Extract an object from its background

I understand most of what was covered in the video.  My question is this.  I have a graphic (a JPEG of a head-silhouette) that is on a white background.  When I put the JPEG on a colored background, the white area around the silhouette puts the head in a white box.  Can I separate the head-silhouette from the rest of the JPEG so it, and it alone apear against the colored background?

You have to use a selection tool, like Quick Selection Tool, to outline just the head.

I can do that, but not sure what to do once the head is outlined.  How do I extract it from the white "box" around it and make it its own stand alone image?

One way is just to copy the selection, open a new document or another picture, and paste.

To resize and rotate click Ctrl T.

That was very helpful.  Thank you.  I'll ask one more novice question.  I would also like to have the silhouette (which is all black) to have a black outline, but be white inside of that.  So, my plan was to copy the black-silhouette head to a second layer, then reduce it in size by about 2%-3%, recolor it to white and layer it on top of the black-silhouette. I'm not sure how to do the recoloring.  In Paint, I just grab the bucket and click the head...done.  How do I do it in PS?

If you have a selection and what to color it select the paint bucket.  Also check out blend options like drop shadows.  http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/tools/photoshop-drop-shadows/

Consider putting a stroke around the layer to give it an outline (or an Outer Glow with some custom settings for better quality).  Note that just simply shrinking your data probably won't work as you think...  Consider this shape, done as you describe.

-Noel

Consider using a Layer Style Inner Glow to fill most of the silhouette, leaving a black edge of uniform thickness.

(You could use a black Layer Style Stroke around a white silhouette, instead, but LS Stroke tends to create noticeable aliasing (jaggies).)

Edit: I see Noel is also suggesting a glow.

I like that solution, conroy - it gets the whole job done in one fell swoop.

-Noel

Thanks! It was you who instructed me to use a glow to avoid the jaggies produced by a LS Stroke.

Yes, but I think I was focused on outer glow.  It didn't occur to me to choke off an inner glow to both color the object and leave some space around the edges.

-Noel

Thank you for all the help!!  Got done what I needed to get done.  Gracias!