4 Ways To Remove Backgrounds In Photoshop For Beginners
TLDRIn this tutorial, Brandon from bewellcreative.com teaches four straightforward methods to remove backgrounds in Photoshop, suitable even for beginners. The first method uses a simple one-click 'Remove Background' button in the Properties panel after unlocking the layer. The second technique involves the Magic Wand tool, which selects a color and its similar shades, with options to adjust sample size and tolerance for more precise selections. The third method employs the Object Selection tool, which can define a specific area and uses AI to select subjects more easily, though manual adjustments may be needed for complex edges like hair. The final method, Select Color Range, is ideal for backgrounds of a single color, allowing for color sampling to create a selection. Brandon also introduces the Select and Mask workspace for fine-tuning selections. These techniques provide a solid foundation for beginners to start removing backgrounds effectively in Photoshop.
Takeaways
- 🎨 **Simple Button Method**: Beginners can remove backgrounds by using the 'Remove Background' button in the Properties panel or by selecting the 'Select Subject' option with main selection tools.
- 🔒 **Unlocking Layers**: Before making selections, ensure the layer is unlocked by clicking the lock icon in the Layers panel.
- 🖼️ **Layer Masks**: Photoshop uses layer masks to hide or show parts of a layer; black hides areas while white reveals them.
- 🔍 **Magic Wand Tool**: Good for selecting areas of similar color, with options to adjust sample size and tolerance for more precise selections.
- 🌐 **Contiguous Option**: When selected, this option ensures that only pixels touching the clicked area are included in the selection.
- 🏢 **Object Selection Tool**: Allows for more precise selection of subjects by defining an area and letting Photoshop find edges within that area.
- 🧹 **Select and Mask**: A tool to refine selections, especially useful for complex areas like hair, by painting over areas to keep or remove.
- 🖌️ **Refine Edge Brush**: Used to smooth out rough edges and improve the selection of complex areas.
- 👩🦱 **Color Range Selection**: A technique for backgrounds of a solid color, which allows for sampling colors to create a selection, useful for complicated subjects.
- ➿ **Inverting Selections**: In some cases, inverting the selection can help to better isolate the subject from the background.
- 📈 **Fuzziness Slider**: In the Color Range tool, increasing fuzziness can expand the selection to include more similar colors.
Q & A
What are the four ways to remove backgrounds in Photoshop discussed in the video?
-The four ways to remove backgrounds in Photoshop discussed in the video are: using the 'Remove Background' button in the properties panel, using the 'Select Subject' button with selection tools like the Magic Wand or Quick Selection tool, using the Magic Wand tool with various settings, and using the Object Selection tool with the Select and Mask workspace.
How does the 'Remove Background' button in the properties panel work?
-The 'Remove Background' button in the properties panel automatically selects the subject and removes the background by applying it onto a layer mask. Black areas on the layer mask are 100% transparent, and white areas are 100% visible.
What is the Magic Wand tool and how does it help in removing backgrounds?
-The Magic Wand tool is a selection tool in Photoshop that is good at turning a specific color into a selection. It can be used to select areas of a similar color and is particularly useful when dealing with backgrounds of a single color.
How does the Object Selection tool work in Photoshop?
-The Object Selection tool in Photoshop allows you to define a specific area using either a lasso or a marquee selection, and then Photoshop will try to find any edges within that defined area to create a selection. It can also use AI to select multiple objects within a photo.
What is the Select and Mask workspace used for?
-The Select and Mask workspace is used to refine selections in Photoshop. It provides tools like the refine hair button, quick selection tool, and refine edge brush to help with complex selections, such as hair, and to remove unwanted background elements.
What is the Select Color Range method and when is it most effective?
-The Select Color Range method is a selection technique in Photoshop that is used to select a range of colors in an image. It is most effective when the background is of a simple color, such as white, and the subject has complex details like curly hair.
How can you refine a selection after using the Magic Wand tool?
-After using the Magic Wand tool, you can refine the selection by adjusting the sample size, tolerance, and using options like anti-alias and contiguous. You can also use the layer mask to fine-tune the selection.
What is the purpose of the 'anti-alias' option when making a selection in Photoshop?
-The 'anti-alias' option smooths out the edges of a selection, preventing it from appearing blocky or jagged after it is cut out.
What does the 'contiguous' option do in the Magic Wand tool settings?
-The 'contiguous' option ensures that only pixels that are touching are selected. When enabled, it prevents the selection from including non-adjacent areas of similar color.
How can the Select Color Range method be combined with other techniques for refining selections?
-The Select Color Range method can be combined with the 'Select Subject' button to refine selections. After using Select Color Range to select the background, you can invert the selection and then use 'Select Subject' to fine-tune the selection of the subject.
What are the limitations of using the 'Remove Background' button for all types of images?
-The 'Remove Background' button may not make an accurate selection of the subject in complex images or may not recognize the subject at all, leading to an unsuccessful background removal.
How can you use the Select and Mask workspace to refine selections around hair?
-In the Select and Mask workspace, you can use the refine hair button to attempt to remove all the background from the hair. If the result is not perfect, you can use the quick selection tool to paint over areas you want to reveal and the refine edge brush to clean up the edges.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to Background Removal Techniques in Photoshop
The video introduces four simple methods for removing backgrounds in Photoshop, suitable for beginners. It emphasizes that even with no prior experience, these techniques will make users feel professional. The first technique involves using the 'Remove Background' or 'Select Subject' button in the Properties panel after unlocking the layer. The second technique uses selection tools like the Object Selection Tool, Quick Selection Tool, or Magic Wand Tool, with a 'Select Subject' option available in the options bar. The downsides of simplicity are also mentioned, indicating that more advanced tools will be discussed for complex images where simple selection might not suffice.
🛠️ Using the Magic Wand Tool for Background Removal
The Magic Wand Tool is introduced as a method for making color-based selections. It is particularly useful when dealing with images that have large areas of a single color. The tool's settings, such as Sample Size and Tolerance, are explained, along with the importance of the Anti-alias and Contiguous options for refining selections. The video demonstrates how to use the tool to select and remove the background of a building, adjusting the Sample Size for better accuracy and using the Layer Mask to finalize the selection. Limitations of the Magic Wand Tool are acknowledged, leading into the next method, the Object Selection Tool, which is better for complex images with multiple colors.
🎨 Advanced Selection with the Object Selection Tool and Select and Mask
The Object Selection Tool is showcased as a more advanced method for defining specific areas for selection, either using a Lasso or a Marquee selection. The tool utilizes AI to identify and select subjects, which can be helpful for making selective adjustments but may not always be perfect for background removal. The video demonstrates how to manually define an area around the subject for more precise selection. The Select and Mask workspace is introduced for refining selections, particularly around complex areas like hair. Techniques such as the refine hair button, quick selection tool, and refine edge brush are explained to improve the selection. The Decontaminate Colors option is also mentioned to help with color bleeding issues. The tutorial notes that while this method works well for complicated edges like hair, there are more advanced techniques for even better results, which are covered in a different video.
📌 Combining Techniques for Complex Backgrounds
The video concludes with a method that combines previous techniques with the 'Select Color Range' tool, ideal for backgrounds of a single color, especially when dealing with complex subjects like curly hair. The Select Color Range tool samples colors in the photo to create a selection. The process involves sampling multiple areas of the background, adjusting the fuzziness slider for a broader selection, and inverting the selection to select the subject. After obtaining the selection, a layer mask is added to remove the background. The video also suggests using the 'Select Subject' feature to refine areas that may not have been perfectly selected, allowing for manual touch-ups without worrying about precision. This method is praised for its effectiveness in handling complex selections while maintaining a simple workflow.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Photoshop
💡Layer Mask
💡Select Subject
💡Magic Wand Tool
💡Object Selection Tool
💡Sample Size
💡Tolerance
💡Anti-alias
💡Contiguous
💡Select and Mask
💡Color Range
Highlights
Learn four easy ways to remove backgrounds in Photoshop.
Even beginners can feel like professionals with these techniques.
Some techniques are as simple as clicking one button.
Understand removing backgrounds without complex explanations.
Use the 'Remove Background' button for quick selection.
The 'Select Subject' button is for spot adjustments.
Photoshop uses a layer mask to hide areas in your photo.
Black is 100% transparent and white is 100% visible on layer masks.
The Magic Wand tool selects areas of similar color.
Sample size determines how much color the Magic Wand selects.
Tolerance adjusts how many similar colors are included in the selection.
Anti-alias ensures smooth selections, while Contiguous selects only touching pixels.
The Object Selection tool makes selecting specific areas easier.
AI in the Object Selection tool helps find edges for selection.
Use 'Select and Mask' to refine selections, especially for hair.
The 'Select Color Range' method is great for simple backgrounds with complex subjects.
Invert selection to target the subject instead of the background.
Combine techniques for the best results in background removal.
Select Subject can be used to touch up selections after using other methods.
Learn more advanced techniques for precise and accurate selections in other tutorials.