Whats the best way to make a selection with hair?

I'm with rodder and the other non-extracters - I used it once or twice but I find that even if it takes longer - the pen tool allows for much smoother curves when you go up close - also there's the really really fine hairs that usually "steal" color from the background - especially on jpg files badly compressed. So what I do is give the hair a general shape with the pen tool, cut the background out and then I redo the finer hairs with my tablet, manually - with a fine - 1-2 px smudge brush set to fade. This way you get absolute control - it may take longer but you're the one in charge not some damn filter:D

Originally posted by mihai
it may take longer but you're the one in charge not some damn filter:D

It just happens to be under the filter menu. I wouldn't consider it one really. It's more of another window to play around in. Again, if used properlly there is no reason to use the pen tool. It would be like cleaning a floor with a toothbrush instead of a mop. Sure they both get the job done, but whats really more practical?

well - I don't know - maybe the extract tool is more practical - yeah - but I still think the penmade curves are best suited (to me at least). and heh - the brush on the floor thing - ask a guy who's done time in the army - it pays off :D You learn patience grasshopper!

seriously now - I didn't really use the extract tool as often as I should have and maybe I'm biased...

Is it just me or is it impossible to use the extraction tool with a mouse and getting a clean selection. I'm trying this tool on a complex image with lots of strands of hair and for some reason I never get the whole thing, or their are parts that look blurry and make the selection look just flat out crappy. This happends no matter how many times I try.

I second that...Am I supposed to have that red marker to cover each strand or mark just outside it like an ordinairy marqee ?

I get that practise is an issue here ;) But if I'm to practise, I wanna do it right. I've tried heath's tut, but I do not get a good clean extraction....

well, i allways thought extract was a little more advanced, but basicly the same as quickmask ??

meaning you would have to paint a red mark thingie on every hair.. which made me think that the extract isnt much better than regular quick mask for hair etc. ?

am i completely wrong?

meaning you would have to paint a red mark thingie on every hair..

That was my question. On or outside the hair...Do I paintOn it or outside it to extract it...?

Hehe, slow "getter" here today....aswell ;)

No I know how it works it's the opposite of the quick mask instead of colouring the inside you colour the outside edge of the picture you want for your selection. The fill will than be your selection. Meaning if you select the inside that you want selected with the high lighter that wont be selected. It's the total opposite of the quick mask, but still even though I know the way it works I'm still having problems.

If the hair is waving like in the wind, it can be hard even with the extract tool

So what would be the best way to sleect hair? That's the type of hair I'm trying to sleect so how the hell do you select it? The only way I can see you doing this precicely is with tablet not a mouse.