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Originally Posted by r055c I've tried using the pen tool but keep getting just about the same results as the magic wand. |
If you're indeed using the pen tool, then it should be razor sharp.
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Originally Posted by r055c Is there a setting that can reduce how much white (or light) the pen picks up |
The pen doesn't "pick anything up". With the pen tool you trace the image with a vector path. To understand how the pen tool works, please read this excellent pen tool tutorial:
http://www.thegoldenmean.com/technique/pen1.html
For beginners the pen tool can be quite a struggle, but it's not as difficult as it seems. Important is that you learn the shortcuts; it will save you lots of time. Also find out what works best for you; either tracing the image in one perfect run or a quick trace and then fine tuning it with the
convert point tool and
direct selection tool.
Do yourself a favor and don't try anything but the pen tool for this particular image; the magic wand, extract, even third party solutions like Fluid Mask or Corel Knockout won't give you the same excellent result.
An extraction with any other tool might look good, but you'll be surprised how bad it looks on a black or dark background. You don't have that surprise when you use the pen tool. The advantage of the pen tool is that you know it will work and you can estimate how much time it will take. With the other tools it's often a lot of trial and error and quite often you end up spending more time on it than if you had used the pen tool from the start.
When you can handle the pen tool in Photoshop you will have an easier time using the pen tool in Illustrator, in case you ever considered using that program in the near future. The downside of the pen tool for extracting images is that it take some practice to get the hang of it, it can be time consuming and it doesn't work for everything, like for example fine strains of hair.
But I repeat; I only make the suggestion to use the pen tool for
this specific image.
Every image aks for different techniques. Also underrstand, and this is really important, that there is no super extraction tool or technique that will do it all. The best way to get good at extracting images is to learn as many techniques and tools as possible.
Don't try to be too focused on a single tool or technique for a specific image, learn to combine them, turn it into a "team effort". I've done for example extractions of images with a combination of Fluid Mask, Photoshop mask and pen tool.
Sorry if you expected an easier method, but this is just the best advice I can give you, that is if you really care about the quality of the extraction.
Can Anyone Help 
Linear Mode
