Tracing images photoshop?

I've been playing around with AI and Photoshop at work, and figured making a sig pic would be kind of fun and good practice.

I've tried tracing my truck out of an image and did ok, but the tires are really tough! Any good tips or tricks? Here is what I came up with so far:

 

Tires are tough! I just do a general outline of them then go back with an eraser and get the little tread pieces. Also some tips with your sig, you should try to get the reflection of the background in the frame so when you make it you sig, it's not cut off

 

Thanks man, good tips I'll try that method with eraser.

Any other tips you have are also appreciated! Btw idk why the side was cut off, but in Photoshop it is all on he art board.

Edit: the color is weird too, I know - had it in cmyk when saving, or something like that.

 

Oh and I like your sigs, very nice work! I borrowed some inspiration, hope that is ok!

 

I deal with the same thing when editing sequences of sports shots, all you can do is just zoom in super far until it's all fuzzy and match your eraser tool to the pixel size then for example with your tires delete everything that is not black. Do your work at that level and then when you zoom back out it will be perfect.

 

Thanks! No problem go ahead!

And yeah what evenflow said is exactly what I do. Zoom is a great friend.

Also adding a small black outerglow helps hides any flaws from tracing

 

Awesome, I'll try leaving extra and then get in there with a smaller eraser. Thanks again!

 

Fas an update... I screwed up tracing in gimp, wasted an hour

But I did fawk around with the background, and I think this'll do... Critique welcomed:

 

I like it, the reflection being skewed is kind of awkward since reflections are usually just the opposite of the image but like it besides that!

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll adjust that. Turns out I need a better camera to outline... Resolution makes some parts too challenging for a noob

 

Used a better pic, and got better with path tool. Just need a more recent picture:
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My favorite tool for tracing, and cutting out things is layer mask. Simply because it's reversible.

 

How are you using a mask? Just trace, then fill with white?

 

I usually use the pen tool for all tracing and save the work path for future use. I then use the path to create a selection and duplicate the selection onto it's own layer.

Tires? I trace the circle/oval and then erase between the treads after the fact.