Help re Elements4.0 please?.

[Christine]

I did ask this question at around the same time last year,and last night I tried for around 2 hrs to sort the foll prob.
I want to take part of one image and add it to another.Small bird,to add to a tree for the BF Dec comp.
I used the magic extractor tool,and after a couple of goes,I had a beautiful shot of my Stonechat,with the background deleted(a chequered bg).
The next step I just cannot suss.One has to select the image,to be able to copy and paste.But how do I select the image.I went into the drop down box,marked select,but could not see anything to select.I tried the move tool(a hand) having read somewhere that that is how ones moves the selection.Nothing worked,so I lost my image.
Please,does anyone know how exactly I make the selection,once I have my image I have cut out,in front of me.
Also,do I have to have the image to which the cut out is being tranferred,ready in the box at the bottom of the screen.I have lots of books re Elements 4.0 .They all say,select your image,but I cannot fathom how to do this.Most likely something very simple.
Many thanks,
Christine.

[Lucy S Harte]

hi christine
you need to use the n==move tool thats the one at the top of the tools pallete with the cross and arrow in top left corner

make your selection that you want to copy/cut the n click on the move tool then cut/copy and then paste on your new image

[Christine]

Thanks,Lucy,so I click the move tool onto the image that I have cut around ,not the chequered bg which I have deleted.
I'll have another try later,and if it does not work will return.So time consuming.
Thanks again,Lucy.

[Christine]

Thanks,Lucy,yes the tool you mentioned did selected the image,still unable to see copy in the selection box,but it worked by dragging the selected image onto the photo sitting at the bottom..Then the main photo came up on screen,and I was able to move the selected image into position.
Getting the hang of it,but takes so long,esp as I think I am going the long way around.
But again,thanks Lucy.

Have you tried simple copy and paste???!!!
Control J to duplicate layer of image you are extracting from (because the background layer is part protected)
Do your selection in copy layer; copy and paste which will create a new layer with nothing in but the bird, which can have edges tidied etc if necessary
Turn off all other layers
Copy and paste to host image, where it will appear on its own new layer so you can move it about
If it is wrong size/wrong brightness etc, return to bird image, correct and recopy

[Lucy S Harte]

Originally Posted by Chris

Have you tried simple copy and paste???!!!
Control J to duplicate layer of image you are extracting from

i think youll find its control+c to copy, control+x to cut and control+v to paste and they create new layers aswell which can be idividually adjusted without going back to the original

[Christine]

Chris,the main problem is that in the selection box,copy is not highlighted,therefore I am unable to copy and paste.Even using the tool which Lucy mentioned,the center cut out is now active,there is a square around it,which one can adjust,but I still cannot select copy.

I have sent you an e-mail Christine with fuller detail

[Christine]

Thanks,Chris.I have just spent the last 4 hrs trying to edit my pics for this card,using the magic extractor.I seem to have the basics,but could be so much better.