How to cut out images in flash mx?

1

Hello, this has haunted me for a long time.

I need to find a good clean way to cut images off of their background in flash.

I havw an image of a person standing on a white background…

I need to cut the white background off…

Trace bitmap takes so much processor power that it saps my pc.
And the result sucks. It is not clean at all… It leavs tons of white…

Anyone have a tip on how the pros do this?

I see it done all the time in flash so I know there must be a good way to do it.

Thanks

2

Think most people would use photoshop/fireworks and save as PNG with alpha but if you select the image in flash ->modify->breakapart
then you can use the eraser

3
  1. In Photoshop (or Fireworks), open the image file.
    Photoshop: make sure that the image is all on one layer, and that it is not the background layer.
    Fireworks: merge all layers.
  2. Use the magic wand to select the area you would like to be transparent.
  3. Delete that area so that it is transparent (should see a checkered background).
  4. Save the file as a PNG (the default for Fireworks).
  5. Import the file into Flash.

That should do it.
Hope that helps,
Jeremy

4

Thanks.

I have used the eraser before… but it takes a long time and is kind of cluncky…

I have used the lasso tool on point to point in paint shop pro to cut out images for years…

I wish it could be that easy in flash…

Thanks again

5

Thanks sinfiniti.

I will have to download fireworks and try that.

Never had much luck with the magic wand either.

Never seemed to be very magic :slight_smile:

Always seems rough around the edges etc… and I have to wind up using the eraser again…

Thanks All

6

I always use the eraser (with the brush set to airbrush) rather than using the magic wand. The wand can only do so much!

7

LISTEN UP PEOPLE!

FIREWORKS is the best thing you can ever use to do this!

I just downloaded the demo and it is perfect… magic wand on the image, hit delete, take off the background color, save it.

Then import into flash.

Freaking Perfect!

Thanks to sinfiniti for suggesting fireworks!