On photoshop, how can I make the whole image black, like a silhouette?

Question

Hello,
I have an image, and would like to edit it but I have never used photoshop before. I would like to make the whole image black (it's this tree on a white background) and I want to make it so the tree is all black, so I can copy the outline exactly how it is. Is it possible to do this on photoshop?

(it's an actual photo, so I can't just fill it in with one colour on paint)

Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

select all of the white background with the magic wand selector the invert on the options menu. then the tree should be selected simply choose black for "background" colour and delete leaving a black tree on a white background

Answer 2

Open the photo and save as a copy, to keep the original safe.
If you have never used photoshop before its going to be difficult to explain as you won't know what tools or icons we are talking about, I suggest you find an on line beginners tutorial or buy a manual.
Basically you make a copy of the layer, and use one of the selection tools to select the tree. You then use the paint bucket to fill it.

But which tool you use depends on the photo. If there's a lot of bare branches you don't want to have to draw round them all; so you might select the background instead and delete that.
If the tree is all nearly the same shade, and very different from the background colour, try the magic wand. You might have to change the tolerance to get it to select all the tree.

Answer 3

Make a copy so you dont damage the original. Go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold. Move the little arrow along the bottom until you get the desired look of the tree. Click Ok, then erase any unwanted specks out the picture so just the tree remains.

Answer 4

First off, for an accurate answer I would need to see the image.

You need to select your tree, or the background.


If you select the tree. Do This:
Hit the letter D on your keyboard.
Then hit ALT + BACKSPACE on your keyboard.
Your tree will now be completely black.

If you select the background. Do This:
Hit SHIFT + CTRL + I on your keyboard to inverse the selection.
Now follow the steps above to get the same result.

Here's an even easier way!
Email me the image, And I will gladly do it for you!

Another easy way would be to get yourself a free FLICKR account. And then contact PSEFrank.

Do it! It's FREE!

Answer 5

its quite easy and their is 3 different ways to do it
1 try paint bucket but if the lies are not defined it will turn all black.
2 you could use one of the rubbers i think its the one rubber with a star on it to get rid of your white and then paint your background layer black (that is if you have your trees on a separate layer) the other ways my be too complicated but you could use(???) i cant think of its name but its 2 grey boxes with circles in them at the bottom of the tools bar side by side one will put a pink layer on your photo, using you paint tools you can decide what you want to highlight IE your background when your done press the other button with the circle in it and you have the area you want to do stuff to while keep the trees safe. I'm terrible at explaining without photo shop in front of me for the terms but if somone knows what i mean please translate.

Answer 6

You can do a fill with black on a photo, I just did it... go to select and color range and choose black for the fill. I have Photoshop 5.5

Answer 7

images > adjustments > threshold will turn it into a pure black and White.

you can do multiple thesholds of different strengths then layer them to make images with 3 or 4 tones of gray.

a very very very simple not verygood way yiou could do it is

image> mode > grayscale > image > adjustments > contrast and put the contrast very high.

Answer 8

an determination, in all threat extra helpful, way is to do the conversion in Lab mode. image>Mode>Lab coloration, after which %. the Brightness (L) channel. Discard the rest. this methodology preserves luminance extra useful, i detect.