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Bitmap border
Posted on 2006-11-14
This request is a bit time-sensitive, so lots of points.
I imported bitmaps into Fireworks. The bitmaps are US states and I need a black outline of the state. If it were a vector object, I could just delete the fill and leave the stroke outline. I don't want to trace the objects by hand with the pen tool. Is there any clever way to quickly and easily get an outline of the the image?
Thanks
JDF
I imported bitmaps into Fireworks. The bitmaps are US states and I need a black outline of the state. If it were a vector object, I could just delete the fill and leave the stroke outline. I don't want to trace the objects by hand with the pen tool. Is there any clever way to quickly and easily get an outline of the the image?
Thanks
JDF
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4 Comments
Hi John,
First can I ask a couple of questions:
1) Is there a strong enough border (and one-colour background) on the states that you can satisfactorily outline them with the Magic Wand tool by clicking on the background?
2) Are you looking for a vector output, or will bitmap do?
First can I ask a couple of questions:
1) Is there a strong enough border (and one-colour background) on the states that you can satisfactorily outline them with the Magic Wand tool by clicking on the background?
2) Are you looking for a vector output, or will bitmap do?
Good, that makes things a bit simpler. I'll assume your answer to Q1 above is "yes" in the following solution...
1) Use the Magic Wand to select the area outside of the state's border (or inside if that's easier. Select -> Select Inverse to make the selection-area cover the state only.
2) Select -> Save Bitmap Selection.
3) Take a bitmap tool, e.g. Brush tool with a really big tip, and paint the whole layer one colour.
4) Select -> Restore Bitmap Selection.
5) Select -> Border Marquee... (choose the width you want the border to be). You may also want to do Select -> Feather... to soften the stroke a little.
6) Use the Paint Bucket to fill inside the border-selection with your border colour of choice. Voila -- one state outline!
1) Use the Magic Wand to select the area outside of the state's border (or inside if that's easier. Select -> Select Inverse to make the selection-area cover the state only.
2) Select -> Save Bitmap Selection.
3) Take a bitmap tool, e.g. Brush tool with a really big tip, and paint the whole layer one colour.
4) Select -> Restore Bitmap Selection.
5) Select -> Border Marquee... (choose the width you want the border to be). You may also want to do Select -> Feather... to soften the stroke a little.
6) Use the Paint Bucket to fill inside the border-selection with your border colour of choice. Voila -- one state outline!
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You could shorten the 6 step above to 2!!
1) Select the state using the magic wand tool
2) Once the area is selected in the SELECT menu pick CONVERT MARQUEE TO PATH.
All done .. you can now apply line colour, style and other effects to the border .... even better you have a VECTOR path which you can scale.
1) Select the state using the magic wand tool
2) Once the area is selected in the SELECT menu pick CONVERT MARQUEE TO PATH.
All done .. you can now apply line colour, style and other effects to the border .... even better you have a VECTOR path which you can scale.
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