How to Cut Out Images Like a Professional in Photoshop
There are many different ways to cut out images in Photoshop. Well, in this tutorial I am going to show you how I cut out images. I haven’t really seen this method anywhere else on the web, so I figured I’d share it. It uses a soft brush edge so the edges don’t look so sharp. This is not a magic wand tutorial!
Step 1
Find a picture that you want to cut out. The one I’m using can be found at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/808969.
Step 2
Set the Foreground color to Black and the Background color to White.
Step 3
Select the brush tool and set your Master Diameter to 10px and your Hardness to 0%.
Step 4
Unlock the layer, then add a layer mask to the photo.
Step 5
Zoom in close and use the brush tool to outline your image. Hold down shift for long straight areas. (I usually hold down shift practically the whole way through to get a natural/flowing line.) If you want to get the smaller parts, you can change the size of your brush to a size smaller than 10px.
Step 6
When you’re done, hold down OPTION (ALT for Windows) and CLICK (at the same time) the layer mask. Be sure you’re clicking the mask on the layer and not just the layer itself. Once you click, this is what your image should look like.
Step 7
Select the Magic Wand tool and make sure Contiguous is checked and Anti-alias is not checked. Then click the outside white area (aka the area you don’t want in the picture). Also be sure to add other areas of the image that might get left out to the selection, such as the middle part in between the two stems.
Step 8
Go to the the toolbar and go to SELECT > MODIFY > EXPAND and change it to 5px.
Step 9
Change the Background color to black and then press the Delete key.
Step 10
There will still probably be a few tiny areas that I didn’t get, such as in the corners of the flowers. So in that case, I will go back and take my 5px brush and fill in those sections to make them black. Make sure the foreground is Black when you’re doing this. You can hold down Option and Click at the same time on the layer mask itself to go back and fourth to see the actual image.
Step 11
When you’re finally done cutting it out, go ahead and hold down Option and Click at the same time on the layer mask itself and that’s it. You’re done!
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08-21-09
I personally tend to use Quick Mask when doing changes like this because it’s possible to change back and forward when masking it.
08-22-09
Sweet. Thanks for the tip
08-22-09
Thanks for nice tutorial
08-23-09
Thanks for the tip. I have never cut out my images using this process but I will give it a go.
I have always used the pen tool, zoomed in for accuracy and created the work path. I then save the path and make selection from it. I then invert the selection and delete the area I have inverted. Some parts of the image will need softening up with a brush.
Great thing about Photoshop is there are lots of methods with the same outcome.
08-23-09
this was like the first method i used when i started using photoshop, honestly it’s really not that professional but it can get your work done… only things u need to be careful at are the hardness and size of the brush…when gettin into really tight angles it’s really a pain resizing the brush every time…so…those are the pro and contras
08-23-09
There’s obviously many ways to cut out images. This is one way that I thought many people weren’t aware of. I just love how it gives a soft edge for blending.
08-24-09
Greg – I wasn’t aware of this method so many thanks for introducing it.
08-26-09
amazing
08-29-09
I haven’t tried this method of removing the background form an image. I will have to try it.
09-24-09
this was awesome…..very easy instructions to follow, and the best way to cut out images! perfect, thanks!!!
09-25-09
Great tutorial, I will have to give this a go the next time I am using layer masks.
09-26-09
The method explained by you is just amazing. Previously, I knew some simple methods of cutting but not this one. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
11-06-09
i need yalll to help me out. how to cut picture in to shapes .
11-25-09
I have never seen this method and right now I have to say I TOTALLY LOVE It, thank you so much you made it so much easier than the nasty extract too lol
11-29-09
Not seen this method before, totally going to try it next time, thanks!
12-16-09
Hi…
very good tutorial. i am webdesigner, looking for more like this one.
thanks.
12-31-09
Nice smooth option but for me, Photoshop Pen tool always: create path using the pen then load as selection from the paths palette. A one-step process which, when mastered, means you never have to use any other for cutting out.
01-01-10
this will help me
01-19-10
Wow!
This tut is absolutely fantastic.
I have to take many product shots at work and before I was just zooming in and cutting away at the background.
This is going to save me so much time.
I need to hook up my tablet as well so I can quickly just draw around it more precisely with it.
02-13-10
Cool tip it will help many people ( like me :p )
thanks
02-16-10
i usually duplicate my pic,go 2 channels,color range……………………………………. n make my entire pic as dark den ipaint unwanted parts white and missed areas i want to keep w/a sharp brush(black) then u select the area go back to layers and click delete. this works perfect especially if u want to cut out an afro.lol or loose hair. link me up if u want the entire tut.photoshop tips and tricks
03-10-10
Nice.
04-05-10
Рможно узнать как Ñто делаетÑÑ?
04-07-10
Как складно все получается
04-19-10
I supposed that you will certainly receive many free traffics from others promoting your atcile in the process.
04-19-10
it is greet work
thanks
iwill but your lesson in my site
my0horse.co.cc
04-19-10
I supposed that you will certainly receive many free traffics from others promoting your atcile in the process.
04-23-10
Greg,
04-27-10
Very good tutorial. Bravo!!!
05-03-10
thanks, i dont know much about photoshop but this is very useful
05-04-10
always enjoy reading your blogs, will show this to my daughter who was asking me about the very same thing today.
05-11-10
Thx for sharing.I’ll back later.
05-13-10
This post has got some really good information thanks.
05-14-10
Love it! Keep blogging!
05-18-10
Елки, правильная новость
05-18-10
В принципе, написавший убого отжег.
05-18-10
В целом, отстойная заметка
05-19-10
Sorry that I found too late …
05-20-10
Yeah, I aggre to this. Very good post. Go on…
05-24-10
Oh, very useful information, thanks.
05-27-10
Informatics
05-30-10
Article tr
05-30-10
I supposed that have certainly receive many free traffics from others promoting your artile in the process.
05-30-10
Nice and very interesting post. Tanks.
06-09-10
A prime example of a bad tutorial. I’m new to Photoshop and you haven’t told me how to set the foreground.
06-26-10
When I hold Alt and click on the Layer Mask, it just turns the entire image white. What am I doing wrong?
07-04-10
I enjoy reading things like this thanks for the information.
07-13-10
Excelente art
08-14-10
Wow.. Its nice.
08-24-10
I can seem to do the option and click thing!
08-26-10
Very very nice and fluently explained.. i am really gained a very important knowledge by this.. thank you alot….
08-29-10
Indeed! Very Nice Article
09-09-10
first tutorial i learned from, huge thanks
09-19-10
I love your work going to keep an eye on your site!
09-21-10
Great Job, I like tutorials online from megavideo
10-06-10
interesting post, thanks, with the multitude of blogs lately, i like the amount of good info we are able to find
10-06-10
Violence won’t solve a thing. It makes it more challenging to solve, though. Bring on Chuck!
10-22-10
Hay! schöner Beitrag, aber ich sehe das du nicht genug Besucher hast.. ich empfehle dir ein Bannertauschprogramm wie z.B http://clixor.de …das funktioniert ziemlich gut =)
10-30-10
Great Post,Thank you very much,ill favorite it!
12-07-10
interesting post, thanks, with the multitude of blogs lately, i like the amount of good info that we are able to find
12-14-10
Nice post, more detailed would be better but rather interesting, thanks.
12-15-10
interesting post, thanks, with the multitude of blogs lately, i like the amount of good info that we are able to find on just about everything.
12-15-10
What do I need to do when I want to cut out a background from a jewelry image???
Thanks in advance!!
12-15-10
hi, good website, including a very good examine! one for my bookmarks
01-06-11
Nice smooth option but for me, Photoshop Pen tool always: create path using the pen then load as selection from the paths palette. A one-step process which, when mastered, means you never have to use any other for cutting out.
01-06-11
I just want to kill my self when i read your article…
01-08-11
Hi
01-18-11
As they say in China – Wisdom is attained by learning when to hold one’s tongue.
01-23-11
how to use Photoshop cutter
01-23-11
how to use cutter
01-23-11
I can seem to do the option and click cutter
01-26-11
Hmm, how to change Foreground and Background colors?
01-29-11
Thanks for sharing this information, great post!!
02-15-11
Great tutorial, you explain the process very clearly
03-12-11
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03-26-11
Thanks.. i really love this website. Filled with quality stuff
03-30-11
great tip,thanks
03-30-11
great tip.
04-28-11
Good tutorial. I did a blog on image cutting that might help give people some ideas
http://www.blog.digital-stationery.co.uk/2011/03/your-current-location-is-perfect/
05-18-11
Great, will help out a lot. Thanks!
05-26-11
urm… What about with the photoshop elements 9? whenever did Option and clicked it just changed to the paint selector.
06-07-11
Sometimes the simple methods are the most effective. This is quite labour intensive but gives much better results than trying to find short cuts. Thanks for the tutorial
06-13-11
The info is really nice.ilmulQuran Online Academy
06-17-11
I have the old Adobe Photoshop 7.0 but can it be used to do this or is it too old?
Wonder if it has any upgrade value, I did not see it listed…. ancient I guess..
06-21-11
thank u very much for this method i always use to cut the image using pen tool but it won’t look in proper.. but after i follow this method it’s excellent way to cut of the images….
06-22-11
if you need great budget stock photos check out http://www.pixmac.com – 11 million images including 40,000 free ones
07-06-11
Probably the best tutorial I have found for cutting out images. Definatley a keeper! Thanks.
08-09-11
Thank you! It really helped!
08-26-11
Fantastic – I would definitely articulate, shocked with your online site. I had no difficulty navigating through all the tab as well as related information finished up being seriously easy to do to access. Not long ago i found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Will probably appreciate it for those who add boards or something, internet site template . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice job.
09-01-11
lotta comments
09-02-11
very nice and great.. thnk u..
09-02-11
Join mynama.com ! your friends are here
09-02-11
Join mynama.com social networking ! your friends are here
09-11-11
it worked for me , thnxs.
09-12-11
thank you for this, great points to concentrate on.
10-12-11
ok ive been going through all the steps … sometimes when i use the brush, it wont outline, others it outlines in black or white ….. whats happening and why cant i get it right?
11-01-11
thank you !!! very much….!!!
11-26-11
I got stuck at Step 4 because I didn’t know how to do a layer mask. I looked on the internet but none of those worked in the way that it shows in the picture so the steps after that didn’t work either. It would be nice if you could show how to do a layer mask the way you did it.
12-10-11
Thank you so much for this, you are a hero!
12-18-11
This is very helpful for me
thanks
12-23-11
Worked as Team leader in Rajmeen photo gallery, Ahmdabad, Gujrat, May-2006 to May 2010
Rajmeen photo gallery I am qaullty manejar super w . trenning a photoshop . restiretion job work .retouching job photo retouching karizma alabem work in photosho
Worked as Data Entry Operator Cum Clerk In Krishana Steel Ltd. Gujarat, Jun.- 2005 To Mar.- 2006.
12-26-11
hiiii iam not getting how to apply 6th step !!! which option (alt window ??)?& click ???
plz tell me this option & hw to unlock ???
12-27-11
nice tutorial! there’s a website that offers cut out images like these… try layercake elements
12-27-11
The link for the image is a 404.
01-06-12
want works for do
04-01-12
sex
04-19-12
This was very helpfull, thanks!
04-22-12
wow!! this is a lot cooler way to perfectly cut out images. was really helpfull!
04-28-12
Pls let me have your email address.
05-18-12
I think itz d best way of cuttin images as it do
away wid d sharp edges. love it
05-27-12
thanks for not explaining how to unlock a layer while adding a layer mask and set the master diameter, i got stuck and discovered what i needed was in paint anyways
06-08-12
You earn quite a few applicable items with your page and even would likely think that a lot of.
06-20-12
i dont get it it wont work
08-03-12
it gives great help to me
08-03-12
Brilliant, thanks!!
08-20-12
this is a great tool, but please help me! Once i have the photo with checkerboard background – how do i save it?! When I save as a jpeg, the photo comes up with a white background, not transparent. i have been trying to use this photoshop program for weeks now and am ready to give up! thanks!!!
08-26-12
Cut picures
08-26-12
Never give up
08-26-12
27EC0A59
08-28-12
It does not give me the option to modify?
08-28-12
My bad i skipped a step
09-04-12
Very Nice
This was very helpfull,
thanks!
10-18-12
much easier than I used to do it:P
11-19-12
After I originally commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you are able to remove me from that service? Kudos!
03-19-13
cool…
03-21-13
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read more things about it!
05-12-13
Greg: I got everything to work out the way it was supposed to, but at the end, how do I get rid of the checkerboard pattern/background so I can clearly see the outline. I am pretty new to Photoshop, but I like your method. Thanks
05-30-13
How do you do step 2?