black. 
So using the levels like suggested.... this is the new issue I have. You can see how much extra crap its picking up with the black image, and then on the red its  showing white outlines around it again....

 

So at this point I can either get it a clean selection but the drawings fade... or I can have a non clean selection but at least its nice and black..lol.

Hope my rambling makes sense. Hellpppppppppppp...is there anything I can do?

I am going to rescan them and make sure they re scanning nice and dark. 

 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Okay, let's try a different way.  Instead of doing that Levels thing, add a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer, and move Brightness to -70.

[Lexa Gray]

It did almost nothing? 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Put a white Solid Color layer beneath everything, so you can properly see what it's doing.