PURPOSE: To easily cut out a picture by successively detecting picture elements included in extracted color quantized picture data from one point indicated in color quantized picture data and generating a mask based on detected color quantized picture data.
CONSTITUTION: Picture data inputted from a picture input means (a) has colors quantized by reduction of the number of colors in a color quantizing means (b), and the color quantized picture is displayed on a display means (c), and an area to be extracted from the displayed color quantized picture is indicated by an extracting means (d). It is successively discriminated and detected whether picture elements indicted by a detecting means (e) belong to extracted color quantized picture data or not by the area extending method, and a mask is generated based on detected color quantized picture data by a mask generating means (f), and the area of picture data corresponding to this mask is extracted to generate a cut-out picture.
ATOZAWA NAOHITO
KONDO SETSUO
