Hair managment in Photoshop

[msvirick]

I am finding great difficulties when I change the background of a picture of my grandchildren from one to another.
While I can work well with other body parts, but when I erase or rubber stamp, or cut the hair area , I make the hair area look like a cap. All the fine details of the hair area in the circimference are rubbed out.
Is there a way of touching (copying cutting or cloning) of the hair mass in the exterior areas that will make the picture more natural?

[Conk]

There is. In photoshop right click on the eraser and choose the magic eraser. Then using the sampler sample the colour around the subject from the background you want to erase. Play with the settings.
This is just one way of doing it. Personally I like to use Procreate Knockout which gives me excellent results.

[shirbit]

Some good threads on this are available at:
www.photoshoptoday.com

do a search on 'masking'

this will get you up & running:

http://www.thinkdan.com/tutorials/photoshop/layermasks/

[msvirick]

conk wrote:
Personally I like to use Procreate Knockout which gives me excellent results.

Is there a manual for Knockout on line , that one can download and read. $300 for a plug in, seems a bit expensive, especially if one does not find it too useful.
Thank you

[Conk]

A knockout manual would be useless without the program. Here is a link that uses the technique I first described using the magic eraser.
http://www.retouchpro.com/tutorials/index.php/?m=show&id=4
You may even find the site interrestion for other things. :)

BTW shirbit, very usefull links you added. I'm already looking at the tablet reviews. Thanks.

[msvirick]

Your help has been great.
I have plunked some green cash on a Knockout2 package, and am realizing that I need lot of practice and learning.