Mastering Image Cut-Outs In Corel Photo-Paint

how to cut out image in corel photo paint

The Cutout Lab in Corel Photo-Paint is a useful feature for cutting out images. It allows you to extract or copy elements from any digital image with precision and ease. The Cutout Lab supports RGB, CMYK, grayscale, paletted, and Lab images. You can customize the thickness of the highlight by changing the nib size of the Highlighter tool. The Cutout Lab also includes a preview window, zooming and cutout toolbars, and previewing and cutout options. Additionally, you can use the Smart Selection Mask tool to remove the background of a photo.

Characteristics Values
Tools Cutout Lab, Smart Selection Mask tool, Eraser tool, Highlighter tool, Add detail tool, Remove detail tool, Inside Fill tool, Pan Tool, Zoom In, Zoom Out
Image Types Supports RGB, CMYK, grayscale, paletted, and Lab images
Image Manipulation Cut, copy, paste, crop, zoom, pan, fill, erase, undo, redo, revert, preview
Image Output Cutout as a new object, cutout with original image, cutout as a clip mask

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Using the Cutout Lab

The Cutout Lab in Corel Photo-Paint allows you to cut out image areas from the surrounding background. This feature enables you to isolate image areas and preserve fine edge details, such as hair or blurred edges. The Cutout Lab supports RGB, CMYK, grayscale, paletted, and Lab images. When using the Cutout Lab, follow these steps:

  • Go to Image > Cutout Lab. The Cutout Lab dialog box will open, displaying a full-window preview of your digital photo.
  • Choose the Highlight Tool (F5) from the Cutout Toolbar. Adjust the pointer diameter by using the Nib Size option.
  • Trace around the image area you want to cut out. Drag the pointer and draw a line along the edges of the image area.
  • Click the Inside Fill tool, and click inside the area you want to cut out.
  • Preview the cutout and make any necessary adjustments. You can preview the cutout with the background removed or against a background of gray, white, or black. You can also preview the cutout with the original image showing underneath.
  • Touch up the cutout by adding or removing details along its edges, if needed. Use the Add Detail and Remove Detail tools to refine your cutout.
  • Bring the cutout into the image window. You can place the cutout against a new background image if desired.
  • Choose the Cutout Result option to determine how your cutout will be prepared when you leave the Cutout Lab.

The Cutout Lab in Corel Photo-Paint provides a straightforward and precise way to cut out image elements, preserving the fine details and enabling further manipulation and composition.

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Using the Smart Selection Mask tool

The Smart Selection Mask tool in Corel Photo-Paint allows users to isolate areas for editing while protecting the rest of the image from any changes. This tool, introduced in Photo-Paint 2020, includes an edge-detection algorithm and machine learning models to identify and include colours in a selection.

To use the Smart Selection Mask tool, open the Mask tool group flyout on the left toolbar and choose the desired mask shape, such as the Ellipse Mask tool or the Rectangular Mask tool. Drag the mask shape to roughly outline the object you want to cut out. If adjustments are needed, use the Mask Transform tool to fine-tune the position, size, rotation, and scale of the mask.

Once the mask is in place, you can apply effects or adjustments within the selected area. For example, you can use the Effects > Colour Transform > Psychedelic effect to apply the effect only within the masked area. Alternatively, you can invert the mask to include the background and apply different effects or deletions.

The Smart Selection Mask tool is particularly useful for removing backgrounds from images. By selecting the object you want to keep and applying the mask, you can easily separate it from the background and place it on a new background or use it as an object in another document. This process is similar to manual photo retouching, where an overlay is cut to shape and used to selectively apply edits to a specific area of a physical photograph.

The Smart Selection Mask tool is a powerful feature in Corel Photo-Paint that enables precise and creative editing while protecting the rest of the image, making it a valuable addition to your photo editing toolkit.

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Zooming and panning

The Zoom In (F2) and Zoom Out (F3) tools allow incremental changes to the view magnification in the preview window. You can also use the Zoom tool to magnify specific areas of your image. The Normal (Ctrl+1) and Fit to Window (F4) buttons let you reset your zoom settings to specific levels.

The Pan Tool (H) is a versatile feature, doubling as a zooming tool. You can use the Pan Tool to view image areas that fall outside the preview window without adjusting the magnification level. This is particularly useful when working at a high magnification level, allowing you to jump to different image areas with ease.

With these zooming and panning tools, you can closely examine image details, make precise selections, and efficiently navigate your workspace in Corel Photo-Paint's Cutout Lab.

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Adjusting the nib size

When cutting out images in Corel Photo-Paint, you can adjust the nib size of the Highlighter tool to customise the thickness of the highlight. This can be done by holding down Shift while dragging a tool. If an image area has hard edges, you can use a thinner line to define its edges more precisely. Conversely, if an image area has blurred or wispy edges that are hard to define, you can use a thicker line. The Nib Size option controls the pointer size of the Eraser Tool as well.

The Cutout Lab in Corel Photo-Paint enables you to extract or copy photo elements from any digital image with precision and relative ease. It features a slimmed-down version of the same tools and options used in Corel Knockout 2. The Cutout Lab consists of a single dialog box and is essentially a plug-in application that has been integrated into Corel Photo-Paint.

The Cutout Lab supports RGB, CMYK, grayscale, paletted, and Lab images. When brought into the Cutout Lab, grayscale, paletted, and Lab images are automatically converted to RGB or CMYK images, which may result in a slight colour shift. The original image colours are restored after you apply or cancel the Cutout Lab command.

To cut out an image area, you draw a highlight over its edges and then apply a fill to define the inside of the area. You can preview the cutout with the background removed or against a background of grey, white, or black. You can also preview the cutout with the original image showing underneath and with the highlight and fill displayed.

The Smart Selection Mask tool, introduced in Corel Photo-Paint 2020, can also be used to remove the background of an image. You can adjust the Nib size of this tool as well.

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Adding and removing detail

To add or remove detail from an image in Corel Photo-Paint, you can use the Cutout Lab or the Smart Selection Mask tool. The Cutout Lab enables you to extract or copy elements from any digital image, while the Smart Selection Mask tool allows you to selectively edit portions of your image.

Using the Cutout Lab

To use the Cutout Lab, go to "Image > Cutout Lab" in the Cutout Lab dialog box. Click on the Highlighter Tool and draw a line along the edges of the image area you want to cut out. You can adjust the settings for Nib Size, Highlight Colour, and Fill Colour. If the image area has hard edges, use a thinner line to define its edges more precisely. Conversely, if the image area has blurred or wispy edges, you can use a thicker line.

Once you have traced a closed loop, choose whether to keep the inside or outside of the highlighted area. Click the Inside Fill tool and click inside the area you want to cut out. You can then preview your cutout with the background removed or against a background of grey, white, or black. If you are happy with the results, click Preview to finalise the cutout.

If you need to make adjustments, you can use the Add Detail or Remove Detail tool to touch up the cutout by adding or removing detail along its edges. You can also use the Eraser tool to erase and redo sections of the highlighted and filled areas. To change the size of the Highlighter, Eraser, Add Detail, or Remove Detail tools, hold down Shift while dragging the tool.

Using the Smart Selection Mask Tool

The Smart Selection Mask tool, introduced in Corel Photo-Paint 2020, allows you to selectively edit portions of your image. This tool can be used to remove the background of a photo so that you can replace it with a different background or extract a subject or object to use in another image.

Frequently asked questions

There are two methods for cutting out an image in Corel Photo-Paint: using the Smart Selection Mask tool and using the Cutout Lab.

First, go to Image > Cutout Lab. Next, use the Highlighter tool to trace around the area you want to cut out. Then, click the Inside Fill tool and click inside the area you want to cut out. You can then preview your cutout with the background removed or against a background of grey, white, or black.

You can adjust the settings for Nib Size, Highlight Colour, and Fill Colour. If the image area has hard edges, use a thinner line to define its edges more precisely. If the image area has blurred or wispy edges, use a thicker line.

The Cutout Lab in Corel Photo-Paint enables you to extract or copy photo elements from any digital image with precision and relative ease. It accurately detects almost any shape and preserves the fine details of an image.

First, create all the different objects you need and then either combine or group them. Then, create a mask from the combined object or group.

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