How To Create A Clipping Path In Photoshop

Suppose you have captured a good shot of your pet, but unfortunately, you have found the environment messy. What can you do now? You can apply the Clipping Path Service to shift the pet into a new background. How will you do that? 

Well, keep reading the blog and get your answer since I am going to show you How To Create A Clipping Path In Photoshop?

In this blog, I will share them below : 

• Basic of The Clipping Path Service? 
• How To Create A Clipping Path In Photoshop?
• How Is Clipping Path Service Different From Clipping Mask Service?  

Basic of The Clipping Path Service?

Clipping Path Service is a well-known vector path composition service that creates a contour around an object to isolate and shift it into a new background. The process is also known as deep itching. 

The clipping path helps obtain a professional result to cut out images from the distractive background. The photo editors utilize the pen tool to cut out the subject or a specific portion of an image. 

Let’s have a quick view of the below image to get a better understanding of the Clipping path: 

Due to having a similar color object and background, the subject lost itself in the background, which reveals unprofessional results. Here you can make it professional by changing the background where the clipping path service comes into play. Now look at the below photo after clipping the path: 

How is it looking now? Now, you understand the purpose of clipping path service, right? Keep reading to know more about it and How To Create A Clipping Path In Photoshop?

Depending on the photo, there are multiple types of clipping path services available as below: 

• Basic Clipping Path for non-complex subjects. 
• Medium Clipping Path Service for a little more difficult subjects.
• Complex Clipping Path Service for complex subjects. 
•  Multiple Clipping Path Service is applicable for several layers. 
• Super Complex Clipping Path Service is applied to the picture with many paths.

How To Create A Clipping Path In Photoshop?

Step-1: Start Photoshop & Upload the photo

• Double Click on the Photoshop icon (that you got after installing), and photoshop will start to run within a few seconds.
• Now go to the command bar (Containing File, Edit, Image, Layer, etc.) and select the ‘File’ >Open
• Pick the photo where you want to apply the clipping path service.
• You can type Ctrl+O as a shortcut or drag a file in photoshop. 

Step- 2: Pen tool Setup

• To create the best output, you have to select the pen tool to construct a clipping path that you can find from the left-side toolbar. 
• As a shortcut, you can type ‘P’ on the keyboard. 
• You will find multiple pen options there naming – Pen Tool, Freeform Pen Tool, Curvature Pen Tool, Add Anchor Point Tool, Delete Vector Point Tool, and Convert Point Tool. 
• You must pick the ‘Pen Tool’ – the first option and set ‘Path’ from the above options bar. Don’t forget to select ‘Combine shapes’ from the option bar. Check the below photo for a better visual understanding: 

Step-3: Start clipping outlining the path

Outlining the subject with a pen tool is a very easy task. Let’s follow the below: 

• Zoom in the photos to check the edges. 
• Create anchor points around the subject by clicking the mouse. Each click creates each anchor point. Try to make it as perfect as possible. 
• To create a curved path, don’t release the mouse while moving from one point to another. Release the mouse once you feel the curve is okay to go. 
• Persist in the procedure until you trace the subject with the path.
• When you are done outlining, hover the pen tool at the starting point and see a circle beside the pen.
• Employing the ‘Direct Selection Tool, you can modify any path.

Step-4: Save the outlined path

• Go to the path panel on the right side. If you can’t find it, go to the windows and select paths to add the path to the panel. 
• Head to the path and click on the 3 lined parts on the right side. 
• From the appeared options, click on the Save path.
• Rename the outlined object and click Ok. 

Step-5: Create a clipping path

You can apply the traditional clipping path in any photoshop software. To create it: 

• Click on the 3-line portion as before and select the Clipping path option. 
• Normally you won’t find any difference between your 2 saved paths. You can identify the difference when you save it as PSD and open it in InDesign or Illustrator. 

Step-6: Create Selection: 

The basic need of clipping path service is to extract the background. To do it, you have to make the selection as below: 

• Go to the Layer Panel beside the path. 
• If you can’t locate it, proceed to the windows and select Layers.
• Now, click on the lock icon in the layer to Unlock it. 
• Again go to the path panel and recheck the path selected. 
• Clicking on the 3-line portion of the right side, select ‘Make Selection’ and set the Feather Radius to 0. Finally, click OK. 
• Now go to the top command bar and click Select>Modify>Contract. Set the contract to 1 pixel. Check-mark on the box beside ‘Apply Effect at Canvas Bounds’ and click OK.

Step- 7: Set Clipping Mask

• Go to the Layer panel. 
• Select the ‘Add Layer Mask’ icon from below that contains a small circle inside a rectangle. 
• It will isolate the selection from the background.
• Now you will see a transparent background. 
• You can save it with a transparent backdrop or use another shaded background. 
• Now save the file.

How Is Clipping Path Service Different From Clipping Mask Service?

Clipping path service and the Image Masking Service remove background but in different ways for different category images. Both serve the same purpose, but still, some differences exist between them. To get a crystal clear idea, see the below images: 

If you see correctly, you will find that a clipping path is applied on a simple edged object the light sheds where image masking is used on the hairy thing, the lion. If we apply a clipping path on the furry object, it won’t bring a satisfactory result where the image masking comes into play. 

Moreover, for the clipping path, you can use only the pen tool, whereas to apply the image masking, you need to use several tools like the ‘Background Eraser tool, ‘Magic Eraser tool, etc.

Finally, using a clipping path, you can work on multiple objects simultaneously, whereas you have to execute one by one object for image masking.

Reading the blog, I hope you have learned fundamental knowledge on the clipping path and how to do it in photoshop. Isn’t it easy? However, it requires enormous time, patience, and professional touch to bring outstanding results to the e-commerce business. Therefore, you can outsource the service if you have limitedness on the things mentioned earlier.