Why cant you use the pen tool?  well, its the same problem here, hairy things like animals, etc, can be a night-mare. I remember somebody called Russel-Brown, some sort of expert with PS, now he actually had a whole thing dedicated to just hairy edges and surfaces. Try and google him.

good luck.

Hi all,

I am doing a isolated animal with photoshop masking.. since it is not using pen tool, there is no clipping path, and i found that clipping path isn't for the hairy edge of animal.

What is the best way to preserve the isolation for buyer? I have isolated the animal with transparent pixel around it.

any method to preserve the masking?

I know dreamstime accept png, glstockimages accept tiff and psd file..other than that what is the best way to preserve the isolation? even i have paste it on a pure white, the buyer may still have difficult time so cut it out right?

thank you if you have some tips to share.

You already know everything you need to know and I'm sure you don't need lessons on how to extract something since it's an easy job these days.
Nothing can be done, the buyer will always have to feather the selection no matter what and with hair it's all the more difficult.
Just create the clipping path from the mask selection and let the buyer figure it out, all you can do mate.

Good luck and good question

Is DT the only site that accepts PNG files?  That might be the best way to get the isolation accepted.  I tried saving as a clipping path a couple times, but couldn't get it to work.  When I submit something for printing as a PNG file, it comes out clean.

Other sites seem to take my subjects over white backgrounds as isolations even though the aren't .  I ddon't like to call something an isolation as it is rearely accepted.  When I put a selection over a white background, they usually reject it as "Stray Pixel/lighting".

you know about PNG on DT - SS will accept an image done like this (image has an alignment mark in the corner of each)



FT will reject - haven't tried 123.  IS may accept them as I believe I have seem some..

Where can I find info on SS requirements to include an alpha mask like the example you show?

you know about PNG on DT - SS will accept an image done like this (image has an alignment mark in the corner of each)



FT will reject - haven't tried 123.  IS may accept them as I believe I have seem some..

iStock don't accept pngs. It was proposed, but like so many other things, it fell by the wayside at the same time logos were nuked:
"While much of the front end work for this project was completed last summer, we found that methods in which assets are made available to the site were still not conducive to implementing PNGs in the way required by the business. In light of higher priority projects, the PNG project has been put on hold indefinitely."
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=343053&page=1
BTW, I just happened to notice a few minutes ago that I can still apply to be a Logo contributor, with an infinite number of uploads allowed, and clicking on the link on my upload page takes me to the Logo manual.
 

@ ShadySue:

   The example being shown is not a PNG. It is a clever way to include a mask which can be easily converted to an alpha channel. While useful, it makes for an odd looking thumbnail.

I was only answering the question about whether iStock accepts png. No comment about the image.

Hi, is alpha mask same as normal masking? like black and white only.

I think if agency can come out with a solution, it is good for buyer..

There was one of those threads on DT (before they started to accept png)  where a bunch of us were arguing for it but one of the admins said they'd accept this format with an alignment mark.  I tested the waters on DT, SS and FT and only FT had a problem.  It does make a strange thumb (could result in someone having a closer look out of curiousity) and doubles the dimensions of the image.

When I make a PNG file using PSE 10 or PS CS-5, I make my selection and place it on its own layer above the background.  Then I create a solid lyer (Black or White) above the background (Original Photo) and under the Selected object (i.e. Wine Glass or person).  I then delete the background layer and save as a PNG without Flatening.  It appears as a regular thumbnail, but when I open the file, I see two layers.  The plain white or black layer on the bottom with the Subject on the top layer.  To get a mask, I just click on the selection layer and then click on the CTL click on the object.  After I see the marching ants, I click on the Mask Icon to get a black andd white mask.

I can then use CTL and click the object (Isolated on its own layer) to copy and paste it anywhere.  If I'm getting it printed to a T-Shirt, only the top layer is prrinted.

Is this thype PNG acceptablea?  I havn't tried submitting this yet.  It seemed that the suggested method of saving as a clipping path was different and was saved as a JPG.