How To Remove a Difficult Background in Photoshop (Tutorial)
TLDRIn this Photoshop tutorial from Vertic Designs, the focus is on removing complex backgrounds from images. The process begins by unlocking the layer and using the 'Threshold' adjustment to separate the subject from the background. A slider is adjusted to maximize contrast, typically around level 144. After creating a copy of the layer and converting it into a smart object for reference, the 'Color Range' selection tool is employed to isolate the white and black areas. Fuzziness is set to 200 for precision. Any unwanted selections are corrected using the 'Polygonal Lasso Tool'. The reference and threshold layers are hidden, and the selection is refined by subtracting from it. Finally, the background is removed by selecting the main image and clicking the mask button, followed by inverting the selection. This method effectively removes intricate backgrounds, leaving a clean subject ready for further editing.
Takeaways
- 🔓 Unlock the image layer by clicking on the lock icon to edit.
- 🎨 Use the 'Threshold' adjustment to separate the subject from the background.
- 👀 Adjust the threshold level to make the areas you want to keep as dark as possible.
- 🌟 A good threshold level might be around 144, but it depends on the image.
- 📋 Minimize the threshold adjustment layer after setting the level.
- 🏷️ Hold Shift and click on the top and bottom layers to select them.
- 🆒 Duplicate the selected layers by pressing Ctrl or Command + J.
- 🔄 Convert the duplicated layer into a smart object for reference.
- 🖍️ Use 'Select > Color Range' to separate white from black in the image.
- 🔧 Set the fuzziness to 200 for a more precise selection.
- ✂️ Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to refine the selection and remove unwanted areas.
- ➖ Hold Alt and click to subtract from the selection if needed.
- 🔄 Hide the reference and threshold layers before proceeding.
- 🔲 Invert the selection by pressing Ctrl or Command + I to finalize the removal of the background.
Q & A
What is the first step to remove a complex background in Photoshop?
-The first step is to unlock the layer by left-clicking on the lock icon.
Which adjustment tool is recommended to separate the tree and leaves from the background?
-The Threshold adjustment tool is recommended for this purpose.
What is the goal when adjusting the Threshold slider?
-The goal is to make the areas you want to keep as dark as possible.
What is a suitable Threshold level mentioned in the tutorial?
-A suitable Threshold level mentioned in the tutorial is around 144.
How do you create a copy of the threshold layer?
-You hold Shift, click on the bottom layer, and then press Ctrl or Command + J.
What is the purpose of converting the copied layer into a smart object?
-Converting into a smart object allows you to use it as a reference and maintain the ability to edit the original settings non-destructively.
How do you separate white and black areas using the Color Range tool?
-You left-click on the eyedropper tool in the Color Range dialog and select the white or black areas, adjusting the fuzziness to separate them effectively.
What tool can be used to manually refine the selection if the Color Range tool selects unwanted areas?
-The Polygonal Lasso Tool can be used to manually add or subtract from the selection.
How do you hide the reference and threshold layers?
-You can hide these layers by clicking on the eye icon next to each layer in the Layers panel.
What keyboard shortcut can be used to invert the selection after making the selection with the Polygonal Lasso Tool?
-Press Ctrl or Command + I to invert the selection.
How do you apply the final mask to remove the background?
-Select the main image layer and click on the 'Add layer mask' button at the bottom of the Layers panel.
What is the final step in the process of removing a complex background in Photoshop as described in the tutorial?
-The final step is to invert the selection using Ctrl or Command + I to properly apply the mask and remove the background.
Outlines
🖼️ Removing Complex Backgrounds in Photoshop
This tutorial introduces a method to remove complex backgrounds from an image using Adobe Photoshop. The process begins by unlocking the image layer and applying a threshold adjustment to separate the desired elements from the background. The threshold level is adjusted to make the areas to keep as dark as possible. A copy of the threshold layer is made and converted into a smart object for reference. The selection tool is then used to isolate the white and black areas of the image, with a focus on the tree and leaves, and the selection is refined using the polygonal lasso tool to remove unwanted selections. The reference and threshold layers are hidden, and the selection is inverted to complete the background removal. The final step is to apply a mask to the main image, effectively removing the complex background.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Photoshop
💡Threshold
💡Smart Object
💡Color Range
💡Fuzziness
💡Polygonal Lasso Tool
💡Selection Mode
💡Mask
💡Invert Selection
💡Layer
💡Non-Destructive Editing
Highlights
Unlock the image layer by left-clicking on the lock icon to begin removing the background.
Navigate to the 'Adjustments' panel and select the 'Threshold' adjustment for separating elements from the background.
Adjust the Threshold slider to maximize the contrast between the elements you want to keep and the background.
A suggested Threshold level is around 144 for optimal separation of the subject from the background.
Minimize the Threshold adjustment and duplicate the layer using Ctrl+J or Command+J after selecting it.
Convert the duplicated layer into a Smart Object for future reference.
Use the 'Select > Color Range' tool to separate the white and black areas of the image.
Click on the 'Y' area in the Color Range tool to select lighter areas such as leaves.
Set the fuzziness to 200 for a more precise selection.
Deal with unwanted selections by using the Polygonal Lasso Tool in subtract mode.
Hide the reference and threshold layers before proceeding with the selection refinement.
Use the Alt key to toggle between adding and subtracting from the selection with the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
Carefully trace the edge of the subject to remove unwanted background areas.
Connect the start and end points of the selection to complete the process.
Select the main image layer and click the 'Mask' button to apply the selection as a mask.
Invert the selection using Ctrl+I or Command+I to properly remove the background.
The final step results in a clean removal of the complex background from the image.