The present invention is a method for image segmentation to produce a mixed raster content (MRC) image with constant foreground layers. The invention extracts uniform text and other uniform color objects that carry detail information. The method includes four primary steps. First, the objects are extracted from the image. Next, the objects are tested for color consistency and other features to decide if they should be chosen for coding to the MRC foreground layers. The objects that are chosen are then clustered in color space. The image is finally segmented such that each foreground layer codes the objects from the same color cluster.