White or transparent bqackground with Topaz?

Hi, another beginner question, is there a Topaz feature/product for removing a background, or editing it to white? (Like some online apps, i.e. clipping magic?)

Have a look at Topaz Remask.

http://www.topazlabs.com/remask

Remask can remove the background and can also change the transparent background to a color. I often will change the background temporarily while still correctible before finalizing. Artifacts that may not be obvious on the transparency are easier to see on a solid background.

There is also a feature in Studio under Mask where a background can either be removed or simply masked.

Thanks, I will try the mask feature. I downloaded the Remask trial, but I don’t have steady enough hands to get the edge right, at least compared to the auto edge feature in clipping magic. They look at a small keep area and a small remove area and auto calculate the edge for you. Took just a few seconds. Maybe I’m just missing how to do that in Remask?

In topaz studio if you add a color adjustment layer that you set to white, 100% opacity you can than use the mask for that layer to recover what you require to remain. In my video about 50 seconds is what I mean.

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Thanks, I’ll take a look!

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Hi, did find a youtube video that showed selecting areas of the photograph by color with the Topaz software. Seems to be how Inpixio and other similar tools work…

Video is by a Marcus Walker , titled Topaz ReMask 5.0

anyone have thoughts on this? Seems to be the easiest way to go with Topaz software, especially with studio work with a solid background. Will post a before/after shots when I have time.

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Mention something new and I have to try it. I gave Clipping Mask a whirl and was very impressed. It was the fastest and tightest extraction I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t go into all its features but tried its shadows and loved the results. The image used was pretty simple and I’ll have to give it a whirl with a more complicated one before giving it a 5-star rating but I don’t know of a better tool. That being said, the downside is that it is a subscription site with download restrictions at the various levels. If used once in a while, maintaining it would get expensive. If used frequently, the number of downloads allowed could be too restrictive. If you could purchase it, it’s one I’d like to own and it certainly is a tough one to follow.

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Yes, I tested it too, speed is a huge factor for my purposes, so I may have to go there for now. So far, I’ve looked at about four different options, and it seems like a good choice. Agree about the pricing model.

Also, would much rather keep all my workflow in a single interface, and really like Topaz overall. But Topaz ReMask as a stand alone app is frustrating, I don’t see a way to do basic things like open an image (except when you launch it) and save a file (except when you close the app) Maybe future versions will integrate with Studio for these functions… unless this is just how the trial version works, or I’m missing something?

The algorithm in Clipping Magic is very intuitive and any cleanup was minor. I did notice that there is a limit on file size, my upload file size was reduced and that could be problematic if it doesn’t return the download file to its original resolution depending on how it will be used. The Remask trial plug-in is a full version so you are not missing anything. At some point, Studio Remask may be reworked but the concentration right now is upgrading and porting the older plug-ins into Studio.

I agree with you completely about both the quality of the app and the pricing model. I signed up for 100 uses per month but have a feeling that I will downgrade that to 15 - wish there was a 50 uses per month option, but more importantly wish there was an option to just buy the software. I guess their thinking is avoiding to have to do constant upgrades if they continue to research the process, and perhaps feel they will make more money this way,

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Agree with you, Flick, about the pricing model. I could see moving between the 100 and 15 image pricing settings. Also hoping that Topaz cleans up their app a bit. Would prefer a one time purchase, and staying a single, workflow streamlined editing interface.