Background removal with feathering/alpha/transparent blur?

[samzeman]

Hiya! I'm sorry if this is a frequent thread, but I run a facebook page that mainly revolves around editing minecraft elements, usually backgrounds, into real world photos. It passes the time lol

My problem is that I want feathering on the foreground elements that I cut out and keep, so that they don't look all jagged, like is kind of visible here.

This is what happens when I use the default magic wand, and yeah I realise it doesn't do alpha. Although that one was done by drawing lines around the internal perimeter in another layer and magic wand-ing them (and deleting in the layer below).

My alternative method is to fill a layer underneath the image with red or blue or something that there is not much of in the photo, and then use the eraser on 75% softness to erase the background manually, gradually. This is more versatile but takes longer, and I have a key issue: once I've erased around the foreground, then I use the magic wand (contiguously on a high percentage) to select all of the remaining background, like this (It's messy, don't judge me):

 

However, when I delete, there's a little rim left around the line of erased stuff. Like so (grey square with magnification added for clarity):

 

This doubles my workload as I have to go over the exact same route I did before. It seems petty but I like being efficient. Does anyone know a way around?

Also, if I used the paintbrush in a new layer and then AlphaMask to delete the background instead, it would have the same effect; it would give me the semi-transparent foreground inside-perimeter (sorry I'm not good at being concise) but then it would also give me a rim of unwanted pixels around the paintbrush, since fill isn't able to completely fill the inside of a paintbrushed line without leaving these same types of semi-transparent pixels.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

59 minutes ago, samzeman said:

I want feathering on the foreground elements that I cut out and keep, so that they don't look all jagged,

 

Grab either of @BoltBait's  Feather plugins or AA's Assistant from this pack https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/16643-dpys-plugin-pack-2014-05-04/

 

Run the plugin over the bits you're keeping after removing the rest of the image. These plugins are designed to soften the edge so they blend more smoothly with a new background.

 

[AndrewDavid]

Hi @samzeman

5 hours ago, samzeman said:

75% softness

From what I can see I believe this is why you are getting the leftovers.

Here is my method;

Rather than erase at 75% softness, I prefer to add a new layer above the source pic and paint black over areas I want to keep. Then select this black with the magic wand move to the pic layer, copy then paste into a new layer above the black layer and take it from there. I always keep anti-aliasing off so I don:t get into any feathering issues. We all have our own routines and without experimenting with new ones we never learn anything new.

Hope this helps

 

 

 

 

 

[samzeman]

15 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

 

Grab either of @BoltBait's  Feather plugins or AA's Assistant from this pack https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/16643-dpys-plugin-pack-2014-05-04/

 

Run the plugin over the bits you're keeping after removing the rest of the image. These plugins are designed to soften the edge so they blend more smoothly with a new background.

 

 

Oh boy, this looks to be exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!