Image Cutouts in EZ Mask

EZ Mask is a Digital Film Tools plug-in positioned as an easy to use interactive image-masking tool capable of extracting almost any object in an image--even if you are dealing with fine hair detail, smoke, or reflections. This extraction process creates what is known as a mask--essentially a black and white cutout.

DFT logo EZ Mask does not retain the original image; it erases the background once the masked image is processed. Consider this when starting to mask your pictures and make a copy of the original photograph.The program is quite easily set-up. The only stumble that might occur is the necessity to indicate Adobe PhotoShop plug-ins directory manually. All the rest is smooth. The program is asking for registration when you open it through PhotoShop Filters menu for the first time. Once you registered or started the trial version the plug-in window opens.

Interface and tools

EZ Mask interface is extremely easy, intuitive and user friendly. Maximum space in the plug-in window is taken by the image you are working with. All the tools and options are situated in the top bar and the left side panel. There is no menu as all the options are presented by a limited number of pictograms.

The left side panel contains all masking tools. There are three masking brushes – Foreground, Background, and Unknown. These are the main tools you are working with. The Eraser is needed for corrections. The Bucket is used in the Fill mode masking. You also can adjust the Brush size and the overlay opacity. All the buttons have rather telling pictograms on them.

The workflow options are put on the upper bar and arranged in groups. You can save and load the trimap that is the outlines of the mask. Makes sense with something elaborate that you cannot finish at one sitting.

The next group allows choosing one out of four view modes (Fore ground, Background, Mask, and Composite). Then the Zoom controls come: the Zoom can be operated by Zoom in, Zoom out, and fit to view buttons. You can also set the view magnification in percents. Or simply use the mouse weal.

Once you think the masking is complete, you press the Process button. The result can be reviewed and the mask corrected. The corrections are best to be done in the mask view mode, where the erased areas are black, the retained – white and the transparent ones – grey. If the resulted mask shows transparences in unwanted places of the foreground image or keeps the chunks of background, you make additional strokes in those places and process the image again.
Corrections of the mask in the mask view

When the mask is all ready, the pressing of Done takes you back to Adobe PhotoShop where you will have your image cut out on a new background you selected earlier or on a transparent background.