Liban's Photoshop Tips: Clean cut-outs & the Pen Tool

The question:
I can't figure out how to accurately cut out images. Every time I try bits of the background are still on the image. How do I do this?

Cutouts can be achieved by numerous tools in photoshop, the Magic Wand, Lasso and a few other tools can do the trick, though their outcome isn't always up to par. The problems resulting from using those tools could range from jagged edges, a slight halo or ring like outline around the image (bits of the background that's still there.)

The best tool for effectively cutting out a figure or an object in an image to isolate it from the background is the Pen Tool. In fact it is one of the most important tools in photoshop. The best way to learn this tool is to practice it. It might seem a bit tricky in the begining but once you get the hang of it you'll realize how easy it is to use.

In this entry I will demonstrate how to use the Pen Tool and how to achieve a Clean Cut-out using it.

How to use The Pen Tool.

The Pen Tool works on the premise that one has complete control to draw a precise path around the subject. A path that can later be turned into a selection.

Here are the basics of operating the Pen Tool.
See image illustrating these steps below.

1. 1st. Click and release mouse.
2. Navigate to another point on the curve you're following.
3. 2nd Click but DO NOT RELEASE MOUSE BUTTON just yet.
4. Drag your mouse in the right direction so that the curve produced mimics that you are copying ONLY THEN you can release the mouse.
5. Find another point and click, again, DO NOT RELEASE MOUSE BUTTON until you get the desired curve and so on.
6. Do this around an image until you reach your initial point and complete circling the entire subject.

Grab any image you want to cut out and practice this until you get a feel on how the pen tool works, it is well worth the effort.

Clean Cut-outs.

Once you've learned how to control the pen tool to mimic any curve you see you'll need a few tips to get your cut out very clean.

1. Cheat a bit inside the image. For example if I want to cut out this grey figure from it's blue background, here's what my Pen's path would look like.

If I substitute another red background in, you'll see that the original blue background is totally eliminated and can't be seen anymore. Remember it's always best to cheat inside the image rather than outside of it.

Here's how NOT to draw your path with the Pen Tool.

If I substitute another red background in you'll see that the blue halo around the image is a result of poor Pen work. The path should've been on the inside of the grey area that i wanted to isolate not on the outer edges. Here's the outcome of a path that flirts on the outskirts of the subject.

2. Once you circled your image with a good path drawn by your Pen Tool. You'll need to move the subject you've cut out on its own layer.

Go to your paths palette.

Click on the Load path as a selection tool (dotted circle icon)

Now you've turned all your hard Pen work in to an actual selection.

Go to the layers menu -> new -> layer via copy or just hit (ctrl J or Command J on an apple) - what you're doing here is telling photoshop to move your cutout image to a new layer on its own.

That's all!!!