How To Use Clipping Path In Photoshop – The Ultimate Guideline

A clipping path is one of the most helpful tools in Adobe Photoshop that allows you to cut out an item/object from the background of an image. You can outsource a clipping path service to a graphic designer, but it may get expensive. In this article, we’ll discuss how to use clipping paths in Photoshop (as well as Photoshop CC) with a step-by-step guide so that you can get started with clipping paths immediately! Generally, there are 2 ways of drawing clipping paths in Photoshop: you can create a clipping path with the magic wand tool or the pen tool. With clipping paths, you can manipulate the background of an image to how you want it to be. Although the process is a bit complex, we’ve made this guide as beginner-friendly as possible.

That being said, let’s get started!

Why Adobe Photoshop Is the Best for Creating Clipping Path

The most popular photo editing software in the world, Adobe Photoshop, is considered the best among artists and graphic designers worldwide. And it is famous for all the good reasons!

Useful in a Lot of Creative Scenarios

Adobe Photoshop is used across a variety of applications, including digital art, web design, and, of course, graphic design. What makes it so good is the software’s unbeatable selection tools and its polished user interface.

Most Complete and Feature-packed Photo Editing Software in the Market

Compared with other photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop supports the most advanced image formats, including RAW, 16-bit, and CMYK color modes.

Comes with Incredibly Handy Layers Panel

One of the best features of Photoshop is its layers panel, which lets you create/edit images across multiple layers. Moreover, you can use layers/overlays as filters or masks to alter images beneath them.

It also allows you to add components or work on an image/layer one at a time without altering the original image until you wish to.

How to Use Clipping Path in Photoshop – Step-by-step Guide

In Adobe’s image editing software suite, Photoshop is the most basic version, while Photoshop CC offers more advanced features (at an extra cost). For clipping paths, the results will be the same for both versions.

The guide is also suitable for older versions of Adobe Photoshop, including CS6 and CS5, as they have nearly identical user interfaces and tool sets.

That being said, here’s how to draw clipping paths on Photoshop and Photoshop CC –

Clipping Path in Photoshop

• Once you’ve launched Adobe Photoshop on your computer, follow these steps –

  • Load the Image

  Click on ‘File’ and then on ‘Open’ to select the image you will be editing.

  • Select the Pen Tool

  On the toolbar to your left, locate the pen tool and click on it.

  • Start Drawing a Path

  With the pen tool, create a path around the object/item you’ll remove from the image. Drawing the path will be a little tricky at first, but make sure to cut in the right shape around the object/item.

  Here’s a tip: try drawing the path along the object’s edge lines.

  • Clip the Path

  Once you’re done drawing a path around the object/item, clip the path by joining the starting point and the ending point.

  • Select the Path

  Select the drawn path with the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Enter.’

  • Smoothen the Edges (Optional)

  In order to smooth the edges, apply some ‘feather’ on the path. For this, press the keyboard shortcut ‘Shift + ‘F6’ to open the Feather Selection dialog box.

  • Create a Duplicate Background Layer

  Create a duplicate layer for the background of the cut-out image, then mask it.

  Once you’re done with the above steps, you’ve successfully created a clipping path!

Clipping Path in Photoshop CC

After launching Adobe Photoshop CC on your computer, follow these steps –

• • Load the Image

  Use the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl’ + ‘O’ and select the image you will edit.

  • Choose the Pen Tool

  In the toolbar on the left, select the pen tool, then click the image you’re editing.

  • Select ‘Exclude Overlapping Shape’

  After choosing the pen tool, locate the sub-menu ‘Path Operation.’ From the drop-down list, select ‘Exclude Overlapping Shape.’

  • Start Drawing a Path

  Press the ‘Alt’ key and draw a path around the object/item you want to remove. For smooth paths, try drawing close to the edges of the object/item being removed.

  • Apply Clipping Path

  Once you’re done drawing the path, close the paths by joining the start and end points. Next, select the ‘Save Path’ option.

  • Remove Background

  From the submenu on top, select the ‘Mask’ option. Next, click on the ‘Add Layer Mask’ menu to remove the background.

  After you’re done with it, you’ve successfully drawn a clipping path in Photoshop CC!

Why Is a Clipping Path Needed?

A clipping path is needed when unwanted elements must be removed from an image, such as logos, backgrounds, or text. In e-commerce, clipping paths are commonly used to remove an image’s background and replace it with a new one.

Clipping paths are especially useful when the product image has a complex/multicolor background and other methods aren’t effective at removing it.

Here are some clipping path use cases –

• If an object has to be placed in a composite photo with other objects
• To change/alter the color of the entire object, or one portion of it
• For isolating an object from other parts of the image
• When an object/item has to be displayed with a white/plain/transparent background

Clipping Path vs. Image Masking

Often confused as the same techniques, clipping path and image masking are completely different tools that produce different outcomes. As mentioned earlier, for clipping paths, you’ll have to select the pen tool or the magic wand tool to draw a path around the object/item being cut out.

Image masking involves altering certain portions of an image to make it visually appealing. With image masking, you can create a clipping mask, an alpha mask, or add a layer mask.

Here are the key differences between clipping path and image masking:

• Although clipping paths can give an image a realistic finish, image masking often produces higher-quality results.
• Clipping paths are suitable when working with multiple objects in an image. For working on single objects, professionals prefer image masking.
• While both clipping paths and image masking can be used to remove the background, image masking produces softer edges that look visibly smoother.

Conclusion

The clipping path feature in Adobe Photoshop serves as a robust method for eliminating backgrounds, refining images, and enhancing product photography. It produces clean, professional, and high-quality images that are vital for e-commerce, digital marketing, and graphic design. Mastering clipping path techniques allows you to effortlessly isolate objects and refine image quality, thereby enhancing visual appeal to drive better SEO results, user engagement, and conversion rates. Mastering clipping paths is essential for crafting professional imagery and enhancing visual impact for digital success.