Mastering Select and Mask in Photoshop: Perfectly Removing Backgrounds

🔍Understand the different problems encountered when removing backgrounds: jaggies, blockies, halos, and helmet hair.

🖌️Learn how to make selections before refining edges to have access to Photoshop's full suite of tools.

🎨Explore the Select and Mask tool and its features to address common selection challenges, such as hair and fur.

🖼️Discover different viewing options in Select and Mask, such as black and white, to review and refine your selections.

🧰Utilize the Refine tool and adjustments like smoothness and contrast to achieve clean and crisp edges for different elements.

Why is it better to make selections before using Select and Mask?

—Making selections first allows access to all Photoshop tools for more precise selection before refining edges using Select and Mask.

What are the common problems when removing backgrounds?

—Common problems include jaggies (rough edges), blockies (pixelated edges), halos (light or dark outlines), and helmet hair (over-smoothed hair).

What does the black and white view option in Select and Mask do?

—The black and white view options help visualize the mask and the selected areas, making it easier to see edges and refine selections.

How can I avoid issues with hair and fur when removing backgrounds?

—Use the Refine tool in Select and Mask, enable the 'Refine Hair' feature, and adjust smoothness and contrast to achieve better results.

Can I apply different adjustments for different parts of an image?

—Yes, you can save selections for different areas, create separate layer masks, and combine them to get the best results for each element.

00:00When removing backgrounds, people often struggle with getting clean edges.

00:35Making selections first gives access to Photoshop's full tools before refining edges with Select and Mask.

01:20Select and Mask is a comprehensive tool for refining selections, especially for problematic areas like hair and fur.

04:21Different viewing options, like black and white, help review and refine selections more accurately.

06:00Adjustments like smoothness and contrast help achieve clean and crisp edges for different elements.