Tips and Tricks: Mastering Fur Masking in Photoshop

TLDRLearn how to create realistic fur masks in Photoshop using three different techniques. Customize your own brush to create the illusion of fur, use the clone stamp tool to hide imperfections, and paint in strands of fur for areas that are difficult to mask. Follow along with this tutorial to effectively mask and cut out fur from images with busy backgrounds.

Key insights

🖌️Customize a fur brush in Photoshop to create the illusion of fur as you paint on the layer mask.

🖼️Use the clone stamp tool to hide imperfections created while painting on the mask.

🎨Paint strands of fur in areas that are difficult to mask.

Q&A

What if I don't have a Wacom tablet?

You can still achieve similar results by adjusting brush settings or using the fade control option.

Can I use a different brush for painting fur?

Yes, any brush can be used, but a brush with shape dynamics or fade control can help create a more realistic effect.

How do I paint in the details of individual fur strands?

Use a smaller brush size and paint in the direction of the fur, adjusting the brush settings to mimic the thickness and direction.

What if the fur is out of focus or blurred?

You can use the blur tool on the layer mask to replicate the blurred effect and make the fur look more realistic.

How can I fix imperfections in the mask?

Use the clone stamp tool on a new layer clipped to the original layer to paint in pixels from other areas and fix any imperfections.

Timestamped Summary

00:05Introduction and request for masking fur tutorial.

00:15Overview of the tutorial and the techniques included.

01:05Selecting the cat and creating a layer mask.

02:40Customizing a brush to create the illusion of fur.

04:10Using the clone stamp tool to hide imperfections.

06:00Painting in strands of fur for areas that are difficult to mask.

08:20Tips for using a Wacom tablet or adjusting brush settings for different effects.

10:30Fixing imperfections and painting in details for specific areas.