Even after taking professional-quality cupcake photos for my bakery business, I was not happy with the results. They needed some retouching. The background has cluttering elements, such as messy counters, stray crumbs, overlapping decorations, etc.
I knew clipping paths in Adobe Photoshop could solve this problem. But a question popped up: “How do I create a clipping path in Photoshop?” This is how I edit my cupcake images and make them perfect for advertisement.
Create a Clipping Path in Photoshop Step-by-Step
- Install Adobe Photoshop on your PC. It should work smoothly and avoid disrupting your editing task.
- Always choose high-quality photos for the post-production process. It helps you achieve better quality.
- Make sure to learn the right way of using the Pen Tool in this photo-editing software. Take help from online tutorial videos to learn how to use the tool.
The following steps are to create a clipping path in an Adobe image-editing app.
Step 01: Import Your Image
- Open the software on your computer or laptop. Select File > Open.
- When a new window appears, tap on the picture you want to edit. Then, choose Open.
- Alternatively, use the drag-and-drop option to import the image.
Step 02: Select the Pen Tool
- Navigate to the left side of the window and select the Pen tool from the lower half of the toolbar section.
- You may use other tool options. However, the pen tool is one of the best choices for making smooth, curved lines and drawing paths with sharp corners.
Step 03: Choose a New Path
- Zoom in the photo and focus on the area you want to create a vector mask.
- Use the Pen tool and carefully track down the area where you want to make a deep etching.
- If you need to manually select the deep etching option, head to the upper menu panel and choose the Path from Window. Don’t change the value for the flatness setting; tap on the OK option.
Step 04: Draw a Clipping Path
- Use the Pen tool and slowly move it along the object’s edges. Place anchor points along curves and corners and make a quick clipping path in Photoshop.
- Add as many anchor points as you need to cover the entire object. Use the direction handles to modify the shape and direction of the curve.
- Use the control handles to adjust the size, rotation, and perspective of the vector mask.
Step 05: Soften the Hard Edges
- Once you make a perfect deep etching, create a selection by pressing “Ctrl + Enter” from the keyboard.
- Navigate to the upper menu panel and choose Select > Modify > Feather. Or press “Shift + F6” from your keyboard.
- Then, enter a value of 0.5 pixels on the dialogue box to soften the hard edges. Don’t go for pixel-precise sharp edges, as they look unnatural.
Step 06: Convert Path to Selection
- After smoothening the edges perfectly, right-click on your vector mask and select “Make Selection” from the drop-down lists.
- A new dialogue box will pop up. Enter the feather radius value to 0 and tap “OK.” Go to the layer panel and create a copy of the backdrop.
Step 07: Save the Clipping Path
- Wondering how to save a clipping path in Photoshop? If you do not see the paths panel automatically, navigate to the Window area and select Paths.
- A new option, named “Work Path,” will be visible on the screen. Right-click on it and select the “Save Path” option. You can use this vector mask in the future.
Conclusion
Make sure to save your work frequently to avoid losing progress during editing. Don’t rely on automatic selection if you want to create a precise vector mask. Use the Pen tool for better results. Give yourself enough time to practice and learn the art of the perfect deep etching technique. Hopefully, you got a clear answer to the question, “How do I create a clipping path in Photoshop?”
