Image processing suitable for use with MPEG4, avoiding false-color problems in extraction of portions of an image

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• object input means for inputting image data which represents an object;
• shape generation means for generating shape data which represents a shape of the object from the image data;
• texture generation means for generating first texture data which represents luminance of the object, and second texture data which has a resolution lower than the shape data and represents color difference of the object from the image data;
• target image input means for inputting target image data with which the object is to be synthesized;
• and
• synthesis means for generating new second texture data using surrounding data of the second texture data in the object boundary portion, which portion includes the inside and the outside of the object defined by the shape data, and synthesizing the first and the new second texture data with the target image data on the basis of the shape data.