In Photoshop CS6, the term "extract an image" can refer to different processes. While it was commonly associated with the Filter > Extract tool used for isolating objects from their backgrounds (especially helpful for detailed edges like hair), the provided reference discusses selecting areas, defining patterns, and transforming those areas. Based on the reference, here's how you can work with pattern extraction and manipulation from an image in Photoshop CS6:
One interpretation of "extracting" from an image, supported by the concept of defining patterns mentioned in the reference, is creating a reusable pattern from a selected area.
Step-by-Step: Define a Pattern
- Open Your Image: Launch Photoshop CS6 and open the image file you want to work with.
- Select the Area: Use a selection tool (like the Marquee Tool or Lasso Tool) to select the specific part of the image you want to turn into a pattern. The selection area will become the tile for your pattern.
- Define the Pattern: Go to the menu bar and click Edit > Define Pattern....
- Name Your Pattern: In the dialog box that appears, give your new pattern a descriptive name and click OK.
Your pattern is now "extracted" in the sense that it's saved within Photoshop's pattern library, ready for use.
Working with Pattern Areas & Transformations
The reference mentions options to "scale the image as well as rotate... the area that's used to define the pattern. And reposition it in the image. Area." This refers to the ability to transform the pattern's appearance or the area it's applied to. Once a pattern is defined, you can apply it in various ways, often with transformation controls.
Here's how you might apply and transform a defined pattern, aligning with the reference's description of scaling, rotating, and repositioning the pattern area:
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Using Pattern Overlay Layer Style:
- Select the layer you want to apply the pattern to.
- Go to Layer > Layer Style > Pattern Overlay....
- In the Pattern Overlay dialog box, select your defined pattern.
- You'll see options here to Scale the pattern (adjust its size) and change its Angle (rotate it), directly reflecting the reference's mention of scaling and rotating the pattern area. You can also link it with the layer.
- You can also click and drag on the canvas while the Pattern Overlay dialog is open to reposition the pattern fill within the layer, fulfilling the "Reposition it in the image. Area." aspect.
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Using the Pattern Stamp Tool:
- Select the Pattern Stamp Tool from the Tools panel.
- In the Options bar at the top, select your defined pattern from the pattern picker.
- While CS6's Pattern Stamp Tool options are more basic than newer versions, the act of using the tool involves "repositioning" where the pattern is applied in the image by clicking and painting. More advanced transformations like scaling/rotating the source might require defining tiled patterns strategically or using other application methods.
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Transforming the Selection Before Defining: Before defining a pattern (Step 2 above), you could select an area, and then use Edit > Transform Selection or Free Transform (Edit > Free Transform) on the selected content to scale, rotate, or reposition the content within the area before defining it as a pattern. This also aligns with manipulating "the area that's used to define the pattern" mentioned in the reference.
Important Note on the "Extract" Filter in CS6
It's worth noting that Photoshop CS6 also features a dedicated Filter > Extract... tool. This is a separate function primarily used for separating a foreground object (like a person or object) from its background, often dealing with complex edges. While this is a common meaning of "extracting" in older Photoshop versions, the provided reference's description about patterns, scaling, rotating, and repositioning pattern areas points towards the pattern definition and application methods described above.
