Photoshop Repaints advice

[Flanker37]

Hi guys, i'm not photoshop savvy.  so i was wondering if there is a way of removing all color from a drawing only leaving the black outlines?

[Maverick]

Whilst not a PS savant, most art programs allow 'colour replacing' whereby you nominate a colour on the artwork and 'replace' it with the plain canvas colour (in essence, leaving the outline).  Whether this is an option would depend on the source of the original artwork I suspect as Photoshop has that rather complex layering system.

Regards,

Mav

[puddingwrestler]

Rather than using photoshop, it's possible to use a vector drawing program with a 'trace bitmap' ability, this will create nice smooth outlines, and you can then delete the actual picture. In theory, I have yet to try it out on either Inkscape or Illustrator.

[Merv_P]

I'd go with Puddingwrestler's suggestion to use a vector program. An alternative to allowing the program to trace a bitmap automatically is to use the drawing tools to trace by hand. It obviously takes longer but you can trace exactly what parts of the image you want and automatic tracing can be a bit hit-and-miss. It's an exact digital equivalent to tracing paper.

[Flanker37]

perhaps a better description of what i intend is needed.  I have a few free paper models in A4 paper size. I have also purchased some very thin A4 sized aluminium sheet. in 0.10mm & 0.15mm thick.  I am hoping to substitute the paper for the aluminium to make the model.  that way panel lines can be lightly etched into the metal and rivet detail & hatches etc.

So therefore i need to be able to remove the color from the existing free models in order to better see the panel detail.  for example, one i have is for a AH-1F Cobra.  and the khaki color is so dark, i can barely see the panel & rivet markings

I have a few image editing programs, so i might have the tools already, just no idea how to use them

[RussC]

Hi guys, i'm not photoshop savvy.  so i was wondering if there is a way of removing all color from a drawing only leaving the black outlines?

  There is a way to do this, I did so once before, the  method is on a tutorial on deviantart.com site, search on "transferring lineart in photoshop". It involves creating a new similar size art page with one bare-canvas layer. Then open your existing artwork in the same session. Using select tools, have select set to a color value - in your case, black, then draw a select box over the whole page or maybe just a "select all" would do it. The result is that the outlines should consist of the selection "marching ants" symbols. Then just use "move" and grab and drag that selection of outlines and pull it over to your new file and place it at 1:1 size. Then check for correct scale using the rulers and guides if you wish. To get that to a metal sheet using the printer should work if the metal is not too shiny.
 
   Another method might be just to make a 1:1 print out of your design on paper, then take one of your sheets of A4 sized metal and spray it with what is called "marking blue" or "layout blue" or sometimes "machinists blue" which is a blue pigment spray that is pressure sensitive. A brand name I saw being used was called Dye-Chem Blue. This stuff, when dryed will turn the coated metal plate into a metallic form of carbon paper. So with some masking tape, assemble your stack with your A4 metal sheet to become your parts on the bottom, then the dye coated metal sheet over that with the blue facing down. On top of that the drawing with the artwork facing up. Now trace the parts on the paper using a plastic straightedge without much pressure on the ruler. This should transfer the patterns to the metal final. The blue can be wiped off the second sheet or it could be used again for another project.
 
  Might also be just a matter of bonding the drawing using artfix spray to the metal sheet and then scribing with a sharp blade right through the paper onto the metal, and using a sharp point for the rivets.  When fully traced and pocked, just soak the paper off of the metal sheet with water or a bit of solvent.
 
  Usually always 4 solutions to any task in graphic arts, but I'm only recalling three.

[Av8fan]

I found these:

http://mediamilitia.com/an-in-depth-look-into-background-extraction-techniques/

I am still having a lot of trouble removing the background effectively.

I can use GIMP to do a color to alpha, save as a photoshop file and all is well.