How to cut images with hair using Photoshop

Do you want to cut out images and paste them on to a different background? Good, read and learn. Includes Images For Every Step!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Photoshop
• Some Basic Photoshop Knowledge

1. 
    
   Image was downloaded from www.squizzle.org

   Open the image you wish to cut using Photoshop. I have chosen an image of Angelina Jolie as my example for this tutorial.

2. 
    

   Now, double click the image icon in the layers palette in order to unlock the image. Click Ok. Make a copy of the layer in the layers palette, right click the layer and choose 'Duplicate layer'. Hide the duplicated layer using the small "eye" near the image on the layers palette.

3. 
    

   Next we are going to cut out the body with the pen-tool. Choose the pen tool (Shortcut: P) and set it on "Paths" as shown in image.

4. 
    

   Trace around the entire body of the image you wish to cut. Cut around the hair leaving much space as shown in the image. We will deal with the hair later.

5. 
    

   Now that you have made the path, right click the path with the pen tool still selected and choose 'Make selection'. Leave the option on 0 pixels and make sure Anti aliased is checked. Choose Ok. Now inverse the selection (Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+I), make sure the original layer is selected in the layers palette, if so press delete on your keyboard. If you have followed all the steps correctly, you should have a result similar to the one in my attached image.

6. 
    

   Now for the hair. Go to Filter > Extract. You can zoom in on the hair a bit with Ctrl++ or with the zoom tool. Now, use the hand tool to move the canvas down so we can see her whole hair. Select the Edge highlighter tool (Shortcut: B). Use a Brush size of 20, leave everything else on default. Then make a similar highlight as shown in the attached image. Make sure you highlight the remaining background around the hair as well.

7. Now fill it in with the 'Fill Tool' (Shortcut: G). Choose OK. This should have deleted most of the image around the hair and background.
   If it deleted parts of the hair you can always bring them back again using the history brush (Shortcut: Y). If certain parts did not delete and were supposed to, use the eraser tool (Shortcut: E) with a soft brush and different sizes depending on how much is left to delete.

Tips & Warnings

• If you would like me to create a more simple cutting tutorial, request it.