AKVIS SmartMask

If you want to remove the background from a picture, you may have a daunting task ahead of you, especially if you have to work with edges that are not clearly defined. A better solution is to get AKVIS SmartMask. This piece of software gives you the possibility of cutting out objects from a picture in no time. Its smart selection tools can save you valuable time, since you don't have to spend hours making a selection, only for your object to come out looking like a cheap cardboard cutout. It only takes a minute to remove a background, after which you can place what remains on a new background or save the extracted elements as a new picture, so you can use it in other projects.

The software is free to try, without any significant limitations. Downloading its setup file and installing its core components shouldn't take too long, even on modest machines. The software doesn't make heavy use of a computer's hardware and it doesn't require any special tools or services.

AKVIS SmartMask looks and feels like most image editing software on the market, but it's focused more on object selection. Once you run the application and import a picture, you can start using a quick selection brush right away, to mark the background around the elements you want to focus on. It has to be said that the quick selection brush works quite well. It is sufficient to drag it around an object and the application will automatically select the background while leaving the object you are interested in alone.

The software is capable of "telling" the background from an object all by itself. However, if they have similar color tones, SmartMask may target part of the object as well. Fortunately, the selection brush can be configured on a small panel, after you right-click anywhere in the main editing area. You can change the brush's size, as well as its tolerance level, so that you can make your selections with more precision.

With your selection made, you can remove the background at a moment's notice, with a single keystroke. Furthermore, you can explore a series of options, in the lower-left corner of the interface, to use a solid color or a picture from your hard drive as the new background. All the changes you make are listed on the right side of the user interface, which makes it quite easy to undo any number of mistakes. Additionally, the software places a wide range of context-sensitive adjustment options in the same area.

AKVIS SmartMask is not limited to simply making a selection around one or more objects. It provides you with a few useful tools for refining edges, but a more interesting aspect is the possibility of working in Chroma Key mode. This enables you to instantly remove monochrome backgrounds and make a wide range of fine tweaks and cut out any objects as accurately as possible.

If you can't cut out an object from a picture, without making it look cheap, AKVIS SmartMask will help you do this as quickly and easily as possible.